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Southern Meatloaf Recipe

Classic comfort food with a Southern twist! You just can't beat a moist, flavorful, tender Southern meatloaf recipe that brings your family together around the table.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 446 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 cup day old cornbread crumbs or other fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 small onion, grated or finely diced
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil (or about ¼ cup chopped fresh basil)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed, grated, or minced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Optional, for serving: mashed potatoes, chopped fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine beef, pork, cornbread, onion, eggs, basil, Dijon, garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, and ½ cup of the ketchup mixture. Be careful not to mash or over-mix or the meatloaf will be dense or mushy.
  4. On the prepared baking sheet, shape the meat mixture into a rectangular loaf.
  5. Spread the remaining ketchup mixture on top.
  6. Bake the meatloaf for about 1 hour, until the internal temperature is 160°F and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meatloaf, will prevent the top from cracking.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Use your hands or a fork to gently combine the meatloaf mixture. Be careful not to over-mix the meat, or it will become dense and mushy.
  • Lean ground beef (85%-93% lean) works best in this recipe. You need some fat to keep the meatloaf moist, but you don't want it to be too greasy.
  • You do not need to cover the meatloaf while it's baking.
  • You'll know the meatloaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and the juices run clear.
  • Place a pan of warm water on the rack below the meatloaf in the oven. It's not necessary, but this moist environment will prevent the meatloaf from cracking.
  • Instead of using a rimmed baking sheet, bake the meatloaf in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. At the end of baking, tilt the pan to drain off the grease.
  • Swap out the cornbread crumbs for other fresh breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs (such as saltine crackers).
  • Substitute yellow mustard for the Dijon mustard.
  • Try other herbs in addition to the basil and oregano. Good options include rosemary, chives, parsley, and thyme.
  • Add more vegetables to the meatloaf mixture, such as diced bell pepper or celery. If you don't want crisp vegetables in your finished meatloaf, you can sauté them in a skillet with butter before adding them to the beef and pork mixture.
  • Rather than a 50-50 combination of ground beef and ground pork, use just ground beef, some ground turkey, or a "meatloaf mix" of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
  • Like meatloaf with cheese? Add a handful of grated cheddar (or other good melting cheese) to the meatloaf mixture!
  • Recipe slightly adapted from Sarah Foster's book, Southern Kitchen.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 446kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 34g (68%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 156mg (52%) Sodium 1378mg (57%) Potassium 732mg (21%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 257IU (5%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 98mg (10%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 446

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 446kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 34g 68%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 156mg 52%
Sodium 1378mg 57%
Potassium 732mg 16%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 257IU 5%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 98mg 10%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.