The Best Glazed Meatloaf {Tips for Cooking in the Instant Pot}
This is the best meatloaf recipe ever! It has hundreds of five-star recipe reviews. Easy and flavorful, it’s comfort food at its finest!
Finding just the right meatloaf recipe might seem like a feat for a super human individual.
One that will please everyone. The onion haters. The soggy bread haters. The meatloaf haters.
The Best Meatloaf Recipe
I did all the work to find the perfect meatloaf recipe so you don’t have to.
This is it. The recipe that’s united us all as a family of meatloaf lovers, and I’m sticking with it for all time.
Because to be quite honest, getting a meatloaf recipe that pleases everyone has been straight up exhausting.
Meatlof is Easy to Make
This recipe is really easy!
- Crush saltine crackers, add milk, and let sit for a few minutes until soft.
- Add the seasonings and eggs and mix well.
- Add the meat and mix (yep, get your hands right on in there) until well-combined.
What Type of Meat is Best for Meatloaf
I prefer using half ground beef and half ground pork for the best flavor and texture.
Using extra lean meat might result in meatloaf that is tough and dry.
The Glaze is Everything
Meatloaf would just be…well…a loaf of meat without the glaze. The glaze is tangy and saucy and so yummy!
Slather the meatloaf with glaze before baking. And then bake until the meatloaf is baked all the way through and the glaze is bubbly.
A Tried-and-True Recipe
I mean, listen, meatloaf is not a fancy food. It’s not out there winning any gourmet cuisine awards.
But if you want comfort food at its very best, this really is the best meatloaf recipe.
We’ve been making it for years, and it has very much stood the tried-and-true test of time. Others of you agree wholeheartedly!
Rebecca says: The best! My family is definitely opinionated and they LOVE this recipe. I use finely diced onion and sub 3/4 cup breadcrumbs for the crackers since I don’t keep those on hand. Easy to whip up in 5 min, throw in the fridge in a bowl until dinner time. Thanks Mel!
Mary says: Wow absolutely delicious.
Loaded with flavor and it was a hit with my husband. Thank You so much for sharing
S Wiggins says: 23 years of marriage, and I have probably tried 100 meatloaf recipes in attempt to find the right one for my meat-loving husband. This one wins hands-down, and I can stop searching for the exact one!! Thank you!!!
FAQ’s for Glazed Meatloaf
I’ve given notes below in the recipe, but my favorite blend is to use half ground beef and half ground pork for flavor and tenderness. You can experiment using 100% ground turkey or ground beef or creating your own signature ground meat mixture.
If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should register about 160 degrees F at the center of the meatloaf. If you don’t have a thermometer, a meatloaf shaped into a 9X4-inch loaf will bake in approximately 50-60 minutes at 375 degrees.
Yes! Shape the meatloaf so it will fit in the Instant Pot (a thick round shape). Place the rack inside the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup water. Make a foil sling for the meatloaf that is wide enough to hold the meatloaf and long enough to pull the foil edges up and out of the Instant Pot when it is finished cooking.
Place the meatloaf on the foil and place it on the rack inside the Instant Pot. Make sure the foil is completely tucked inside and not hanging out. Glaze the meatloaf. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Quick release the pressure and then carefully lift the meatloaf (using the ends of the foil sling) up and out of the pot. Let it rest for 10 minutes or so before slicing and serving.
What To Serve With This:
Roasted vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc)
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes or Cheesy Bacon and Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Two Years Ago: Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Three Years Ago: White Bean Chicken Chili
Four Years Ago: Classic Slow Cooker Chili
Five Years Ago: White Texas Sheet Cake
The Best Glazed Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf:
- 1 cup crushed saltines, 25-30 crackers
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ to ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons onion powder, see note to use fresh onions
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, I use coarse, kosher salt – use slightly less for table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, I use coarse black pepper – use slightly less for finely ground
- 2 pounds ground meat, I use half ground beef/half ground pork (see note)
Glaze:
- ⅔ cup ketchup or BBQ sauce, or a combination
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
Instructions
- For the meatloaf, in a large mixing bowl, add the crushed saltines and milk and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. Add the parsley, eggs, onion powder, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the ground meat and mix until evenly and well combined. (You can use a food processor for all of the above if you want a an even more well combined spice and meat mixture.)
- For the glaze, combine the ketchup (or BBQ sauce), brown sugar, and vinegar and whisk to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
- Pile the meat mixture in the middle of the prepared pan and shape into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4 inches wide (it doesn’t have to be perfect; just try to get it an even thickness throughout).
- Spoon the glaze over the meatloaf. Bake for 45-50 minutes until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the center of the meatloaf.
- Loosely tent with foil and let the meatloaf rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (varied from this old favorite)
162 Comments on “The Best Glazed Meatloaf {Tips for Cooking in the Instant Pot}”
Made this tonight! It was perfection! The only meatloaf recipe you will ever need. 100%
Can you use dried parsley in place of fresh??
Yes, just use 1 to 2 teaspoons.
This is THE. BEST. MEATLOAF!! I have made many over the years, and this beats every one of them, hands down. My husband couldn’t stop saying, “Oh Wow!” after every bite! I used half ketchup and half BBQ sauce for the glaze and it was delicious.
Perfectly perfect! Used all ground beef
So so yummy! Used all ground beef and it was perfectly perfect! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
This was amazing!! Made into minis and it worked great. Thanks, Mel!!
My go to for meat loaf. Want to try IP rather than heat up my oven in AZ desert. I make half the recipe as just 2 here. Still 35 min or cut time in half?.
For a half recipe, I think I’d set the time at 25-30 minutes.
Used 93/7 beef and 80/20 pork from T J. Super greasy. Took an hour to cook. The flavor was good though. I used panko instead of saltines. Would that have made a difference in the grease?
I don’t think panko vs saltines will affect the greasiness – it’s likely the 80/20 pork. Did you do half pork/half beef?
Yes, I used one pound beef and one pound pork. It might be challenging to find leaner pork.
Soooooo good!!!! With my go-to glaze, the star of this recipe is now a part of our rotation. As empty nesters to 5 (yes Mel it does happen) I did make the full loaf planning on freezing the remainders. That was nixed by hubby who insisted on a repeat tonight. And I agreed. Thank you Mel!!!
Mushy meatloaf! Soaking the saltines in milk just made a mushy mess that was hard to incorporate into the meat. I think I will go back to bread crumbs or oatmeal.
Loved it! Next time I will make a little extra sauce for the leftover sandwiches! Yum!
I’m pretty sure this is one of the main reasons my husband married me, and why we’ll stay married no matter what else happens like, life-changing-ly amazingly flavorful and delicious.
Haha. 🙂
I love meatloaf and have made it with many different recipes. This is the absolute BEST meatloaf I’ve ever made. I used the ground beef/ground pork combination. The two friends whom I served it to both requested the recipe.
I am not a fan of meatloaf, but I have to tell you, this recipe was absolutely delicious, I even went back for seconds! Hubby loved it too. Thank you so much!
Hey Mel! Love this recipe and it’s been my go-to meatloaf for my family for years now. I’d like to make it as a freezer meal for a friend that just had a baby. Do you have any suggestions for cooking instructions for her if she pulls it out of the freezer? (Cook from frozen? Or thaw overnight in fridge and cook next day according to recipe?)
Hi Adrienne, I think you could do either, although it would be a much faster cooking time if your friend thawed it overnight in the fridge before cooking. She could just follow the cooking instructions in the recipe. If cooking from frozen, I’d suggest covering with foil and baking for 90 minutes, uncovering and baking for another 30-45 minutes until done.
Delicious and easy to make! if you half recipe how long should you bake it?
It really depends on the shape and thickness of the meatloaf, but I’d say check around 30-40 minutes.
This is excellent – subbed panko for the saltines – otherwise as written. Thanks Mel!
I made this tonight as written and it was delicious! Definitely the best meatloaf I’ve ever made!
Excited to try this and it smells delicious as I’m mixing it up! Just wondering if it would be ok to put in the fridge overnight and bake tomorrow? Have you ever tried that?
Should work just fine!
The best! My family is definitely opinionated and they LOVE this recipe. I use finely diced onion and sub 3/4 cup breadcrumbs for the crackers since I don’t keep those on hand. Easy to whip up in 5 min, throw in the fridge in a bowl until dinner time. Thanks Mel!
The strangest thing happened at dinner tonight. We tried this new recipe and every. Single. One. Of my 4 picky children liked it!! This is an actual first for our family. Kid friendly, and I thought it was pretty dang good too!
This was the best meatloaf ever! I used 1 lb beef and 1 lb ground pork, subbed 1 med yellow onion chopped fine for the powdered. Didn’t have fresh parsley so used my own home made Italian blend. I also didn’t have brown sugar so I subbed 1 T regular sugar and a squeeze of honey.
Oh, and I used 1 cup of panko bread crumbs instead of the crackers. Not any changes that I feel like significantly changed the basic recipe, but just goes to show that you can use what you have on hand!
We LOVE this meatloaf. I grew up eating meatloaf and loving it. My husband always hated it. But once I made this one… he loves it and gets so excited when I make it… so thank you!!!
Wow absolutely delicious.
Loaded with flavor and it was a hit with my husband. Thank You so much for sharing
How lean is the beef and pork you use? Thank you!
I use 85/15 or 90/10 for this recipe
This is the best meat I’ve had in all my years, my momma makes it a ton, and it’s so bustin. Thank you Mell, thank you. Your like the mother ive never had.
bussssinnnn
My husband and I love this meatloaf! We are always torn about having seconds versus having more leftovers for future dinners. I buy ground pork whenever I see it on sale knowing that I can freeze it, and we will eventually use it for this recipe!
We LOVE this meatloaf!!! It is a family favorite. We have tried the glaze different ways. Our favorite way is 2/3 c ketchup and 1/3 c bbq sauce. It is so yummy, and it gives us a little extra. Your blog is my go to for all my cooking. Thanks for another terrific recipe!!
super excited to try this! I had to comment though, I told my husband about some of your recipes I was trying from your blog (we have loved every last one of them!) he said he wanted to get on and pick some too. His nick name for you is “Mel-lo Fresh!”
Hahahahaha….this made me laugh!
23 years of marriage, and I have probably tried 100 meatloaf recipes in attempt to find the right one for my meat-loving husband. This one wins hands-down, and I can stop searching for the exact one!! Thank you!!!
Delicious meatloaf recipe. Thanks Mel. Happy New Year to everyone.
I’ve been making my Moms meatloaf recipe for 30+ years and I have to say I will now be making this meatloaf recipe. It’s delicious! I did add celery and I sautéed onion, celery and garlic and once cooled added it to the meatloaf mixture.
I followed the recipe exactly and it was scrumptious. The second time I made it, I used a muffin pan to cook the meatloaf in small patties. The leftover were frozen and were delicious reheated. Thank you Mel!
This was a ridiculously good meatloaf. My husband, brother, and in-laws think I’m a marvel!!
I’m making it again! Father-in -law’s birthday request!
This was excellent!! I did sauté onions and garlic and used ritz crackers instead of saltines. That’s what I had! Can’t wait to serve this again!!
I’ve been on the hunt for a really lovely and good meatloaf recipe for years now, and this one does not disappoint! I had to substitute a few things here and there as I didn’t have everything on hand, but it’s such an amazing recipe that the substitutions really didn’t detract from the flavour or the easiness!
Thank you so much for sharing, this is now forever part of our permanent recipe collection!
This is a really great meat loaf! I admit I am not a huge meat loaf person but I was looking to try something new and this one really is a winner. Very moist and tasty. I especially like the fresh parsley. I tried your suggestion of half pork, half beef, and it was perfect. Thanks Mel!
This may be a dumb question, but how much do you crush the crackers?
Additionally… Anything wrong with using a bread pan? We typically put carrots at the bottom under the meatloaf so they can cook in the juices as the meatloaf is cooking. Just curious if that will change cooking time or anything else?
I don’t like really large chunks of soggy crackers, so I crush them pretty fine (not the texture of sand, but more like crunchy bread crumbs). And yes, I think you could use a loaf pan for baking.
In case anyone reads this and wants to make in a bread pan .. turned out great, just make sure you don’t add the glaze til the last maybe 10 min of baking because you’ll need to drain the grease once or twice while baking. A lot of the glaze will slide off with the grease if you add the glaze right when you put the meatloaf in the oven. Totally forgot about that! But turned out great nonetheless.
We had this for dinner last night and it was delicious! My 6 year old had 3 servings last night and asked for it for breakfast this morning! Definitely a keeper.
My family really likes this meatloaf. We only made a small change to your recipe.I use Lipton onion soup mix or Lipton onion, mushroom soup mix. I skip the Worcestershire and onion powder. It is always delicious.
I have made a few hundred meatloaves in my lifetime, but this is the best one I have ever made and my husband actually said, this is really good meatloaf, I followed it at written except I use Sweet Baby Rays sauce and laid bacon across because I was too lazy to make the sauce. But this is the only meatloaf I will ever make again, It was that good, I used half beef and pork.
This really is the best meatloaf recipe!!!! I made this for just my husband and I & thought I would have leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches…we devoured it! The glaze is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I never thought to use ACV to cut down on the sugary taste and will never go back to plain ketchup now. I didn’t have foil for the bottom of the pan so I put 2 heels of bread under it & clean up was easy. Thanks for a terrific recipe; I can’t wait to try more of your food ideas!
Delicious! I have been looking for a new meatloaf, and decided to finally try this one. As usual, your recipe did not disappoint! Even my kiddos who don’t love meatloaf ate this one without complaint!
I didn’t have saltines, so I subbed oats with no issues. Next time I probably won’t put all the glaze on top and would just save the extra for serving at the table.
Thanks for another keeper!
Wow this meatloaf was awesome! Even my teenager who claimed to not like meatloaf had 2 helpings. I didn’t have saltines so I subbed bread crumbs and used dried parsley instead of fresh. Definitely my go-to meatloaf recipe now.
Page is too long with too many ads. And the glaze is uninspired.
I noticed all the ads, too. Additionally, who creates a meatloaf recipe where the first ingredient is crackers and the last ingredient is meat (with 9 more ingredients in between)? Crazy person? No, just someone who’s creating a site and page to post ads and affiliate links for items to purchase on Amazon.
Hey Phil and “E” – before you leave two comments back to back pretending to be different people, it might be helpful to know that your IP address gives you away as the same person. 🙂 Oops! Either way, it sounds like my blog might not be for you. I don’t create content just to make money. It’s all about the food! And the recipes are pretty darn good if you dare give them a try. I guess I’m a little biased, but I stand behind that claim! 🙂 I hope you find an ad-free, affiliate-free, personality-free blogger that fits your style a bit better!
Phil E you crack me up! Bless your heart. You should try this amazing meat loaf! It will cheer you right up! 🙂
We love it Mel! Thank you for sharing so much amazing content! This meat loaf is so yummy. My husband gets so excited when we have it for dinner.
Love the reply and the personality Mel! Your recipes have always been great and I appreciate the time you spend sharing the info with all of us! By the way, I read those names as “E Phil”, aka “Evil”…lol what a coincidence.
Hey, E-Phil (pronounced Casey’s way)….thanks for your comment about the order in which Mel lists the ingredients…so lovely of you to point out how she lists the ingredients in the order you will need them while following the recipe…just another example of why her site is my go-to for delicious and easy to follow recipes that everyone LOVES!
Very flavorful, moist meatloaf and the glaze is a great addition.
Best meatloaf ever!