Cozy Classic Meatloaf Recipe with Sweet Brown Sugar Glaze
A comforting and nostalgic meatloaf recipe featuring a tender ground beef base topped with a sticky, sweet brown sugar glaze. Perfect for cozy dinners and crowd-pleasing meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef (80/20)
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian seasoned)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup milk (whole or any dairy/non-dairy)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Allow about 10 minutes for the oven to reach temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
- Transfer the mixture into a loaf pan or baking dish. Press evenly and smooth the top.
- Spread the prepared brown sugar glaze evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. Halfway through baking (around 25-30 minutes), baste the meatloaf with glaze drippings. Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly before internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Check doneness with a meat thermometer; internal temperature should be 160°F (71°C).
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice into thick portions and serve warm.
Notes
Do not overmix the meat mixture to avoid a tough meatloaf. Use ground beef with 20% fat for moistness. Let the meatloaf rest before slicing to retain juices. Use a meat thermometer to ensure proper doneness. The brown sugar glaze should be applied at the start for best caramelization. For gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and verify Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free or omit it. Non-dairy milk can be used for dairy-free adaptation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of meat
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Protein: 25
Keywords: meatloaf, classic meatloaf, brown sugar glaze, comfort food, easy meatloaf, ground beef recipe, cozy dinner