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Southern Meatloaf

Southern meatloaf that’s old fashioned, homestyle, and baked until tender with bell pepper and sweet onion mixed right into the meat. A tangy-sweet ketchup-mustard glaze caramelizes on top for that classic Southern meatloaf finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
rest 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatloaf
  • 2 lb ground beef Use 80–85% lean for best slice and moisture.
  • 1 cup saltine cracker crumbs Saltines add the classic cracker-meatloaf texture.
  • 2 eggs Helps bind so the slices hold together.
  • 0.5 cup whole milk Soaks crumbs for a tender crumb.
  • 0.5 cup sweet onion, finely diced Finely diced for even flavor.
  • 0.25 cup green bell pepper, finely diced Diced small so it bakes evenly inside.
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Adds depth to the traditional Southern flavor.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.01 Salt and black pepper to taste Season to taste; use freshly ground black pepper if possible.
Glaze
  • 0.33 cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Combine ground beef, saltine cracker crumbs, eggs, whole milk, sweet onion, green bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Press the meat mixture firmly into the prepared loaf pan so it bakes evenly.
Glaze and bake
  1. Mix ketchup, yellow mustard, and brown sugar, then spread the glaze evenly over the top.
  2. Bake for 60–70 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the glaze is caramelized, turning deep amber at the edges.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the meatloaf for 10 minutes before slicing so the juices set for clean slices.
  2. Slice thick and serve with classic Southern sides.

Notes

Pro tip: press the mixture firmly into the loaf pan and don’t skip the 10-minute rest—both help prevent crumbling when you slice. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3–4 days. Freezing is yes: freeze sliced portions in airtight containers for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight. For a lighter option, use lean ground turkey or ground beef 90–93% lean and check doneness with the same 160°F target.