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 passed this onto several friends and they all loved it! I flatten it out first put some fresh spinach and swiss and roll it tight. Its the only way I can get my husband to eat extra veggies! Love this site! Thank you!!
Hi Trisha! I absolutely LOVE the idea of adding spinach and swiss. YUM! Thanks for the inspiration!
Megan
Morning Megan, if im all out of whole milk can i substitute it with almond milk?fixing to do this delicious recipe this afternoon, but all out of whole milk:(
Hi Ruben! You can definitely replace whole milk with almond milk, but I’d use 1/2 cup instead of 1 cup. Enjoy!!
Megan
This is by far the best meatloaf I have ever cooked!! I add grated carrots & broccoli finely chopped to mine & my kids gobble it down so quickly! Hard not to eat it all before it gets to the table – esp the yummy end bits!! My husband hovers just as much as the kids!
I also have tried it with sausage mince & beef mince half and half & it is delicious as well!! Thank you soo much!!!
Hi Melanie! I love love LOVE the addition of carrots and broccoli. I’m totally trying this next time! So glad you and your family enjoy the recipe so much!
Megan
We loved it! I halved the recipe and it turned out great! I omitted the egg and only used 1/4 milk. Perfecto! This is definitely going into my recipe rotation!
I’ve never tried this meatloaf without the egg, so this is great info! Thanks so much for the comment. Glad you enjoyed it!
Megan
Hi! I divided the meatloaf into two 5×7 pans. How long should I cook it for? Will it be okay to freeze after cooking?
Hi Meredith! Start checking for doneness at the hour mark, but cooking time shouldn’t change too much. And YES, it’ll freeze just fine after cooking. Hope this helps!
Megan
So I’m making this right now but totally got ahead of myself and put the sauce on top at start of baking instead of waiting til halfway thru. Please tell me I didn’t mess this up cause it smells so yummy!!
Tonya, it’ll be totally fine! A little extra cooked, but still delicious! ENJOY!
Megan
I scrolled for a bit but didn’t see this question. I prepped my meatloaf this am and planned to cook it then evening. Well I got completely behind with work and all today and we have a busy weekend ahead of us. How long do you think I can keep it in the refrigerator? Can I freeze it? I wonder if the onions will turn to mush when the thaw if I did that. Just hate wasting meat.
Hi Beth! You can definitely freeze this before baking. Wrap it up well and put it in the freezer. Thaw completely before baking. It will turn out great! Hope this helps!
Megan
Thanks for a great recipe! I never ate meatloaf growing up but my boyfriend did so I decided to try this last night. He loved it and is already planning to use leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches. I replaced the crackers with Italian breadcrumbs and worked fine!
So glad this turned out so well, Julie! Meatloaf sandwiches are the BEST!! I’m making this tomorrow and can’t wait to make a few sandwiches of my own!
Megan
This as my first ever meatloaf and it was amazing. I brought it to work for lunch and everyone raved over it.
So glad to hear it, Amber! Thanks for the comment!
Megan
Wow! Great recipe. My boyfriend isn’t a huge meatloaf fan but I love it so I decided to give this recipe a try (my first ever meatloaf I’ve made!) Not only did he actually like it but he told me it’s better than his mom’s, and she’s a great cook!!! Thanks for such a yummy meal and mega brownie points from the bf! 🙂
Wow, that’s a huge compliment! Glad you both liked it so much!
Megan
Made this on Sunday and everyone loved it! Mine stayed a bit soft and had a lot of juice, but I’m sure that was because my meat wasn’t super lean. The meat has great flavor and the sauce is such a nice addition (worth the trip to the store to buy the apricot preserves)!
Can you leave out the sauce
Hi Beau! You can definitely leave off the sauce if you prefer!
Megan
Is it best to leave meatloaf uncovered to bake? Thank you!
Yes, Beth, uncovered is great! Enjoy!
Megan
loove this recipe! its soo easy and turns out soo good, i do replace the apricot with bbq sauce though. dumb question but what if i use 3lbs of meat?
Hey Nikki, so glad you loved the meatloaf and you aren’t the only one to replace the jam with bbq sauce. If you use 3 lbs of meat, you may need to bake in two separate pans. My pan is always filled to the brim with 2 lbs. Thanks for the note!
Megan
I’m gonna try. I always wanted to know what is the milk for in meatloaf recipes ?
Hello! The egg and milk act as sort of a binder, "gelling" the meatloaf together and making it soft and smooth! I personally love the touch of adding the milk and wouldn’t go without it!
Megan
The topping with apricot preserves is what is most interesting. Otherwise, I use seasoned salt (Lawry"s) and matzoh meal or seasoned bread crumbs rather than crushed crackers.
Hi Mehgan,
It’s not a big deal, but no where in recipe is oven temperature given. I just appreciate that info. I just put into 350-degree oven and made just as you have and using deer burger. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks very much for recipe.
Cyndy
HI Cyndy! Check out the recipe within the grey box at the bottom of the post. The oven temp is mentioned in step 1..350 degrees! Enjoy!
Megan
How long do I leave it in the ove
Hello Luz! The meatloaf should cook for 1 1/2 hours, but you’ll add the sauce at the 45-minute mark. Hope this helps!
Megan
I have made this many times, everyone loves it! My adult children often ask to come over for dinner and ask me to make meatloaf, I always make this!
Sounds deeeelicious!! Can’t wait to make it. Question though, would it be missing a lot of flavor without the apricot preserves? Sounds like the sauce would be sweet, and I don’t really want sweetness in my sauce. Unless it’s not sweet once all mixed together. What do you think?
Hi Jackie! Plenty of people have replaced the apricot preserves with another type of jelly/jam and reported it still being delicious. I don’t think the sauce is too sweet at all once it’s cooked. It balances out! Hopefully this helps a bit!
Megan