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.
I have made this meatloaf 3 times! I love it! The first time I made it, it came out just perfect! It was thick, juicy, and did not shrink on the sides! I took a photo of it and posted it on Facebook! It was so easy to mix with your hands and roll
into a square pan shape. The second and third time, it split down the center! Help! What happened? Any suggestions?
Hi Vicki! The type of meat you used may have made a difference. Also, make sure you give it time to rest after baking. Did you bake all three meatloafs in the same oven? I hope your next time is a success!
Megan
would homemade strawberry jam work instead of the apricot preserves? or would those flavors not really mix well? Thanks!
Hi Casey! YES, homemade strawberry jam would taste fabulous in this recipe! Enjoy!
Megan
I made this recipe today and It turned out really well… my husband and son loved it
So glad your boys enjoyed it, Angie!
Megan
Can I put bacon in the top?
I’ve never tried, Heather, but sounds yummy! Let me know how it turns out!
Megan
When making "Meatloaf" if using 2-1/2 lbs. meat how long should I cook it for ?
Amazing! I halved the recipe and put into smaller loaves pans. Kids loved it!!
A couple of questions, this showed up on my Instapot recipe. Section, and wonder if you have tried this in that vehicle, and also if it will not work in one, what can you use for gluten free crackers as I am not sure Ritz are GF. Gary
This looks so good and I can’t wait to make it. I have a question though. I’m a busy mom of 3 young ones and when I make something like this, I like to make extra and freeze (for dupet busy nights) and individual portions (less waste) if possible. Do you know if this freezes well? Also, do you think it would work ok if i made portions in muffin pan? Thanks!
Hi Kelli! YES, this meatloaf does freeze well! Prep everything up to the point of putting it into the oven. Thaw completely before cooking when you’re ready. Prepare the sauce the day of cooking. I’ve never tried using a muffin pan, but I believe a few people tried it and reported that it worked great! I hope it turns out great and that you all enjoy the recipe!
Megan
Accidentally left out the milk. It’s in the oven right now. Used 1lb venison and 1lb sage sausage. I’ll check it at 45 min and again at an hour to make sure it’s not over cooking. (This is the problem with martinis and cooking…*sigh*…) ?
Oh no, Dawn! I understand about cooking with alcohol. 🙂 Hopefully it still tastes great!
Megan
It turned out fine! I took it out of the oven 10 minutes sooner but still let it rest before cutting it. Great recipe!!
YAY! So glad to hear it!
Megan
I made this for a meatloaf snob as a Christmas gift. Dangerous, I know. He ate the entire pan by himself, "I didn’t share one bite", he raved! He adored the sauce. He even went so far as to state that this was better than his own, carefully honed, recipe. My family adores it too!! This is my new "take them a meal" recipe!! Thank you!!
Wow, Krystal, this is such a huge compliment! SO happy to satisfy the "meatloaf snob!" Thank you so much for the comment!!
Megan
He’s coming over for dinner tonight and told my husband he’s so excited for the meatloaf. I’ve taken so much flack from others who have tried to make him meatloaf and he always comes back to yours! I’ve shared your recipe with SO many people.
Yesss, Krystal! This made my day! Thank you so much for spreading the word about my meatloaf. Glad you enjoy it so much!
Megan
I have made this twice. The first time I made it, it was so soupy after mixing it, i added twice the amt of crackers and it ended up being so dense. The second time I made it, it was beyond soupy…so I am not sure that I will make this again.
Second time I made it as the recipe was written
I’m so sorry to hear this, Denise! Did you leave it in the pan long enough after baking to allow it to cool a bit? This always helps me. I hope you’ll try again!
Megan
Try reducing the amount of milk. If your meat isn’t very lean, it will get soupy. You can also drain off a little bit of the fat when you pull it out of the oven before letting it rest.
Yum!
I previously made this meatloaf recipe for Thanksgivng and received great comments. Even my mom enjoyed it! I love every piece of this dish and would most likely make it again. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad it was a hit, Padee! Thanks for the comment!
Megan
My children and I loooooove this meatloaf. I used to make it a different way. Then one day they ate meatloaf at grandma’s and I was told "Mom, we love grandmas meatloaf better". Oh my goodness, after that it was on. I found this recipe and let me say I’m pretty sure I’m the meatloaf winner. Gotta love it! THANKS!
Hi Heather! This comment made my day! I’m so glad you guys love this recipe as much as we do. Tell Grandma "sorry" that it beat out her recipe, but it really doesn’t get better than this! 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Megan
Dumb question, would orange marmalade work instead of apricot preserves?
Not a dumb question at all, Cindy! Orange marmalade would work great. Enjoy!
Megan
Do you cover while cooking? Thanks!
No need to cover while cooking, Cathy! Enjoy!
Megan
Thanks Megan!
This is my go to. It’s really similar to my moms. The only difference is we use Italian breadcrumbs and mustard instead of apricot preserves. I tried your recipe and it’s just as delicious! Thank you! ?
This was by far the worst recipe for meatloaf ever! Flavour was on point but milk? Adding milk to this just made my meatloaf super mushy. Not impressed at all. Yuck.
Taking in the yummo smells of my 1/2 recipe as I type. Can’t wait to sit down and eat it Wish one of the 1/2 recipe people would have come back and posted how it turned out. I will try and remember to do it later.
OMG…..this will be my GO TO MEATLOAF from now on. Even my hubby complimented the "chef". Next time I will either do the full 2# recipe or will eliminate the egg in the 1# recipe. It sliced ok….but was a little falling apart. Next time I will try it with peach preserves…..used up the last of my apricot.
I only have 1 lb. of meat. Will I need to cut in half the rest of the ingredients?
Hey Rebekah, I have this in the oven right now and I just halved everything. I cut the milk to 1/4 and let a little spill over the sides to compensate for the egg, can’t really half an egg? I used about half a sleeve of ritz crackers, and needed just a little more than half a cup. I don’t know how it will turn out yet, and I am cooking it for an hour but I don’t know exactly the cooking time change, but I will let you know when it is done!
Hi Rebekah, I typically do not halve this recipe, but if you have 1 lb of meat…halve it and I’m sure it will turn out great! Take Sam’s advice! 🙂 Sam, how did yours turn out?
Megan