Ina Garten’s Meatloaf
This Ina Garten’s Meatloaf recipe is the only meatloaf recipe you need. It’s hearty, meaty, moist, and topped with a sweet and tangy ketchup glaze. Comfort food for fall!
Food Network is mostly how I learned to cook in my twenties. I loved watching Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, Alton Brown, and Curtis Stone, and of course, Ina Garten! They all made cooking look so easy, and I picked up all the basics through their shows, like how to cut onions, how to season at every step to build flavor, and how to work with different flavor profiles. Since then, I’ve learned to do my own thing and developed my own way of writing recipes too.
This meatloaf recipe comes from Ina Garten. I made it a few times when I first learned it, but somehow Bryan and I both forgot about it for a few years. I rediscovered it last year and we realized how much we truly love this dish. I’ve been making it a lot ever since. It’s incredibly moist thanks to the sautéed onions. It’s hearty and meaty. My absolute favorite part is the sweet and tangy ketchup glaze on top. The good news is that it’s pretty easy to make and feeds about 3 people. We usually save the last serving for leftovers the next day.
Here are a few tips to help you along:
Onion Mixture:
This is the most crucial part of the meatloaf. Not only does it keep everything moist, but all the seasoning happens here too. Once it’s done cooking, let it cool for at least 15 minutes before adding it to the meat.
Meat Mixture:
I like using a mix of 80% lean and 90% lean ground beef, not too fatty and not too lean. Gently break the meat apart into small clusters and toss to combine. Do not pack or squeeze the meat together, as that will result in a dense meatloaf. Use a large fork to mix in the egg, bread crumbs, and onion mixture.
Shaping:
Once the meat is mixed, transfer it to a baking sheet and gently pat and shape it into a loaf. I prefer to shape it low and wide rather than tall and narrow, as I find it cooks more evenly that way. Finally, gently spread ketchup all over the top and sides and bake until cooked through, about 50 minutes.
I love serving this meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes and some vegetables on the side. It’s comforting, hearty, and the perfect meal for this time of year!
Ina Garten’s Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1½ cups onion, (cut into ¼-inch dice) (1 medium onion)
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, (minced)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chicken broth
- 1½ tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- ½ pound ground beef, (80% lean)
- ½ pound ground beef, (90% lean)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup plain bread crumbs
- ¼ cup ketchup
Instructions
- In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add onion, thyme and salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from heat. Add chicken broth and worcestershire sauce. Set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.1½ cups onion, ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, ½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chicken broth, 1½ tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- In a large bowl, add both ground beef and break them apart into smaller chunks with your fingers. Toss gently to mix the beef. Add egg and bread crumbs. Mix everything gently with a fork, and be careful not to smash down.½ pound ground beef, ½ pound ground beef, 1 large egg, ¼ cup plain bread crumbs
- Transfer the meat mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and form gently into a meatloaf (about 2-inch tall and 8-inch long) with your hands. Press slightly until the meatloaf just come together. Do not press too hard. Spread the ketchup evenly over top and sides.¼ cup ketchup
- Bake in the oven until cooked through, about 50 – 55 minutes. The internal temperature should be around 155 -160˚F. Remove from oven. Cut into 1-inch slices and serve immediately.
Notes
- For the breadcrumbs, I used regular American version, like Progresso and 365 by Whole Foods.
- When mixing the meatloaf, do it gently. Do not smash or press down because that will make the meatloaf very dense. Also, do it gently when forming the meat loaf on baking sheet.
- This meatloaf makes perfect leftover.
