Delicious Southern Meatloaf

Homestyle comfort food is what this Delicious Southern Meatloaf is all about. It’s topped with a sweet tomato glaze that turns leftovers into a mouthwatering meatloaf sandwich, too.

Easy Delicious Southern Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf is consummate comfort food and this family favorite doesn’t disappoint. My family thinks this is the best meatloaf recipe and that’s why it was dubbed “Delicious Meatloaf. ” I know, meatloaf isn’t a gourmet dish, but meatloaf is something that was always on the table. If there’s one thing those family gatherings taught me is that meatloaf doesn’t have to be boring, tasteless and dry. How to make Delicious Southern Meatloaf: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Tomato Glaze – Mix together cup soup, ketchup, brown sugar and mustard until smooth. Set aside.
• Prepare Pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Vegetables – Saute the diced onions and peppers in a few drizzles of olive oil until softened and translucent around 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Meatloaf Mixture – In a medium mixing bowl mix together beef, Panko, 3/4 cup soup, buttermilk, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire, barbecue seasoning and pepper. Add cooked peppers and onions. Mix well.
• Transfer to Pan – Using your hands, roughly form the meat mixture into a loaf shape in the bowl. Slide the loaf onto the center of prepared baking sheet.
• Shape – Pat the meatloaf into an oblong loaf shape approximately 2 1/2 inches thick. It’s important to make the loaf proportional so it will cook evenly. 
• Glaze – Pour half of the glaze over the top.
• Oven – Bake for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven drizzle with remaining glaze.
• Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear.
• Rest on the counter for 10 minutes then slice and serve.

How to Make the Best Southern Meatloaf Recipe

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Southern Meatloaf: Lean ground beef, onion, bell peppers, barbecue seasoning, black pepper, buttermilk, yellow mustard, large eggs, worcestershire sauce, tomato basil soup, light brown sugar and ketchup for the glaze.
• Kitchen tools you’ll need: A large bowl, a small bowl, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and cutting board and a sheet pan.
• Quality ingredients result in a moist and flavorful meatloaf. Use the best ground beef for the mixture and a brand of ketchup for the glaze that you already enjoy.
• This particular meatloaf is all beef, but you can certainly adapt using using half beef and half ground pork  for the meatloaf mixture.
• Some Southerners like to use saltines as a binder in the meatloaf mixture. Others may use bread crumbs or even oatmeal. I use panko in the recipe, and it works beautifully.
• This meatloaf can be fully assembled in the morning and covered and chilled until you’re ready to bake. Simply tuck it away in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare dinner.
• When assembling in advance, top it with the glaze just before putting it into the oven to bake and allow some time on the counter before baking.
• It’s ideal to use a white onion or sweet Vidalia onion for the filling as a yellow onion has a more robust flavor.
• The sweet tomato glaze made with ketchup, makes it a spectacular choice for eating later as a sandwich.
• You can use an instant-read thermometer to check the meatloaf for doneness. Insert into the thickest part of the center looking for 160°F.
• Store Delicious Southern Meatloaf chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy on sandwiches, slider rolls or reheat gently in single serving portions in an air fryer or microwave.
• We love meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a side of green beans.

More Easy Meatloaf Recipes to Make

• Barbecue Meatloaf Sliders are a tasty option for game day snacks.
• Mini Barbecue Bacon Cheddar Meatloaves make it possible to bake meatloaf for dinner any night of the week.
• Cheese Stuffed Taco Meatloaf is a festive way to celebrate Taco Tuesday.
• Slow Cooker Meatloaf Meatballs from Culinary Hill for a two bite appetizer.
• This Cheesy Italian Meatloaf is made in a Bundt pan.
• Make this little Turkey Meatloaf Muffins topped with mashed potatoes baked in a muffin pan.
• Chicken Meatloaf from Courtney’s Sweets.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Sheet Pan
• Cutting Board
• Olive Oil Dispenser
• Kitchen Utensils

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Delicious Meatloaf

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

RestingTime15 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: best-meatloaf-recipe, delicious-meatloaf, southern-meatloaf-recipes

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• Glaze:
• 1 19 oz can tomato basil soup divided [ie Progresso]
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp prepared yellow mustard
• Meatloaf:
• 1 medium sweet onion diced
• 1 medium red green or yellow pepper diced
• olive oil
• 2 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 1/2 tsp barbecue seasoning
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

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Instructions

• Tomato Glaze: Mix together 1/3 cup soup, ketchup, brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp mustard until smooth. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• In a medium skillet saute the diced onions and peppers in a few drizzles of olive oil over medium high heat until softened and translucent around 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste then set aside to cool slightly.
• While vegetables cook in a medium mixing bowl mix together beef, Panko, 3/4 cup soup, buttermilk, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire, barbecue seasoning and pepper. Add cooked peppers and onions. Mix well.
• Using your hands roughly form the meat mixture into a loaf shape in the bowl. Slide the loaf onto the center of prepared baking sheet.
• Pat the meatloaf into an oblong loaf shape approximately 2 1/2 inches thick. It's important to make the loaf proportional so it will cook evenly. Pour half of the glaze over the top.
• Bake for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven drizzle with remaining glaze.
• Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear.
• Rest on the counter for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you use ground beef with a higher fat content [ ie. 80/20] the meatloaf should be prepared in a baking dish or loaf pan to better keep it’s shape.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 668IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg

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