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Easy beef meatloaf recipe

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 500 g minced beef
  • half red onion finely chopped (or 2 shallots)
  • 1 stick celery finely chopped
  • 1 green pepper deseeded and diced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic depending on taste
  • 50 g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 4-6 rashers unsmoked bacon optional (back or streaky – if streaky, you might want more rashers)
  • Parsley – dry or fresh
  • Basic tomato and basil sauce
  • Squirt tomato puree
  • Worcestershire sauce optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan assisted)

  2. Heat a bit of oil in a frying pan and soften the onion, garlic and whatever veg you’re using.

    meatloaf vegetables
  3. Put the veg into a bowl, add the mince and mix together. Using hands usually works best.

  4. Add the breadcrumbs, then the egg, a squirt of puree and Worcestershire sauce if using. Mix to blend. Then season with pepper, and salt if required. The mix shouldn’t be too wet, if it is, add a few more breadcrumbs

    mixing meatloaf mix
  5. Take a loaf tin. If it’s not non-stick (or you want to make it easier to clean), line with foil.
  6. Line the tin with bacon – on the bottom and up the sides. My tin takes 4 rashers
    lining meatloaf tin with bacon
  7. Dollop in the meatloaf mix and smooth down the top
    putting meatloaf into the tin
  8. Make a line down the top of the meatloaf, and add some tomato sauce to fill in. This just adds a bit more moisture. Top with the last couple of rashers of bacon if you need to use them up, and like really crispy bacon (or add them halfway through cooking).
    prepared beef meatloaf
  9. Cook in the oven for around 1 hr 20 minutes. Check after 45 minutes and cover with foil if it’s getting too crispy.
    cooked meatloaf with crispy bacon

  10. Depending on the meat’s fat content, you might need to drain the liquid off partway through.

  11. Once cooked through, turn out onto a serving plate and serve slices on either cooked tagliatelle with a chunky tomato sauce on the side, or with new potatoes and veg

Recipe Notes

Tips:

Make your own tomato sauce from chopped tomatoes, pepper and oregano or basil. I tend to use shop bought chilled tomato and basil pasta sauce.

 If you want to vary it again, Nigella’s meatloaf recipe has a couple of peeled boiled eggs in the centre.  I’ve also heard someone else say they use lamb mince for their version of meatloaf, and a mix of beef and pork mince works well. Just vary your herbs to suit.  I added some grated cheese that need using up this time too.

 Don't panic if your meatloaf looks a bit pink after cooking. It will take on some of the bacon colour.