From year to year, meatloaf is a favorite on our table. Why is that? It is easy to prepare quickly, the composition can be easily varied depending on the availability of ingredients at hand. And the shape of the log allows you to both solemnly serve it on the festive table, or cut it into portioned pieces and fold it to all family members for takeaway lunch.
Ground beef is very versatile – not as fatty as pork and more nutritious than chicken.
I think you will definitely have a couple of eggs, water, ketchup, and bread crumbs to cook classic and beefy meatloaf soon!
Meatloaf Ingredients
- Ground beef – this type of minced meat is well suited for dietary meals. After all, minced pork is much fatter. If you have a meat grinder at home, then buy a good piece of beef and make the minced meat by yourself.
- Eggs are the basis for gluing meatloaf. When baking, the egg white holds the whole meat mixture together and prevents it from falling apart, and the yolks add moisture.
- Water is also a very important ingredient for meatloaf moisture. It may seem to you that there is too much of it, but believe me, the breadcrumbs will absorb it completely. You can try replacing it with plant-based milk. My granny always only uses whole cow’s milk.
- Ketchup imparts tomato flavor and gives excellent juiciness to meatloaf. You can try replacing it with tomato paste or barbecue sauce.
- Breadcrumbs, along with all the moist ingredients, create more volume for your dish and keep the same moisture for juiciness.
- Spices and herbs – every time I use the spices at hand. This time my choice fell on a mix of peppers and Provencal herbs. Feel free to choose the ingredients for this item. For a variety, you can use Lipton onion soup mix, ground mustard, onion or garlic powder, paprika flakes.
- Onion and garlic – here they are also important for taste and aroma if you use them of course. Try to grind them well or even put them in a meat grinder along with the beef.
How do you make original meatloaf from scratch?
- Prepare ingredients and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large (very large) bowl, combine water, ketchup, eggs, spices, salt, and whisk together. Chop the onion and garlic.
- Add ground beef, onion, garlic, and breadcrumbs to the mixture and stir. (It is most convenient to interfere with your hands).
- Line a baking dish with foil, add minced meat mixture, shape into a log. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Or until the outside is crispy. It is not necessary to cover the top with foil, there are many liquid ingredients in the mixture. If they cannot evaporate, then your meatloaf will be boiled but not baked.
- Cover the meatloaf with an extra layer of ketchup and sprinkle with onions on top if desired.
What to serve with meatloaf?
Oh, it’s as easy as shelling pears! Many different recipes will work here. The classic serving includes, of course, potatoes:
Also, let’s not forget about vegetables and salads:
- Healthier Waldorf Salad
- Homemade Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
- The Best Tossed Salad
- Roasted Potatoes And Carrots
Well, we can’t get away from pasta in all its forms:
- Sweet Amish Macaroni Salad
- Amazing Olive Pasta Salad
- Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Portobello Penne Pasta Casserole
Can you freeze Meatloaf?
Meatloaf lends itself well to freezing and later use.
After baking, cool it down, fold it into a large sealed container with a lid, or carefully wrap it with foil in 2-3 layers and put it in a freezer.
Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.
To serve, preheat it in the oven or microwave, cover it with ketchup and herbs.
Recipe Tips:
- Cooking the meatloaf in a wide baking dish or on a baking sheet allows a crispy crust on all edges. Baking in a bread pan will keep the edges moist.
- Meatloaf slices can be reheated in a skillet-like cutlet on both sides.
- Leftovers can be used for sandwiches.
Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup ketchup, more for topping, if desired
- 1 1/2 cups plain, dry breadcrumbs
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp pepper mix
- 1 tsp Provencal herbs
- salt to taste
- onion feathers for topping
Instructions
- Combine water, eggs, ketchup, spices, salt in a deep bowl.
- Add ground beef, bread crumbs, chopped onion, and garlic and mix thoroughly.
- Place in a foil-lined baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 350 F for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Coat with ketchup and chopped onion feathers.
Answering Your Burning Questions:
Can I make meatloaf ahead of time?
Yes of course! After baking, let the meatloaf cool completely, then wrap it in foil or cling film and refrigerate.
Shelf life in the refrigerator is about three days.
Preheat before serving in the oven or microwave, top with ketchup, sprinkle with fresh herbs, and serve hot.
What is the secret to the best beefy moist meatloaf?
Lean minced meat can play a cruel joke on us and we will get dry steep meatloaf.
So, the fat content should still be present in a ratio of 1:10 (where 1 is fat and 10 is meat).
For the moisture of the meatloaf, we add ketchup (you can substitute tomato paste for it) and water.
Breadcrumbs absorb all this into themselves and in the end, we get a juicy dish.
Feel free to experiment and add other juiciness ingredients to your liking. This can be mustard, Worcestershire sauce, or barbecue sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Prepare the meatloaf with Lipton onion soup mix using the entire pack of dry mix, replacing the pepper mix.
- Cover the meatloaf with barbecue sauce or salsa instead of ketchup.
- Replace the bread crumbs with torn white bread soaked in milk or cooked rice.
- Add finely chopped or grated vegetables (carrots, zucchini, mushrooms).
Do you bake meatloaf covered or uncovered?
There is already a lot of liquid in this whole meat mixture.
If you cover with foil when baking, you run the risk of a boiled meatloaf rather than a baked one.
Thus, I recommend leaving it uncovered on top to allow excess liquid to evaporate.
How do you keep the meatloaf from falling apart?
The function of bonding in this recipe is performed by eggs.
If you see that the mixture is watery and does not hold its shape well, add an extra part of minced meat or bread crumbs.
I bake the meatloaf in a deep baking dish. But you can also use a bread pan.
If you like this “Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf” recipe, please leave a comment and give this recipe a rating. I would love to hear from you and I truly appreciate your feedback! I will always do my best to respond to every comment ASAP. Thank you for following along! and happy cooking!
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