This Barefoot Contessa meatloaf recipe is a crowd favorite! Read on for Ina Garten’s meatloaf recipe, tips and tricks.
Most of us probably grew up eating meatloaf for dinner at least a few times a year, if not every month. And is there anything better than a tasty meatloaf sandwich at a down-home restaurant?
As it turns out – yes! The Barefoot Contessa meatloaf recipe is all the flavor and nostalgia you remember from your favorite childhood comfort food.
Ina Garten’s meatloaf recipe is easy to make and packed with flavor. Below are all the tips you need to make this delicious sheet pan meatloaf recipe!
If you want to recreate the meatloaf of your childhood memories or your favorite diner meal, you’ve come to the right place!
Making the perfect meatloaf at home with the Barefoot Contessa meatloaf recipe is easy.
You don’t even need to use a loaf pan, unless you prefer it. Instead, you can simply shape the meatloaf with your hands and bake it on a sheet pan.
What is Meatloaf Made Of?
Meatloaf usually contains two pounds of ground meat, such as beef, pork, veal, turkey or lamb. You can even use a combination.
To hold the meatloaf together, you’ll need some form of bread, bread crumbs, crackers or oats. Use this, along with milk or water and eggs, as a binding agent when mixing the meatloaf.
If desired, you can add finely chopped onions or vegetables, such as spinach, to your meatloaf mixture. Doing so adds a lot of flavor in addition to using a bit of black pepper, salt or other seasonings.
You can top the meatloaf with a simple glaze, gravy or even wrap it in bacon. For this meatloaf recipe you use a combination of ketchup and steak sauce to create a very easy glaze.
If you want to make turkey meatloaf, read our tips for making a moist turkey meatloaf. It’s also super delicious!
Ingredients for Meatloaf
To make the Barefoot Contessa meatloaf recipe, you will need:
- Ground Beef
- Eggs
- Breadcrumbs
- Diced onion
- Minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Ground black pepper
- Salt
- Milk
- Ketchup
- A1 steak sauce
For the Glaze:
- Ketchup
- Steak Sauce
You can also use our meatloaf seasoning recipe!
Best Meat for Meatloaf
What is the best meat for meatloaf? It’s important to use a leaner ground beef when meating meatloaf.
While fat can add a lot of flavor, in a dish like meatloaf the excess fat will result in a greasy, rubbery meatloaf.
Chances are if you’ve had a meatloaf recipe you didn’t love, it’s because it wasn’t made with the right kind of beef!
A leaner beef like 85% lean ground beef or 90% lean ground beef is the way to go when making the Barefoot Contessa meatloaf recipe.
Some people assume that using lean ground beef will result in a dry meatloaf. That’s actually not the case!
Ina Garten’s meatloaf recipe calls for ketchup, steak sauce, milk and egg and lots of finely chopped onion.
The combination of all of those ingredients is a mosit, flavorful meatloaf that you’ll want to make time and again.
How to Make Meatloaf
1. Add all ingredients (ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, milk, 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 2 tablespoons of steak sauce) to a mixing bowl.
2. Gently mix everything together using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until it’s mostly combined.
3. Continue mixing everything together until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
You may find it easier to mix everything together with your hands, being sure to wash your hands well after working with raw meat.
4. Turn meat mixture out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Gently shape the beef into a loaf shape in the center of the pan for nice, even cooking.
5. Bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes. In the meantime, mix the remaining ketchup and steak sauce together in a small dish.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven, glaze the top with the ketchup and steak sauce mixture then bake for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature is 155° F
6. Remove from the oven and allow the meatloaf to rest for ten minutes before serving.
Check out these meatloaf recipes for ideas:
We love a good meatloaf recipe around here so we’d be remiss if we didn’t urge you to check out this delicious Stuffed Meatloaf recipe.
Looking for a gluten-free meatloaf recipe? This Gluten-Free Teriyaki Meatloaf is a favorite!
If you’re a cheese lover, check out this Cheddar-Stuffed Florentine Meatloaf with Creamy Potato Gravy. It’s unexpectedly delicious!
Love Ina Garten’s meatloaf recipe featured here? Check out the Barefoot Contessa Turkey Meatloaf recipe, too. We also recommend that you try this recipe alongside these Barefoot Contessa deviled eggs — every entree needs a side!
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Barefoot Contessa Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 large White Onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/3 cup Chicken Stock
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 1/2 pounds Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
- 2 extra large Egg beaten
- 1/2 cup Ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325.
- Heat olive oil in a medium saute pan.
- Throw onions, thyme, salt and pepper and cook over medium to low heat, stirring occasionally. About 8 to 10 minutes,.
- Turn off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Permit to cool slightly.
- Combine chicken stock, ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs in a bowl and and mix lightly with a fork. Do NOT mash or the meat loaf will be dense.
- Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.
- Spread the catsup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through.
- Serve hot and enjoy!