Ingredients
– ½ tablespoon olive oil
– ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
– ½ cup bell pepper, finely diced
– 2 pounds 80% lean ground beef (or a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal in equal parts)
– 1 cup crushed crackers
– 2 eggs, whisked
– 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
– ½ cup whole milk
– 1 teaspoon salt
– ¼ teaspoon black pepper
– ½ to ¾ cup ketchup
– 2 tablespoons brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Instructions
1-Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease your loaf pan.
2-Sauté the diced peppers and onions: Sauté the diced peppers and onions in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, then let them cool.
3-Mix wet and dry ingredients: In a bowl, mix eggs, crackers, veggies, cheese, milk, salt, and pepper.
4-Add meat: Add the ground meat and mix gently.
5-Form and bake: Form into a loaf in the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
6-Prepare topping and bake more: Prepare and apply the topping, then bake for 30-40 more minutes.
7-Rest and serve: Rest for 15 minutes before serving with sides like creamy mashed potatoes.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🍞 Use a loaf pan to prevent the meatloaf from falling apart and to promote even cooking.
🥄 Avoid overmixing the meat mixture to maintain a tender texture.
🌶️ Sauté vegetables beforehand to soften flavors and improve overall texture.
🍪 Crushed crackers help create a tender meatloaf texture in place of breadcrumbs.
🔥 Cooking at 325-350°F helps retain moisture and tenderness.
🌡️ Use a meat thermometer to cook to 155°F and rest for carryover cooking.
❄️ Meatloaf freezes well, both cooked or raw; thaw in refrigerator before reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Resting time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 628 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 117 mg