This Ina Garten meatloaf is a classic comfort food recipe that’s moist, flavorful, and easy to make at home. Made with simple ingredients like ground beef, breadcrumbs, and a rich tomato topping, it’s no surprise this recipe is one of the most popular from Ina Garten.
What makes this version so good is how tender and juicy it turns out. Cooking the onions first and mixing everything gently helps keep the meatloaf from becoming dense, giving it that perfect texture every time.
If you like more Ina Garten recipes try her Perfect Roast Chicken recipe or Ina Garten's Croque Monsier.
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Why This Ina Garten Meatloaf Works
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Cooking the onions adds extra flavor
- Light mixing keeps the texture tender
- Baked on a sheet pan for better browning
What Makes Ina Garten’s Meatloaf Different?
Ina Garten’s meatloaf stands out because of a few key techniques:
- The onions are cooked before mixing, which adds flavor and moisture
- Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste add depth
- The meatloaf is shaped by hand instead of packed into a pan
Ingredients Needed for Ina Garten’s Meatloaf Recipe
- Olive oil - Look for olive oils that are labeled as extra virgin, cold-pressed, and unfiltered for the highest quality.
- Yellow onions (3 onions) - provide a sweet and savory flavor to the dish, while also helping to build the foundation of the dish with its aroma and ability to caramelize.
- Fresh thyme leaves - can sub dried thyme
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Worcestershire sauce - Adds a savory, umami flavor to dressings. It is commonly used in Caesar salad dressing, as well as in dressings for steak salads and other meat-based salads.
- Chicken stock or broth – The best type of stock to use is one that is homemade. For canned stock, I look for ones that say reduced sodium or fat free.
- Tomato paste - can sub ketchup - is a thick paste made by cooking tomatoes for several hours to reduce the water content and intensify their flavor.
- Pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean) - I used grassfed ground beef from Aldi. 93/7 kind.
- Dry bread crumbs - I used bread crumbs from a box of stuffing mix
- Eggs - The best type of eggs you can buy at the store are organic or free-range eggs, while others may prefer eggs from specific breeds of chickens
- ½ cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Ina Garten’s Meatloaf
Step 1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown.
Step 3 Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
Step 4 In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.
Step 5 Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot
Pro Tips for the Best Meatloaf
- Slice the meatloaf after resting for 5–10 minutes
- Use ground chuck for better flavor
- Spread ketchup evenly on top for a classic finish
- Cook until internal temp reaches 160°F
- By following these tips, you'll be on your way to making a tasty and
What to Serve with Ina Garten Meatloaf
- Ina Garten's Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Ina Garten Cranberry Sauce
- Frozen Vegetables in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
- Dense Bean Salad
How to Store Meatloaf
Once food has cooled, transfer leftovers into airtight containers. Glass containers are a great choice as they are non-porous and don't absorb odors or stains. If you prefer plastic, make sure it's BPA-free and food-grade.
Label the containers with the date to keep track of how long the food has been stored. Most leftovers are best consumed within three to four days
Recipe FAQS
Yes! While the original recipe uses ground beef, you can substitute with ground turkey, chicken, or a mix of beef and pork. Just keep in mind that leaner meats may need a little extra moisture to stay juicy.
The key is using enough binding ingredients like eggs and breadcrumbs. Letting the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes after baking also helps it hold its shape when slicing.
Meatloaf is typically cooked uncovered so the top can develop that classic caramelized glaze. Covering it may prevent browning and change the texture.
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Ina Garten Meatloaf Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Easy
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you love meatloaf recipes then you are going to love this meatloaf Recipe from Ina Garten. Her Roast Chicken recipe is also pretty popular on this website as well.
Ingredients
3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 ½ pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
½ cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
½ cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown.
Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't 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 ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.
Notes
Choose the Right Meat: A mix of ground beef and ground pork or veal can add extra flavor and tenderness. Aim for a meat mixture with some fat content (around 80/20 ratio) to keep the meatloaf moist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 384
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 46g
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