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Rebecca's Meatloaf Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Serving Size 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs ground beef
  • 1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
  • 8 oz mushrooms finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs panko or fine, unseasoned
  • 3 eggs
  • ⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped (plus a little extra for garnish if you like)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • ⅔ cup ketchup for glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. (You can also use a standard loaf pan if you prefer.)
  • Sauté the vegetables. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over low heat. Add your finely chopped onion and mushrooms, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and let them cook for about 10 minutes until everything is soft and the moisture has cooked out. Spread them out to cool a bit before adding to the meat.
  • Mix the meatloaf. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and thyme. Mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Add the cooled onion and mushroom mixture and mix again until incorporated throughout.
  • Shape and glaze. Transfer the meat mixture to your prepared sheet pan and shape it into a loaf. Brush generously with ketchup, making sure to cover the top and sides.
  • Bake for 1 hour at 350°F, until cooked through.
  • Rest before slicing. Let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it. This makes a big difference — it slices much cleaner and holds together better.
    • Chop the mushrooms finely. A good food chopper works great here, or just knife them small. The finer the chop, the more they disappear into the meat — which is perfect.
    Sauté before adding. This step matters. Raw onion and mushrooms release a lot of moisture as they cook, which can make your meatloaf fall apart or turn watery. Cooking them down first solves that.
    Sheet pan vs. loaf pan. The sheet pan method gives you more surface area for that ketchup glaze, which means more of that caramelized, sticky top on every bite. Either works — it's just a preference.
    Plain breadcrumbs. Unseasoned, whether panko or the finer variety. You're seasoning the meatloaf yourself, so you don't want the breadcrumbs adding flavors you didn't intend.
    Resting time is not optional. Fifteen minutes off the heat lets the juices redistribute and the loaf firm up. Don't skip it.

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