Best Southern Meatloaf Recipe Easy with Ingredients

There’s nothing quite like a classic Southern meatloaf to bring everyone to the table. This recipe is my go-to when I’m craving comfort food that’s hearty, flavorful, and easy to make. Packed with savory seasonings and topped with a tangy glaze, it’s the kind of dish that feels like a warm embrace from the past. Whether it’s for a family dinner or leftovers the next day, this meatloaf never disappoints.

best southern meatloaf recipe

Best Ever Southern Meatloaf Recipe

This Southern meatloaf is a comforting classic, packed with rich, savory flavors and topped with a perfectly tangy glaze. You’ll love how easy it is to make and how tender and juicy it turns out every time. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans for a satisfying, homestyle meal everyone will enjoy.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs ground beef, 85% lean or leaner
  • ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce
  • ½ cup chopped onions, white
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¾ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Combine ground meat, bread crumbs, ketchup, onion, egg, Worcestershire, garlic, thyme, pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and hand mix thoroughly. 
  • Form beef into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on non-stick aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.
  • Place in 350°F oven.
  • Bake 55-60 minutes
  • Let stand for 10 minutes
  • Cut into slices
Keyword meatloaf, ground beef

How to make this Best Southern Meatloaf Recipe classic!

This is a very easy and no-fail recipe for meatloaf. It’s simple to make, and it’s quite good. Is this the best meatloaf recipe ever? Not sure, but it is pretty amazing!

best southern meatloaf recipe
Meatloaf Recipe Southern and Delicious

This traditional meatloaf recipe is made with ground beef has a sweet and tangy glaze topping, and is very moist.

A great meatloaf recipe is sweet and savory and this one has it all.

This meatloaf recipe southern classic is packed with so much flavor! A combination of lean ground meat, onions, and tangy barbecue sauce. What’s not to like!

Is it better to cook meatloaf covered or uncovered?


Cover a single large meatloaf with a piece of aluminum foil during cooking to keep it moist. Uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking for a nice, brown outer crust.

What is the best internal meatloaf temp?

Meatloaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Here are a couple of inexpensive, easy-to-use and instant-read thermometers I recommend.

The KT Thermo is great for grilling and BBQ. It is very basic but easy to use and read.

If you enjoy a digital thermometer with a few more features, you’ll like this digital meat thermometer, an instant-on model.

How long does it take to cook a 2lb meatloaf at 350 degrees?

The best temperature to cook the meatloaf at is 350°F and it requires about 1 hour, depending on size and shape. 1 hour should be more than enough for cooking 2lb pound meatloaf. Be sure to use your cooking thermometer if you are unsure. Allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking.

Let’s get started with the ingredients for this old fashion meatloaf recipe

The ingredients are quite basic, yet combine to make a good meatloaf recipe you’ll want to share.

Ground beef

ground meat
panko bread crumbs, bowl

Ketchup

small bowl of prepared ketchup

Barbecue sauce

cup of barbecue sauce

Onion

Egg

large egg

Worcestershire sauce

bowl of Worcestershire sauce

Minced garlic

pile of raw garlic for meatloaf recipe

Dried Thyme

pile of dried thyme

Ground black pepper

ground black pepper

Salt

salt for baking

Easy Southern Meatloaf Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds of Ground Beef (85% lean or leaner)
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine ground meat, bread crumbs, ketchup, onion, egg, Worcestershire, garlic, thyme, pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and hand mix thoroughly. Form beef into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on non-stick aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.
  2. Place in 350°F oven. Bake 55-60 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut into slices.

What to serve with this Southern Meatloaf Recipe Classic

Meatloaf is a Southern classic served as an entree and just as good the next day on a couple of slices of bread!

Here are some of my favorite recipes that good well with this meatloaf dish

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