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.
This is my life saver!!! I have tried so many different meatloaf recipes and this is by far the best one ever! My whole family always said my meatloaf was too sweet (the sugar started burning because there was so much) or that it was way too juicy and falling apart (not enough breadcrumbs). But THIS! This is everything! Perfect every time! Thank you so so so much! ❤️
I love to hear this – thank you!! It’s good to know families are enjoying it.
This meatloaf is the best! I’ve made it many, many times and it never disappoints. I make it in the shape of a football and cook it on a parchment lined sheet pan. The leftovers make excellent sandwiches.
That’s a fun idea – shaping it isn’t something I’ve thought of. Thanks for sharing!
What size dish? Do you hear the sauce on top
I use a 5X9 loaf pan. Spread half of the mixture evenly over the meatloaf halfway through baking. Reserve the remainder of the sauce for dipping/topping.
What size dish? And do you warm the sauce on top?
I hate onions. Should i leave it out or make the onions big enough to pick out of my piece?
If you hate them, just omit them. The recipe is great still!
I don’t like onions either but more because of texture. I also hate the taste of raw onions. I do sometimes like the flavor they can provide some dishes though. In those cases, I’ll puree or finely chop them up in my food processor and saute before I add them to something like meatloaf. Depends on how much you hate them I guess lol.
Good ideas to share. Thank you for sharing!
Anytime I cook meatloaf, this is the recipe that I follow every time!! The Best….kids will definitely love it!!!
So wonderful to hear! It’s great when dinner is served.
I am seriously craving this meatloaf! It is so delicious!! Do you think it can be cooked in a slow cooker?? I really don’t want to use my oven if possible.
I definitely think you could use your slow cooker, but you’ll have to keep an eye on it for timing. I don’t know for sure how long. Let us know what you figure out! I’m so glad you love this recipe too!
I have made this recipe about 10 times and just like tonight everyone says it’s so good they can’t believe it! So thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
It’s my pleasure!
I’m making 2 meatloafs because we are having family over. Can I bake both meatloafs at the same time? Temperature? Length of time?
I wouldn’t bake them at the same time because the temperature doesn’t stay even, that’s my experience. You could cook one earlier and then reheat it. Hope you enjoy it!
This is a great recipe, thanks!
I added a little soy to the meatloaf and a little red pepper flake to the sauce.
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Works also great without any fruit!
I made this for my whole family a few days ago and they’re craving it again tonight.
Even my older brother loves it, and he hates ketchup! (shhhh)
I would highly recommend this recipe to anyone wanting to ‘wow’ the taste buds without too much work.
Yay! That makes me happy that you all enjoyed it. I’m glad that you made it the way that you and the family enjoyed it too. Way to go!
Ive made this my go to meatloaf in our house. My husband loves it! I changed 2 things which improved the texture and keeps it from being too “fall apart like”.
Instead of crackers, I use 1 cup plain bread crumbs.
I cup the milk down to 1/2 cup milk.
And I use 2 large eggs, instead of just one egg.
Works amazing! Tastes great.
I also cut the sugar down in the topping. I use 2 TBS sugar and 4 TBS molasses in the topping. Instead of the brown sugar.
Try my alterations and see how you like it. We love it.
Thanks for sharing these tips! I’m glad you liked it.
Can I make it just the same without the apricot preserves?
You could substitute out for a different fruit. I’ve never tried it without the preserves, I’m sure it’d work, just wouldn’t have that great tang. Let me know what you do!
I made it with sugar-free raspberry jam and it was just as good.
Thanks for letting us know. That sounds great.
What is the nutrition information so I can log this into my fitnesspal?
Good question! I use the MFP app as well. I do not have calorie information on my site but you can use this calculator (this is the one I use) and it’ll help you determine it based on how you made it. It’s pretty slick!
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Best meatloaf ever???
Awww, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Is there any way to make and freeze??
I would recommend that you prepare it in full, let it cool and then freeze it. Enjoy!
I do not have any Worcestershire sauce, can I make it without or is there anything else I can sub for it? It’s on the oven now for the first half.
Hi Amber, because Worcestershire does add significant flavor, there are some substitutes out there but I have not tried any to give you a push in one direction.
Try googling it next time and see if any of the ingredients like tabasco and sugar are on hand.
I hope you enjoy the meatloaf either way!
I looovveee this recipe!!
Is there a way to slow cook it?
It’s hard to make in the evening after work and eat before 8pm.
You’re right – it does take a little bit of time to get this one done and out on the table ready to go quickly.
I’ve not tried the slow cooker option but I bet it would turn out really well there. I would recommend spraying the sides of your slow cooker with non stick spray and shaping the ground meat into the pan and letting it cook on low 5-6 hours, then adding the sauce on top for another 20+ minutes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Ive slow cooked it on high for 4 hours and on low for 8 hours. Booth turned out great
Thank you so much for sharing and I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I make this with ground beef and it’s perfect..every single time! Made it with turkey tonight.. looked like soup!
Turkey is a bit different in its consistency. I’m sorry that it didn’t turn out as well.
I made this tonight exactly as described. It was perfection!! My 11 yr. old daughter who lately seems to not like much loved this!! It was a complete home run. I was so happy that everyone loved it.
Yay! Glad to hear it was a win with the most picky too! ; It’s great to have something that the whole family can enjoy in rotation. I feel the same way!