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.
Popular Pip and Ebby Recipes
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.
Making this tonight do I need to use the preserves?
Thank you
Hi Chantal! I definitely recommend some sort of preserves or jam. It really does make it great! If you don’t have any in hand, you can make do without. Hope this helps!
Megan
If I was to make this recipe but doubled how long should I cook it for?
Hi Alicia! Are you planning to cook two loaf pans in the oven simultaneously? Start checking for doneness at the 2-hour mark.. it shouldn’t take too much longer than that. Add the sauce after an hour of cooking. I hope this helps!
Megan
Made this before so deliouse
So glad you enjoyed it, Tamela!
Megan
Yummm made the meat loaf last week and it was a huge hit! I made them in a muffin tray and a little muffin tray for my 2 year old. They were so good I’m making them again tonight. I think I am going to put cheese in the middle of them tonight ?
Oh yay, Jasmin, I’m so happy to hear that they worked well in muffin tins! I’ve been meaning to try this but haven’t gotten around to it. How long did you cook them? Thanks so much for the comment!
Megan
Hi, I don’t have any brown sugar. Would regular sugar work?
Hi Melissa! Yes, regular white sugar works great in place of brown sugar. Enjoy!
Megan
I’ve looked over this recipe & others to see if you cover the meatloaf with any foil or bake uncovered?
No foil, Gail! Hope it turns out great!
Megan
Hi! I don’t have a 5×9 loaf pan.. would something else work?
Hi Heidi! Any size loaf pan will work. If you don’t have a loaf pan, I’ve had a few people report that they’ve made this recipe work with a square pan. The bigger the pan, the less time it’ll need to cook. Check for doneness often! I hope this helps and please report back!!
Megan
I am making meatloaf muffins. How long should I cook for at what temperature?
Hi Helen! What a great idea to turn these into muffins! I have never tried this, but I’d guess if you start checking for doneness at the 1-hour mark (same temp as regular pan) you’d probably be safe. Please let me know how they turn out if you go that route!
Megan
Hi! I just made the meatloaf and it was delicious! I used Xtra lean ground beef and I think I would back off a bit on the liquid (milk) as it fell apart when I pulled a piece out of the pan. The flavors were awesome!!
So glad to hear it, Becky! Backing off a bit on the milk seems to be a consistent recommendation. Super happy you loved it and took the time to leave a comment!
Megan
Wondering do we needto cover while cooking.
No covering necessary, Christina!
Megan
This was great added just a touch of sriracha for some heat :] thanks for sharing!
I’m gonna make this tonight, but I don’t have apricot preserves, so can I use grape jam?
Yes, Bre! I haven’t used grape jam as a replacement, but I’ve had a handful of people tell me that it works great! ENJOY!
Megan
I am trying this tonight with my new hubby, hope it comes out delicious, will let you know later, thank you for sharing
I hope it turns out great for you, Gregariuos! Enjoy!!
Megan
I don’t understand what I did wrong. I was super excited to try a new meatloaf recipe. I followed the instructions to a T but after over 2 hours of cooking, the meat was still raw at the bottom and it was so greasy. I used lean ground turkey.
Oh no, Ashley! It certainly should not have been raw after two hours of cooking. Have you ever had problems with your oven heating to the correct temp before? Sometimes if I try to cut into it too soon it falls apart and seems uncooked but really just hasn’t had a chance to sit long enough. I hope you’ll try again!
Megan
Made this tonight and it was SO good!!
I’m making this tonight. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for posting
Enjoy, Lisa!!
I am out of Ritz but I have bread crumbs. Would that work?
Bread crumbs will work, Christina! Yum!
Megan
What can I use if i dont have apricot reserve
Hi Mel! Use any type of preserves or jam that you have on hand. Any variety should work just fine!
Megan
I made it tonight !! AMAZING!!!!! Thank you for sharing that recipe !! My new favorite meatloaf!! I will pass this on !!
So happy to hear it, Brooke! Thanks for the comment!!
Megan
Hi Megan!!!
I am trying this!! Nervous I hope it comes out good because it looks so Delish and great reviews =)
I hope it turned out great, Brooke!
Megan