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.
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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 I substitute tangerine marmalade for apricot preserves. I really want to make this but want to 7se what I have and not go to the store
Sure! That would turn out great too! Good question.
Can you mix this and store overnight and then cook the next day?
You could! Just make sure to not overmix the meat and cover it tightly.
This is the best meatloaf I have tasted. I used half beef and half pork. Used strawberry jam in the sauce. It was delicious. This recipe is my go to now for meatloaf.
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing your take on it with those ingredients.
Seriously, the best ever meatloaf. Everyone loves it. There is never any leftover.
That’s great to hear! Thank you for sharing!
Megan I want to make this but halve the recipe since it’s just me. What would my cooking time be?
I would recommend that you start with 45 minutes and keep an eye on it from there.
I have made this i don’t know how many times and it is always delicious!
That’s awesome! Thank you for sharing!
Someone help! I’ve made this receipt (half lean ground meat and half turkey) twice and both times the flavor the flavor was DELICIOUS but the texture was pure mush. It has the texture of raw meat! I know it wasn’t raw because the first time I cooked it for 3 HOURS and it still has this texture. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Samantha, the only time that I have seen this happen is when the meat is overmixed. You should put the ingredients together, but mix them as little as possible and then cook it. The other tip is to let it cook, then once it’s out of the oven, let it sit a full 10-15 min to let it cool before cutting into it. Try that and you should be able to have a great meat loaf!
Can I make this with ground turkey instead?
That would work just fine, it’s a healthier option. Thanks for asking!
Delicious and so easy!!! I use 1lb lean hamburger and 1lb ground pork.
It is so flavorful and always a hit
I love that change up – great flavor. Thanks for sharing!
I have a very picky family who all loved their grandma’s meatloaf recipe. I wasn’t a fan of grandma’s though. I found this recipe and made it instead – even the glaze on top (not plain ketchup). They all loved it and my husband said it might be the best meatloaf he’s ever had. Even my step-son thought it was as good as grandma’s. And I subbed venison (moose) for the beef and the kids couldn’t even tell! HA! They’ve even asked for it again this week! Thanks for a great, fool-proof, recipe.
That is awesome – and interesting – I’ve never made it with Moose, but I’m glad you can vouch for it tasting good! Do you buy the moose or does someone hunt for it? Now I’m curious!
Its the only meatloaf I make…. delicious!!!! I’ve always loved meatloaf but it never came out as good as I thought it would, but this recipe is perfect everytime!!!
I love to hear this! Thank you for sharing!
I make this recipe all the time! My family loves it, I do leave out the preserves because my kids dont like it. But it is great with or without it. I alw6have to double the recipe.
I’m glad to know that it’s a hit, with or without the preserves. That definitely is a preference thing. Thank you for sharing!
I’m planning on making this later this week. A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right? I used your basic meatloaf recipe previously, which was the BEST I ever made. This time tho’, I’ll make the glaze.
This sounds like the exact recipe my family has made for years. I cant wait to try it with your sauce.
Please try it! Let me know what you think – I love getting feedback. Thank you!
The best meatloaf I’ve ever had! I loveee the sauce too! 🙂
That is so great to hear. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, do you think it will still taste the same without apricot preserves?
I know other readers have said they’ve used other preserves or used none at all and been happy with it. It should still taste great! Thanks for asking.
I use grape jelly and it is amazing.
Love to hear that! Thank you for sharing.
Do you take the meatloaf out of the pan before slicing? I know it sounds weird, but I’ve never made meatloaf before.
Not a silly question. I like to let it sit after it comes out of the oven to set a bit. I cut it in the pan but it wouldn’t be wrong to take it out and cut it, just not required. Thanks for asking!
Does this meatloaf freeze well?
I think so! One of the nice things about it is that you can use it later if needed. Thanks for asking!
I have made this so many times. It’s a family favorite! I don’t have ritz crackers and want to make tonight. Do you think it would be good with saltines instead?
Oh yes, it doesn’t have to be ritz crackers. You could use bread crumbs, or saltines for sure. Thanks for asking!
This is the best meatloaf ever, my boyfriend and I probably made it 25 times so far! Thank you
So glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing!
I was wondering if you could split the meatloaf mixture in half before baking it. I don’t have a big enough loaf pan at the moment, but have to have a few smaller ones. 🤷♀️ I love your recipe, btw. My family has it almost every week. 😁
You certainly can. I would still cook it the same amount of time, just keep an eye on it.