An easy meatloaf recipe that is totally moist and dripping with flavor, this 4-ingredient meatloaf recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
Serve this simple recipe with a side of creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Salad or Roasted Vegetables for a delicious dinner that everyone will LOVE!
Best Meatloaf Recipe
My dad is not a meatloaf fan, so we didn’t really eat meatloaf growing up, and I feel like I was maybe deprived or something! (What’s not to love about meatloaf?!?)
I’ve made my fair share of various meatloaf recipes in my adult years, but this simple homemade meatloaf recipe happens to be my oldest son’s favorite thing to eat for dinner.
Like many of you, we have a very busy family and I don’t have time to make gourmet meals. My favorite part of this meatloaf recipe is that you only need four ingredients so it’s quick and easy to make and it takes just a few minutes to prepare.

How to Make Meatloaf
INGREDIENTS –
- 1 lb ground beef – you could also use ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1 box stuffing – this is the magical shortcut! 1 box of stuffing has both the breadcrumbs and seasonings you need, so you can skip the extra salt, pepper, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce,
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce or ketchup, optional
- chopped fresh parsley, optional
Prep – Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. You’ll also want to give your loaf pan a shot of cooking spray to keep the meatloaf from sticking.
Mix – This simple meatloaf recipe is made by placing the ground beef, stuffing, water, and an egg into a large bowl. Mix all everything together until all four ingredients have fully blended together.
Cook – Press the meatloaf mixture into your loaf pan, and bake the meatloaf for about 45 minutes or until it has cooked throughout.
Sauce – I love to brush the top of the meatloaf with ketchup or BBQ sauce for added moisture and flavor. It turns into a nice glaze that looks and tastes delicious. Everyone has their favorite but I love Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce! If I have extra time, I’ll whip up a Homemade BBQ Sauce as well.
Classic Meatloaf Recipe Tips
How Long To Cook It – For this meatloaf recipe I used 1 pound of ground beef and cooked it at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for 45 minutes. This will of course vary if you use more of less ground beef to make your loaf. To make sure your meatloaf is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).
Best Type Of Beef – I prefer my ground beef to have a little higher fat content. The higher extra fat makes the meatloaf more flavorful and moist. I would recommend using no leaner than an 80/20 blend in this meatloaf recipe.
Extra Ingredients – My kids don’t like onions so I left those out. I think they’re delicious, so if you’d like to add them, use about 1/3 cup of diced onions.
Extra Seasoning – If I have it on hand, sometimes I’ll sprinkle in a little McCormick’s Montreal steak seasoning for a little extra flavor.
Leftovers – Place extra meatloaf in an airtight container, or wrap it in aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat for a couple minutes in the microwave. You can eat the meatloaf as originally served, or you can put it between two slices of bread for a delicious meatloaf sandwich.
Can You Freeze Meatloaf?
Freezing – Yes, you can definitely freeze this homemade meatloaf recipe. In fact, you can freeze it both before and after cooking the meatloaf. If you freeze it before cooking, I like to wrap it in plastic wrap before placing it into a freezer bag.
Using – When you’re ready to bake it, leave it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and then cook it according to the directions above. You can keep meatloaf in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Best Meatloaf Side Dishes
The only thing that will make this simple meatloaf recipe better is one of these deliciously SIMPLE side dishes.
- Crock Pot Baked Potatoes are simple and easy and turn out perfectly every time!
- 3 Cheese Mashed Potatoes are creamy, smooth and loaded with flavor.
- Honey Glazed Carrots are sweet and delicious!
- 30 Minute Homemade Dinner Rolls are perfect for soaking up every last bit of meatloaf on your plate.
- A Classic Green Bean Casserole makes ordinary green beans irresistable with french fried onions on top.
More Easy Meat Recipes
If you are looking for other quick and easy meat recipes to make, try one of our other popular recipes:
- These easy Grape Jelly Crock Pot Meatballs are one of my family’s favorites.
- I love this Garlic Parmesan Turkey Cutlet Recipe.
- This Pepperoncini Pot Roast is a perfect meal on a busy day.
- Once you try a Peanut Butter & Jelly Burger, you’ll never want to eat it any other way.
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork is incredibly flavorful and cooks up in no time.
Easy 4 Ingredient Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 box stuffing
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce or ketchup, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together until combined. Don’t be afraid to use your hands for this.
- Press in a bread loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.
- Optional: Add BBQ sauce or ketchup to the top.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and enjoy!
What stove top would you use for this recipe?
I always have Chicken or Turkey on hand, but I don’t think I’ve ever tried any that don’t taste great.
Can never go wrong with a good meatloaf recipe, and this one is awesome! Super easy to make too.
Thanks Bryce!
Tried this for dinner last night and it was fantastic! Easily, a new family favorite recipe; it was delicious!
Thanks Cheryl!
This meatloaf is delicious! I need to make it again soon!
Thanks Anna!
I always put onions in my meatloaf—works great in this recipe too!
Yum, I love onions too! Such a great suggestion.
Wow! That is simple and cheap. I can get ground beef on sale for $1.77 and stuffing for .88 and potatoes for $1 for 5 pounds. So a meatloaf and mashed tater dinner would be less than $3 for 4-5 people.
Yes, it’s definitely a delicious meal that doesn’t cost a lot to make! You’ll love it!
Do u cook stove top first before mixing
Nope! The Stove Top goes in dry!
what a delicious and easy dinner!! nothing like meatloaf for comfort food
ThIs is a great meatloaf recipe. it was a huge hit with my family. thank you for sharing the side suggestion recipes.
You’re very welcome…so glad you loved it!
I don’t eat meat so my family feels the deprivation that you did growing up. This does look like a lovely recipe that I’m certain my husband would love.
My family loves meatloaf and I’m always looking for new ones to try. I love how simple this one is! Thanks for a new dinner idea.
My family would love this!