Traditional Meatloaf

Traditional Meatloaf

This traditional meatloaf recipe has a lovely texture, just the right blend of hearty density and tender, moist delicacy. These days, I most often make this using all extra-lean ground beef, but you can also make this with an extra-lean ground beef and lean ground pork blend (details in the notes) without too much overall caloric impact.

Delicious with ratatouille and garlic mashed potatoes, and very simple to throw together. If you love meatloaf but are looking for a more calorie-conscious version without the breadcrumbs and eggs, check out my Meatloaf Muffins recipe instead.

Equipment

  • 9x5” loaf pan

  • Parchment paper

Ingredients (makes 12 portions)

  • 3 pounds / 1 kg extra lean ground beef

  • 200 grams bread crumbs

  • 2 whole eggs (beaten)

  • 3 tsp sea salt

  • 2 tsp paprika

  • 2 tsp dry mustard

  • 1 tsp garlic powder / 4 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 1 tsp onion powder / 1 TBSP dried onion flakes / 1/2 medium onion (diced)

  • 2 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp dried parsley / 1 TBSP fresh parsley (finely chopped)

  • 1 tsp dried thyme / 1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves

  • 1-1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

  • 3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 177 degrees C.

  2. If using fresh onion and/or garlic, sauté the onion over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil until it begins to brown, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. If using onion powder / onion flakes / garlic powder, skip this step.

  3. Use parchment paper to partially line the loaf pan, covering the bottom and the long sides with an inch or two extra length above the top on each side. This is to help with removing the meatloaf from the pan in one piece after cooking.

  4. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mixing thoroughly by hand to ensure even distribution of the seasoning and bread crumbs throughout the meat

  5. Form the mixture into your your loaf pan and place the loaf pan on a baking sheet for safety and to catch any liquid spill-over).

  6. Bake the meatloaf until medium-well (an internal temperature of 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C) is reached, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before removing from the loaf pan to slice and serve.

  7. Any liquid remaining in the loaf pan can be strained and used as part of a sauce or gravy for the meatloaf if desired - up to you. This is usually tasty and moist enough that a gravy isn’t really needed, but that may depend on what you’re eating it with. 😉

Nutritional Info

Total for the Full Recipe:

  • Calories: Approximately 3,800 kcal

  • Protein: Approximately 400 g (1,600 kcal, 42% of total calories)

  • Fat: Approximately 160 g (1,440 kcal, 38% of total calories)

  • Total Carbohydrate: Approximately 150 g

  • Total Fiber: Approximately 10 g

  • Net Carbohydrate: Approximately 140 g (560 kcal, 15% of total calories)

Per Serving (1/12 of the recipe):

  • Calories: Approximately 317 kcal

  • Protein: Approximately 33 g (132 kcal, 42% of total calories) (~1.5 palm-sized portions)

  • Fat: Approximately 13.3 g (120 kcal, 38% of total calories) (~1 thumb-sized portion)

  • Total Carbohydrate: Approximately 12.5 g

  • Total Fiber: Approximately 0.8 g

    • Percentage of daily fiber intake:

      • Women under 50: ~3%

      • Men under 50: ~2.5%

      • Women over 50: ~3.6%

      • Men over 50: ~2.9%

  • Net Carbohydrate: Approximately 11.7 g (47 kcal, 15% of total calories) (~0.5 cupped palm portions)

  • Fist-Sized Portions of Non-Starchy Vegetables: 0 (since there are no significant non-starchy vegetables in the recipe)

This nutritional analysis is an estimate only, based on available knowledge regarding the nutritional content of the individual ingredients. Nutritional content of foods is HIGHLY variable, so you should always base your dietary intake on whether it meets your needs and progresses you towards your goals rather than any theoretical numbers on paper.

Notes and Options

  • You can also prepare this recipe with a blend of 2 pounds / 1 kg extra-lean ground beef and 1 pound / 500 g lean ground pork. This will increase the fat content per serving by about 3.5 grams and the calories by about 32 calories per serving. It’s not nothing, but it’s not huge, and is worth trying to see if you prefer the slightly lighter overall texture.