Make a Hearty Meatloaf ~ A Delicious Family Favorite Comfort Food

Craving comfort food that reminds you of home? This recipe for a hearty meatloaf is sure to be a hit with the whole family!

---

We all have memories that evoke feelings of ‘home.’ 

It can be something we see.

A song we hear.

A person we think about.

Or, even a particular food.

I was asked to share about foods that evoke memories. Keep reading for some of the foods that became iconic in my childhood and what the boys consider a ‘taste of home’ now.

I opted to share our recipe for meatloaf.

Meatloaf is one of those comfort foods that just about everyone loves. It’s hearty, filling, and delicious. This recipe is a particular favorite of ours because it reminds me of home. If you’re looking for a tasty and easy meal to make for your family, give this meatloaf a try!

Foods that Evoke Memories

If I think about visiting my parental grandparents in Illinois as a child, I often remember my Grandmother’s rice pudding. Sadly, she didn’t teach me how to make HER particular version. And, nothing else I’ve found so far quite compares to the simple goodness of her dish. (I’d better start asking remaining relatives for the recipe in case she shared.) Other memories of food from Dad’s side of the family have basic meat and potatoes on the plate.

My mom’s family lived in Rhode Island, so there are memories of Del’s Frozen Lemonade, New England Clam Chowder, and saugies (a local white hot dog.) One thing about having moved around a bunch and visiting family members in different parts of the country is that I have a rather wide ‘palate’ when it comes to food.

One dish that gets requested often by my boys is a hearty meatloaf served with mashed potatoes and peas.  Hubby loves the basic meat and potatoes.  (He grew up in New York.) The older boys like to mix it all together, while the younger boys and I enjoy everything separately.

This is R’s requested dinner for his birthday, so it was on our table this past week. Given their own choice, we’d probably never save the second meatloaf for a future meal as they always want seconds.

This post contains affiliate links that may generate a commission for purchases made through them. There is no additional charge to you for using them.

Making Hearty Meatloaf

In a skillet (I use cast iron), heat up the olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic; sauté until tender.

If you are in a pinch and do not have an onion and fresh garlic, you can substitute with powders.

While the vegetables are cooking, mix together the breadcrumbs and milk in a large mixing bowl. 

Alternatively, you can add them to the meat mixture and save a bowl. Either way works.

NOTE: Since going gluten-free, I have switched to ground oats instead of breadcrumbs. Far cheaper than making bread crumbs from gluten-free bread!

Add the sautéed vegetables and remaining ingredients. 

Mix together with your hands.

You should see the onion dispersed evenly throughout the mixture. 

Freeform into 2 loaves on a lined baking sheet with a lip. (You want the lip to keep the liquids released by cooking on the pan and not in your oven.)

Alternatively, you can line bread pans to make the loaves more uniform.

Bake at 350 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. (1 hour to 1 1/2 hours)

If I do cook these in bread pans, I usually line them with aluminum foil. 

This makes it easier to remove the meatloaf from the pan.

There are also meatloaf pans that allow for drainage and easy removal.

Customizing Your Meatloaf

Serve with your choice of sauce alongside or on top.  

D enjoys straight ketchup, but a honey mustard drizzle could be a nice change of pace.  U

Usually, we top with homemade gravy (beef broth from beef bullion concentrate and a mixture of flour and water to thicken.)

Another variation of this basic recipe is to add 1/2 cup chopped green and/or red peppers or even some chopped celery to the mix. I’ve even thought of throwing in some shredded vegetables, e.g. carrot or zucchini.

You could add spices (e.g. Italian blend plus some tomato sauce to give a more Italian flavor) and create a near-endless array of meatloaf flavors.

One of the cooked meatloaves can be wrapped up to freeze for a future meal. We use a vacuum sealer for freezing.

Alternatively, bake the meatloaf in muffin tins. Single servings are ready to go!  Just adjust the cooking time down (checking for temperature starting at the 40-minute mark.)

Finally, the basic recipe makes for wonderful meatballs. Roll them small if using the mixture to make Crock-Pot Swedish Meatballs.

Leftover ideas:

Enjoy a meatloaf slice on toast for a nice lunchtime meal. Serve it open-faced with gravy on top (and maybe even a layer of leftover mashed potatoes!)

Make Meatloaf & Noodles to stretch it out. I do this when we have less meatloaf than the boys typically want in a serving.

What is a favorite dish that makes you think of home?
Is meatloaf something your family enjoys?

This post for Hearty Meatloaf was originally written as an entry in The Tastes from Home with Frito-Lay recipe contest in 2011. It has since been updated.