This is the best meatloaf recipe with crackers you’ll ever eat and it is such an easy classic dish. It’ll quickly become a favorite family meal!
Original recipe: February 2018 | Updated: January 2021
Why This Recipe Works
Please hear me out. I understand that the word “meatloaf” is a turn-off to some. If this is you, I beg you to set your qualms aside because you have just landed on this blog post detailing the most delicious meatloaf you will ever eat.
A few years ago I dug up my mother’s handwritten recipe from childhood and used it as my guide. I don’t remember ever eating a recipe as good as hers.
This recipe is a version of hers (and it is a great recipe!), with an added irresistible sauce. I have received so many comments and emails over the years from people who tell me this famous Pip and Ebby meatloaf has become their favorite go-to recipe.
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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!). Stuffed Sweet Potatoes 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.
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.
Great recipe. The meatloaf is moist and the sauce adds so much flavor. It’s similar to a barbecue sauce. The whole family loves it from the 10 month old to grandma!
Hi, there! I have made your recipe several times…it’s our favorite! I
want to try it in a muffin tin. What would I need to adjust?
Hey Jane! So glad it’s your favorite. I’ve never tried this recipe in a muffin tin so I’m not sure how to advise. I would think time would need to be adjusted but otherwise I’m not sure…
Would cutting the recipe in half alter the cooking time?
Hi Alisha! Thanks for reaching out. Assuming you are using a different sized pan? I’d maybe shave 15 minutes off the time and start checking for doneness around then. Enjoy!
I love this meat loaf recipe. My kids beg for all the time. It is a 10/10 at my house! I know meatloaf isn’t the healthiest, but what is 1 serving size in grams? (I’m trying to count macros)
Hey Taylor! Happy to hear this is a family favorite! I’d figure out the grams this way… 2 lbs ~ 907 grams. With this recipe making 6 servings. So 907g / 6 servings = (roughly) 151 grams per serving. Hope that helps!
I didn’t have apricot jam so I substituted with Blackberry jam and it was amazing! Highly recommended. I will try the apricot at some point but this is a family favorite I keep on rotation.
Thanks for sharing Carrie! Way to step out and try Blackberry jam … That’s awesome!
Recipe, with the directions did not state if the meatloaf should be covered and if so for how long or cooked uncovered. Or of it did I surely missed that part.
Hi Robyn! Thanks for asking – this is listed in the recipe. It’s advised, “Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.” I hope you enjoy your meal!
Just made this recipe for my husband and myself. Reminds me of the old-fashioned meatloaf that my mother used to make. It was delicious…so moist…we really enjoyed it!!!
Thank you Janet, for sharing. It’s a very easy and delicious dinner option to keep in rotation!
I will forever come back to this recipe! I’ve been using it for years and have developed a reputation for making the best meatloaf. I love the flavor the Ritz crackers add and the sweetness from the apricot in the glaze. I usually add some Valentino’s hot sauce into the glaze to give it some sweat heat! SO GOOD – thank you for the recipe!
Love that tip on the hot sauce. Thank you Nita, I’m so glad you like it too!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe since finding it in like 2016-2017. I like to put an Italian spin on it. My partner makes THE BEST pizza sauce for homemade za and I use that instead of ketchup in the recipe. This is an often requested meal at our house!
Love the savory spin for it. Thank you for sharing.
This meatloaf tastes like my grandma’s. It is delicious. Thank you for sharing this with us.
So glad it was enjoyed, Amy. Thank you for sharing!
Love it! I’m a big fan of the meatloaf .. it seems like a lot of prepping but as good as it is ..I dont mind ..😁 Anything to keep the FAM happy ..
I don’t think you could make it prepped much quicker but you can bake several up at once so you can freeze them and pull them out when you need!
I never liked meatloaf before trying this recipe. Now my husband loves it and I like it too! 😋😋😋
That’s great to hear, Lynda! Thanks for sharing.
Has anyone tried to make this in the crockpot? Trying to avoid turning on the oven, it’s pretty warm out still.
Hi Stephanie, this is not something I’ve done myself to confirm the cook times on. You would need something to help the ground beef keep its shape once you’ve mixed the ingredients together. The cook time would be much longer but you could start at 6 hours on low and keep an eye on it.
This meatloaf was 1. Easy to make with things I have at my house(except for the Apricot preserves).
2. Smelled and tasted AMAZING!
Thank you for this meatloaf!
I had one small problem. It fell apart. I rested it for 15 minutes perhaps a bit more and when I tried to take it out, it fell apart.
But that didn’t stop me from devouring it.
Any ideas why?
I used 85% beef. I did split the recipe in half.
Any ideas?
Hi Sally, without being there, I’m not sure. But you could have had too much of a liquid or not enough of a binder. In this recipe, milk is used and crushed crackers. If the measuring went a little too much one way or the other, it can affect the combination sticking together. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor though. The meat should be lean so if you’re using a ground beef, use 90/10 if you can. If you have something else on hand and don’t want to make an extra run, just be aware of adding enough of the crackers to help. A ground turkey is good for this recipe too.
I love this meatloaf!! I’m a busy mama and was wondering if I could premix the meatloaf and then refrigerate until I’m ready to cook. Thanks!
Great question Patti! Yes, you could prepare this recipe, season the beef ahead of time. Make it up a day in advance and bake when ready!
I have done that so many times when I know I’ll have a busy evening and just want to get home and stick it in the oven. I have also frozen it before cooking and taken it out in the morning and cooked it when I got home.
I have been making meatloaf for over 40 years. This recipe is my go too know. Instead of ketchup in the loaf I use chili sauce. And I either cook it in an 8×8 pan or a 13×9 by using a little over half of the pan. I love the topping, 🙂
Thank you, Mary! I love the chili sauce idea. Nice to have different sauces depending on your mood. The pan size change is kind of fun. We’ve done it in muffin tins as well.
Megan,
I can’t remember how many times I have made this meatloaf. It is definitely the only way I make it now. Wonderful recipe and thank you for sharing.
That’s great to hear, Diana. Thank you for sharing.
This is our GO TO meatloaf recipe! My husband is a hunter so we’ve always used ground venison and our family/friends can’t get enough! So delicious even my 5 year old asks for seconds!
Nice! Never tried it with venison so glad it was a hit.
This is the e best meatloaf. As a matter of fact, I changed the name of this in my recipe app to The Best Meatloaf. I’ve always made it as the two lb. loaf. Empty nester now I want to split it into two loaves. Do I freeze one cooked or uncooked?
Thank you Betty, for the kind review. You can freeze it cooked or uncooked. I would prefer to cook it up front and have it frozen but there’s no wrong way here.
My husband hated meatloaf before trying this one , and I have made it 4 + times already in the past 4 months! He requests it at least once a month. The sauce definitely makes the dish – so so good!
Madie, I love to hear that. Thank you for sharing – its a favorite at our house.