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.
Can you bake this on a take to keep from it cooking in fat?
Just finished this recipe, and I am pleased. My son is super picky about what he eats and he killed the meatloaf! Adding this recipe to my rotation.
So glad you liked it, Toni!
Megan
If I make 2 of these do I have to increase the cooking time? Or is one enough for a family of 6.
Hi Stacy! I’d say definitely increase cooking time if you’re cooking two at a time. Start checking them at the 1.5-hour mark and every 15 minutes after until cooked through. I’d say that one meatloaf is definitely not enough for six people. I hope this helps!
Megan
My family loves this meatloaf! My son has a gluten intolerance so we make it with gluten free crackers instead. It’s so good! Thanks for the great recipe!
I love hearing this, Tiffany! I’m so glad your family loves the recipe! Thanks for the comment.
Megan
I made this recipe last Sunday and it was my first time ever making meatloaf. It was so delicious!! I also had some grease issues but honestly I just poured it down the drain. It didn’t really bother me. It also turned out to be more of a meat-not-so-much-of-a-loaf because I only had access to a cookie pan haha but it still turned out great! The sauce was excellent as well.
I made this with half lean beef and half lean chicken. Delicious.
I would, the next time I make this, use low sodium Ritz crackers. There was enough salt in the finished dish, to my taste. 24 crackers crushed equal led exactly 1 cup.
I used soda water (and would even use water next time) instead of beef broth or milk. I used less than 1/2 cup of liquid, and it was moist enough. I even drained liquid before adding the glaze, which I also halved because I didn’t need dipping sauce) and more liquid came out of the meatloaf.
I formed the meatloaf in a meatloaf pan and turned it out onto a rimmed foil lined pan, sprayed with Pam.
I love the changes you made, D. Davis! So glad you enjoyed it!
Megan
I absolutely hate meatloaf. I am 34 years old and have never found a meatloaf that I liked. That is until now. I made this last night for dinner and loved it! I hate two slices last night and ate left overs for lunch today. Thank you so much!
Oh I did the recipe exact, except I can’t do onion pieces so I did onion powder. I was a little nervous about the amount of milk but it came out perfect! If you are going to try this recipe, I recommend trying it once as the directions say then you can always adjust it the next time.
Yay, Angela, so glad you loved it so much and it’s good to know that onion powder works as a great replacement for the onions. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Megan
Well I can say my family loved the meatloaf! The sauce was amazing…I’m thinking of using it for meatballs as an appetizer or for cocktail wieners!
Has anyone ever tried cutting the recipe in half?
yes, I have done it each time. I literally half everything except the sauce I did about 3/4 just cuz i like the stuff! I use a full loaf pan but I put aluminum foil rolled up to keep the half loaf shaped correctly. it’s not perfect but it works. 😉 I also cook it about 45 minutes.
Hi Megan,
Did you use original Ritz crackers or low salt ritz? Does it really matter to the taste since salt is being added anyway?
Thanks.
Debbie
I use original Ritz, but low salt will be just as tasty, I’m sure!
Megan
Would 1/4 of the liquid be better and less runny and mushy??
How about no liquid, since the egg adds liquid?
Hi Debbie! Someone commented recently saying that they used beef broth in place of milk and halved the amount and that it turned out great! I hope this helps!
Megan
How about using water or soda water instead of milk, for those who can’t use milk for health or religious issues?
I also think half the liquid would be more than enough.
I made this recipe tonight for supper. As mentioned by other posters, I halved the milk finding it was moist enough. I also halved the ‘glaze’ and added garlic powder as well as Frank’s Red Hot sauce. It was delicious! Fall apart, so moist and tender. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Dee! I love the addition of the hot sauce! I’ll give that a try next time for sure. So glad you loved the meatloaf!
Megan
Your meatloaf has wonderful texture and flavor, and the apricot preserves topping sends it all over the top. After reading all the other posts on here I decided to use ground sirloin and just 1/2 cup of the milk, otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. It was meatloaf heaven. Next time I might tweak things just a bit and add 1 Tablespoon of hot sauce to the topping. Bravo for a truly tasty treat!! ??
So glad you enjoyed the meatloaf heaven, Mark! 🙂
Megan
I have made this recipr several times with ground turkey and it has turned out AMAZING!!I did use it with lean ground beef but had some grease and juice that made it very unappetizing.If I make it with beef again I will use a leaner meat but this is my go to recipe for turkey meatloaf!!
So glad to hear it, Erika! I agree that the leaner meat works great in this recipe. Glad you loved it!
Megan
I made the sauce using apple butter instead of apricot preserves because that’s what I had on hand and it turned out great! I suggest giving it a try.
Another great use for apple butter! Great call and thanks for sharing!!
Megan
I poured out 1 entire cup of grease when all was said and done. As Shayla said, there was good flavor but it was soooo mushy. I used 92/8 beef. Don’t think I will be trying this one again.
Hi Ruby! Wow, that’s a lot of grease! I’d suggest using a leaner meat next time. Don’t give up on it, it’s such a delicious recipe! I have never had a similar grease issue, but I do tend to use leaner meat for the recipe.
Megan
the flavor was good but it was sooooo greasy! not juices spilled out, the meatloaf was literally swimming in grease. I don’t know what I did wrong 🙁 any tips? should I have spooned all the grease out of the pan?
Hi Shayla! When using leaner meat this isn’t an issue, but I’ve had people reply who use fattier meat and who place bread at the bottom of the pan to absorb some of that grease you’re talking about. I hope this helps!
Megan
This recipe is awesome! I used half the milk and consistency was perfect. I also made a second one and froze it. Hopefully it comes out just as good!
Let me know how the frozen one cooks once you take it back out, Carolina!
Megan
So is it possible to just make it with one pound of ground beef and cut everything in half?
Hi Teri! You could definitely give it a shot, but I can’t promise it’ll cook the same in the same size pan. If you try, please report back and let me know how it turns out!
Megan