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Home ยป Beef Recipes

Make Ahead Meatloaf | Easy Recipe for Happy Dinners

Published: Nov 23, 2017 ยท Modified: Jan 23, 2025 by Madalaine ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท

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The trick to making a really good Make Ahead Meatloaf is

  1. keep the meatloaf itself simple
  2. poke holes in it
  3. make enough glaze to cover it completely
serving platter with meatloaf surrounded by beans, potatoes, and carrots

I try to keep at least one meatloaf in the freezer at all times.  It's one of my family's favorite comfort foods.  My grandkids especially love this recipe.

And the best part?  This recipe only calls for a few ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

How to keep a make-ahead meatloaf moist and tender

Sometimes meatloaves can be dense and dry.  This is doubly so if you freeze it for later.  To keep yours juicy and tender add โ…” cup of crushed crackers or breadcrumbs.

This soaks up the fat from the beef and stores it keeping it moist.  Breading also acts as micro mini spacers so the meat doesn't compact on itself.

Glazing is also important to keep it from drying out.  Poke at least 3 holes down the center of your meatloaf before you bake it.  Then as you pour the glaze over it, it drips down into the meatloaf adding more moisture as well.

pouring glaze on top of raw meatloaf

If you plan on freezing it, mix up double the extra glaze.

Bake the meatloaf like the recipe outlines.  Then when it's cooled off and ready for the freezer, pour the other ยฝ of the glaze over it and freeze.  This extra moisture is added insurance against freezer burn and dryness.

Make Ahead Meatloaf Recipe

This recipe makes 1 large meatloaf that easily serves 6 people.

meatloaf ingredients laid out: worceshire sauce, bread crumbs, milk, ground beef, eggs, onion soup mix, ketchup

Meatloaf Ingredients

  • 1 ยฝ pounds ground beef
  • ยฝ package Lipton onion soup mix
  • 2 eggs
  • โ…” cup bread crumbs
  • ยผ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ยผ cup milk
meatloaf glaze ingredients: soy sauce, worceshire sauce, brown sugar, ketchup

Glaze Ingredients

  • ยผ cup ketchup
  • ยผ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 ยฝ pounds 80% ground beef, ยฝ package Lipton onion soup mix, 2 eggs, โ…” cup bread crumbs, ยผ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and ยผ cup milk.
  3. Make the glaze.  In a small bowl combine: ยฝ cup ketchup, ยผ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
  4. Gently press the meat mixture into a loaf pan.  Make sure there is at least 1-inch room at the top.
  5. Poke several holes in the meatloaf with your finger.  Spread the glaze evenly over the top and into the holes.
  6. Bake meatloaf for 55 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160F.  Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Baking tip:

  • When mixing the meatloaf ingredients together, do it gently.  Stop mixing when everything is just combined.  Over mixing can give you a tough meatloaf.
  • Bake the meatloaf on top of a baking sheet.  A cookie sheet or baking sheet will keep the bottom of your oven clean in case the juices from your meatloaf bubble over.
Make Ahead Meatloaf Pin

How to Freeze your meatloaf

Once the meatloaf has cooled completely, wrap it in a freezer bag or plastic wrap.  Then for good measure, wrap it with tin foil.  Why the double wrap?

Wrapping it first with plastic wrap helps keep it moist.  Both the freezer and the refrigerator can dry out foods.  This is a good thing to do with any freezer meals you make yourself.

Meatloaf wrapped like this can be stored in the freezer for 3 - 4 months.

How to bring your make-ahead meatloaf back to life.

Ideally, you can take your meatloaf out of the freezer and let it thaw out in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.  Then reheat it in the oven at 350F for 30 minutes.

Ok, back to reality.  I think the last time I had that much forethought was...

... still thinking... well, never.  The best way (and most convenient) to thaw out your home-cooked meatloaf is to treat it like a store-bought lasagna.

Take off the double wrapping of plastic wrap and tin foil, cover the top with tin foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 350F (covered) for 50 minutes.  Uncover it and let it bake another 15-20 minutes until the internal temp is hot.

Variations:

The best meatloaf lets the beef really shine through.  However, if you'd like to add a little more dimension to it try a combination of ground beef, pork sausage, and/or ground veal.

What to serve with it?

Try these sides to round out your meal...

Moros y Cristianos - or Latin American Black Beans and Rice with sofrito. | www.lakesidetable.com
Black Beans and Rice
A big black bowl filled to the brim with garden peas and sugar snap peas still in their pods topped with crispy bacon and chopped fresh herbs, garnished with a yellow lemon wedge
Creamy Snap Peas
turmeric honey glazed carrot recipe - plate of carrots cut into long match sticks, sprinkled with parsley. Behind this is an array of fresh parsley and lemons.
Honey glazed carrots

Other EASY Dinner Ideas to Love โค๏ธ

Easy Oven Baked Corned Beef Brisket

Baked corned beef - full of flavor, tender, and juicy. Slow baked for the best results. | www.lakesidetable.com
make ahead meatloaf
4.6 from 10 votes
Print

Easy Make Ahead Meatloaf

With only 7 ingredients, this classic Meatloaf recipe makes everyone happy.  It's easy, delicious, and it freezes great for a make ahead meal with no fuss. | www.lakesidetable.com

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword easy, easy recipe, low carb, make ahead, meatloaf
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 298 kcal

Ingredients

Meatloaf

  • 1 ยฝ pounds lean ground beef
  • ยฝ package Lipton onion soup mix dry
  • 2 eggs
  • โ…” cup cracker crumbs Saltines or Ritz
  • ยผ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ยผ cup milk

Glaze

  • ยฝ cup ketchup
  • ยผ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce low sodium

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.  

  2. Thoroughly mix all the Meatloaf ingredients together and put it into a loaf pan.  

  3. For the glaze, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce together.

  4. Poke holes in the meatloaf with your finger and spread the glaze over the top and into the holes.

  5. Bake for 55 minutes.  Let it rest for 10 minutes before you cut into it or else it might fall apart.

Recipe Notes

Variations: add 1 cup chopped white onion, fresh herbs, chopped garlic and/or lay fresh rosemary on top.

This basic recipe is fun to play with!ย ย 

Nutrition Facts
Easy Make Ahead Meatloaf
Amount Per Serving
Calories 298 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 126mg42%
Sodium 908mg39%
Potassium 667mg19%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 250IU5%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 66mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
make ahead meatloaf

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Comments

  1. Surya says

    June 19, 2020 at 5:34 am

    5 stars
    I love meatloaf!

  2. Carol says

    August 24, 2020 at 8:51 am

    Thanks for the recipe, my mom use to make it somewhat like this but I never knew measurements because she never measured. The only difference is the glaze, mom put slices of bacon across the top. Now I have protions and will be making this.

  3. Pat Maloney says

    August 25, 2020 at 1:44 pm

    Used my own Chile Suces in place of the Ketchup

  4. Marcia Newlin says

    October 05, 2022 at 7:06 pm

    5 stars
    My husband and I loved it! Thanks! It is going in the โ€œbestโ€ file!! Marcia (Angieโ€™s Mom)

  5. Amia says

    December 30, 2024 at 2:30 pm

    5 stars
    I love a good meatloaf and so does my family! Thanks for sharing this recipe that I can prep ahead of time! Looking forward to trying it!

4.60 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)
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Hi Iโ€™m Madalaine and I love helping people have FUN in their kitchen. You'll find lots of easy-to-follow gluten-free recipes and tons of tips I learned in culinary school.ย  Most of my recipes are French-inspired butย allย of my recipes are family favorites.

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