This meatloaf recipe with crackers comes from my mom, who was truly the best home cook I’ve ever known. I grew up eating this meatloaf and still make it all the time today because it never fails. It’s moist, juicy, incredibly easy to make and topped with the most delicious sweet and savory sauce. Even people who swear they don’t like meatloaf end up loving this recipe and the secret ingredient, Ritz crackers, is a big reason why.
Why This Recipe Works
I know meatloaf can be a hard sell for some people but trust me on this one. This recipe has converted plenty of meatloaf skeptics into full-blown lovers.
A few years ago, I dug up my mom’s handwritten recipe from childhood and used it as the foundation for this version. Her meatloaf was unforgettable and this recipe honors everything I loved about it growing up, with the addition of an irresistible sweet and savory glaze.
Here is why people love it:
- Moist, juicy and packed with flavor
- Made with simple ingredients and minimal prep
- Ritz crackers create the best texture and flavor
- The glaze takes it completely over the top
- Even meatloaf skeptics end up loving it
Over the years, I’ve received countless messages from readers saying this has become their go-to meatloaf recipe.
Recipe Ingredients for the Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever
Beef – To avoid an extra greasy meatloaf, use a leaner meat like ground turkey or even venison. Beef meatloaf is incredible, but I promise the flavor is still super amazing no matter which type of meat you use in the recipe.
Crackers – Ritz crackers taste so incredible in this recipe, but feel free to replace equal amounts of crushed saltines, if desired.
Onion – Chop the onion very finely to avoid an end product that falls apart easily.
Milk – Any type of milk can be used in this recipe. Almond, skim, 1%, 2% or whole.
Sauce – The apricot preserves in the sauce MAKES this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand grape or cherry jelly or jam are great replacements.
How To Make This Recipe For Meatloaf Using Ritz Crackers
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 5×9 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, crushed Ritz crackers, egg, milk, ketchup, finely chopped onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Mix everything together with your hands until it is thoroughly combined.
Step 2
Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet (this is important!) so grease does not spill over the edges and into your oven!
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours (add the sauce at around the 45 minutes mark!).
Step 3
Make the meatloaf sauce: In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, apricot preserves and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix well. Spread half of the mixture evenly over the meatloaf halfway through baking.
Reserve the remainder of the meatloaf topping for dipping/topping. Let the meatloaf sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving or it may fall apart on you.
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What To Serve With This Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Check out this comprehensive list of side dishes that pair perfectly with meatloaf! You will find 44 options to choose from, ranging from a simple hashbrown casserole to a chopped salad to marinated carrots (and so much more!). Easy sweet potato fries or a pile of hot mashed potatoes are perfect options, too.
Other Ways To Prepare This Dish
- Instant Pot Meatloaf is super quick and easy to make and it is SO delicious. It cooks so much more quickly than an oven-baked meatloaf.
- Don’t forget the sauce! This red sauce recipe will transform your next comfort food dinner and quickly turn into a family favorite.
- Check out this yummy roundup filled with delicious ideas for other beef and pork meatloaf recipes to get on the table tonight!
Substitute for Bread Crumbs in Meatloaf
Whether you are looking for a gluten-free replacement or you just don’t have bread crumbs on hand, learn what to substitute for breadcrumbs in this dish!
Substitute for Apricot Preserves
Read on for some great ideas about what to substitute for apricot preserves if you need a replacement for this ingredient.
How Long Does Meatloaf Last In The Fridge
How long does meatloaf last in the fridge? If you have leftovers and you’re not sure whether to throw, refrigerate or freeze, read on!
What To Do With Meatloaf Leftovers
- Make meatloaf tacos.
- Add to a batch of chili, yum!
- Create leftover meatloaf sandwiches, obviously!
- Crumble it up and throw into spaghetti sauce to create leftover meatloaf spaghetti.
- Break into pieces and add it to your next batch of nachos.
- Build a few meatball subs, substituting meatballs for chunks of meatloaf.
Comfort Food Recipes
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole boasts flavor and creaminess over a bed of steaming egg noodles. This is a perfect hearty weeknight meal to put on the table.
- Instant Pot White Turkey Chili is packed with turkey meat, white beans and veggies, this comfort food is super flavorful and delicious.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a delicious combination of the tastiest flavors you will ever eat in a single bite.
- Best Baked Ziti is packed with flavorful meat sauce and layers of cheesy goodness, you will enjoy each flavorful bite. This delicious dinner feeds a lot of people and is super filling and hearty.
- Best Instant Pot Chili is the absolute perfect comfort food, packed with flavor, texture, color and a tiny bit of spice. Perfect dinner or party food!
Recipe Notes
- Be absolutely sure that you place the pan of meatloaf on a rimmed baking sheet before you put it in the oven. At times this recipe can bubble over and I really don’t want to be the reason your oven caught on fire.
- To save yourself from having to clean an extra dish, place parchment paper on top of the baking sheet.
- Be careful not to over mix! Mix until all ingredients are just combined. Over-mixing can create a different, denser texture.
- To avoid an extra greasy meatloaf, use a leaner meat like ground turkey or even venison! Beef meatloaf is incredible, but I promise the flavor is still super amazing no matter which type of meat you use in the recipe.
- Let the meatloaf rest for AT LEAST 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you slice into it too soon, it will fall apart. Heed this important warning!
- The apricot preserves in the sauce MAKES this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand grape or cherry jelly or jam are great replacements!
- The most accurate way to determine if any meat is done cooking is by using a Thermapen. (<—-affiliate link) Insert the thermometer into the center of the loaf to get a good reading. For this recipe I recommend achieving a temperature of 160°F.
FAQ About Meatloaf
Letting it sit for at least 15 minutes after pulling it out of the oven is a vital step if you wish to keep your meal intact. The egg and crackers will work their magic and hold the meatloaf together, but it may fall apart if you slice too soon.
If you are wondering about cooking times for cooking meatloaf all the way through, it takes an entire hour and a half. Make sure to place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet before putting it into the oven!
To ensure your meatloaf is fully cooked, stick a meat thermometer into the center. You will want to achieve an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Meatloaf turns out great when any variety of ground meat is used. Keep in mind that the fattier the meat (beef or sausage), the more grease will hang out in the bottom of the pan. Leaner meats such as ground turkey or even venison still produce a delicious end result!
The purpose of adding crackers to meatloaf is to help the mixture stick together (along with eggs!). They also add flavor to the final dish. Just be sure not to add too many cracker crumbs or the opposite problem can happen: your meatloaf may fall apart.
You can use equal parts cracker crumbs to replace breadcrumbs in just about any meatloaf recipe. Be sure the cracker crumbs are finely ground or the meatloaf may have issues with falling apart.
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“Been using this recipe for years, we love it so much!! my husband was never a huge fan of meatloaf until I tried this recipe, now he asks for it regularly 🙂 thank you for sharing it, makes me feel like a rock star every time! “ ~Felicia
“Our whole family absolutely LOVES this meatloaf. I never cared for meatloaf until this recipe. Turns out great every time!! I make it exactly as directed, it is fabulous. We love the sauce so much that I sometimes make just the sauce and serve it with hamburger steak. ? “ ~Patricia
“This is by far the best meatloaf I’ve ever eaten/made. Everyone that has eaten it has loved it. I once put mine in muffin tins and swirled garlic mashed potatoes on top for a meatloaf cup cake. Soooooo yum!!! “ ~Ashley L.
Meatloaf Recipe With Crackers
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 5×9 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crackers, egg, milk, 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix together with your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup ketchup, brown sugar, apricot preserves and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Spread half of the mixture evenly over the meatloaf halfway through baking. Reserve the remainder of the sauce for dipping/topping. Let meatloaf sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Be absolutely sure that you place the pan of meatloaf on a rimmed baking sheet before you put it in the oven. At times this recipe can bubble over and I really don’t want to be the reason your oven caught on fire.
- To save yourself from having to clean an extra dish, place parchment paper on top of the baking sheet.
- Be careful not to over mix! Mix until all ingredients are just combined. Over-mixing can create a different, denser texture.
- To avoid an extra greasy meatloaf, use a leaner meat like ground turkey or even venison! Beef meatloaf is incredible, but I promise the flavor is still super amazing no matter which type of meat you use in the recipe.
- Let the meatloaf rest for AT LEAST 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you slice into it too soon, it will fall apart. Heed this important warning!
- The apricot preserves in the sauce MAKES this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand grape or cherry jelly or jam are great replacements!
- The most accurate way to determine if the ground beef is done cooking is by using a Thermapen. (<—-affiliate link) Insert the thermometer into the center of the loaf to get a good reading. You will want to reach 160°F.
- You can freeze your loaf. If you are cooking it, allow it to cool completely. Then double pack it in a ziplock or air tight container and it can be enjoyed within 2-3 months.
Made this tonight with some mashed potatoes ..hubby loved it adding to m recipes thank you
This recipe pairs PERFECTLY with mashed potatoes! Yum! So glad you and your hubby enjoyed it.
Megan
I made this tonight and it’s seriously the BEST meatloaf I’ve ever eaten!!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Yay, Joni! I’m so glad you love it!
Megan
Hi! Is there a certain kind of beef that works better? Lean or fatty? Thanks!
Honestly, Roz, even the leanest of meat works great in this recipe. I actually have used venison and it’s still the most delicious thing ever. Enjoy!
Megan
Could I put ingredients together and make a freezer meal?
I only have 1 lbs of ground beef. Do I need to half the other ingredients?
Could I replace the milk with water? We have milk allergies and this looks delicious!
Ended up using beef broth instead!
How did the beef broth turn out, Danielle? I’m curious to hear!
Megan
It gave it great flavor! I might do a little less than a cup next time because there was a lot of liquid leftover. My husband took leftovers to work today! My daughter loved the dipping sauce! It was amazing! Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear it, Danielle! I love knowing that this is an option!
Megan
My picky 10 year-old autistic son LOVES this dish. He requests it all the time. One of our favorites. Thank you for sharing!!!
K sims, this just made my day! It makes me SO HAPPY to hear this. Our son in on the ASD spectrum, as well, and we are so grateful for anything that he finds comfort in. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Megan
Would it be ok to make it in a regular casserole dish? Also, fo you cover it at all? I know in the past my meatloaf has dried up due to no covering first part. This is my second time making meatloaf. Will keep you posted on what family thinks. The first time, they said, I should never make meatloaf. Lol
Hi Mariella! I’d suggest making it in a loaf pan, although a few people have reported back that different sized dishes have been successful. No need to cover for the first part of baking. I promise it will not be dry! Please report back and let me know how it turns out!
Megan
Could you mix this ahead of time, so that it is ready to bake immediately after work?
Hi Jolee! I’ve never tried premixing, but I think that should work just fine! Let me know how it works for you and ENJOY!
Megan
Is lean ground beef ok, or should it be regular ground beef? Thanks!
Hi Sue! Lean ground beef will work GREAT! I use ground venison for this and it is still SO good. I hope it turns out great!
Megan
Delicious!!! I made this for dinner tonight. My man said it was better than his mom’s!! This was a winner in our household. Thank you for sharing!! -Elizabeth
Ohhh mah gerd! Sorry, my mouth was full of the most wonderful meatloaf ever! I made this for dinner today and I’m still eating but I needed to write you. Wow! Honey ate everything but his plate and fork. I usually stick with the recipe the first time and then tweak it the next time. Not here, no tweaking this one. The ONLY change I might try in the future is making it with ground venison. My honey is an avid hunter and if I make anything with venison he’s tickled camo! Because of the very low fat content in venison some dishes can be dry or gamey. I’m willing to bet it won’t be a problem with this recipe. Seriously Megan, you have hit a homerun with this one. Now I’m going to follow you. Maybe even stalk you!!!!!! Just kidding, I’ll be too busy making all of your recipes! Thanks Megan.
I’ve never left on comment on here before, but this one is necessary! This was the best meatloaf I’ve ever had or made. The sauce is amazing, I can’t get enough! Thank you! ☺
This is the best meatloaf!! I have made this many times for my family but I make it with half a cup of the milk, and I make half of the sauce too, I’m the only one that likes extra sauce for dipping. I also form the meat into a loaf and bake it on small pan with holes on top, and all the grease is drained into the bottom of the pan while cooking, my family loves it! Thanks for sharing
So glad you and your family loved it, April! I love your tweaks. Great idea to bake on a pan with holes!
Megan
Do you have to use apricot preserves?
Thank you, Amber
Hi Amber! Nope! You definitely don’t have to stick to the apricot preserves. I’ve had people leave comments saying they’ve used aaallll different types of preserves/jam and no one has ever complained. Report back about what you use and how it turns out!
Megan
Is that powdered milk? It looks like powdered milk in the photo but the recipe just says milk.
Hi Victoria! The crumbs from the crackers fell into the milk in the photo. No powdered milk involved!
Megan
WOW! This meatloaf came out fantastic. I substituted the ground beef for lean turkey and it was delicious! Thank you so much!
Yay, so glad to hear it, Andrea! We have used venison for this recipe and even that turns out ridiculously tasty!
Megan
This is my absolute favorite go to for meatloaf. My Hubby and 3 carnivorous boys LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! I’ve been using it for about a year now and based on the ingredients I had on hand, I made a few adaptations along the way. For instance, today I don’t have any Ritz so I used 4 blended up bread stix from last night’s spaghetti dinner. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Other times, I’ve used day old biscuits, cheez-its and panko. Whatever bread substitute I’ve used, it is still a no fail and my guys inhale it! I now make two @ a time and freeze one for those times I’m running short on time….which seems to more often than I’d like to be, lol. Thanx for the recipe and God Bless.
This meatloaf is an awesome recipe!!! My husband loves and I mean loves meatloaf, it was his favorite growing up. I made this recipe but tweaked a few things based on comments below. I only used 3/4 cup of milk, put bread slices on bottom of baking dish, used apple butter instead of apricot jam, and followed the rest of recipe exactly. It turned out perfect, I did not have to drain any grease, I didn’t need the sheet pan because nothing bubbled over the dish. When I cut into the loaf it came out perfect and did not fall apart, I just peeled the bread part off the bottom and the sauce was perfect baked on top and used as dipping sauce. My husband said that I didn’t need to make any other meatloaf recipes because this was the best thing he ever tasted. So thank you so much for an great tasting easy meatloaf recipe!!!!!!
Andrea, your adaptations sound PERFECT and I’m so happy the meatloaf turned out so well for you guys. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Megan
This is delicious. My husband loves meatloaf, so this was a hit with him. I had to substitute fig preserves for the apricot as that is what I had on hand. A tad sweet for me, but tasty nevertheless. I wasn’t able to let it rest as long as I wanted to, so it fell apart a little when I sliced it. Much better slicing results afterward though. A keeper for sure. 🙂
Yep, I have greater cutting success, too, after letting it sit for a bit. So glad you guys loved it!
Megan