Meatloaf is a comfort meal like no other. This Meatloaf with Oatmeal packs a lot of flavor into every tasty bite. It's finished off with a ketchup topping, and it tastes like childhood memories.
Recipe: $13.92 | Per Serving: $2.32 | Servings: 6
Meatloaf recipes vary widely among households, with each having its own unique twist. This Meatloaf with Oatmeal has been a staple in my family. It's straightforward, speedy, and simple, all the qualities I adore in a dinner recipe.
This yummy dish blends ground meat, oatmeal, and ketchup for a comforting meal. For those seeking more unconventional options, I also offer recipes for Meatloaf with Ritz Crackers and Meatloaf Without Eggs.
Perfect for weeknight dinners or Sunday suppers, this crowd-pleaser often yields leftovers, which make tasty sandwiches the following day. Whether paired with mashed potatoes and green beans or sandwiched between slices of bread, it's a satisfying meal for any occasion.
Jump to:
🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- It's super simple! Just mix it together in a bowl and put it in a greased dish. Bake, add topping, and bake just a little more to cook the top nicely and done.
- There's a make ahead option. This meatloaf with oatmeal recipe can also be made in advance and stored covered in the fridge for up to two days if you want to make weeknight meals even easier. Which, let's be honest, who doesn't?
- There are 2 ways to prepare it. You can use a bread loaf pan or a square baking dish (a square pan makes "extra" servings, perfect for smaller portions and more people).
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Ground Beef- I like to use 80/20 ground beef because it's not too fatty and not too lean. Lean meats tend not to do as well because they'll burn or not hold up correctly.
Eggs- We use roughly 1 egg per pound to act as the binder for the meatloaf. Without it, the meatloaf will crumble and not hold up well when sliced.
Worchestershire Sauce- Believe it or not, I usually swap this out with A1 Sauce or Soy Sauce if I don't have Worchestershire on hand.
Oats- I almost always use quick cook oats because it's what I keep on hand, but old fashioned and steel cut work too. They'll absorb the fat as the meatloaf cooks, making them tender.
Ketchup- To help smother the top of our meatloaf and add a little sweet and tangy thing to the flavorful beef.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🧾 Substitutions
Ground turkey. You can use ground turkey instead of beef for a healthier meatloaf alternative. Note that the meatloaf should then be cooked to 165 degrees F and that overcooking it will result in a dry loaf as turkey has a lot less fat in it.
🔪 Instructions for Meatloaf with Oatmeal
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x5 bread pan or 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. **See note below for baking dish instructions
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add the raw ground beef, eggs, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Mix well to combine. You don't want unmixed egg whites in the mixture.
Step 4: Add in the oats.
Step 5: Mix well to evenly distribute.
Step 6: Press the mixture into greased 9x5 bread pan or an 8x8 baking dish.
Step 7: Bake for 1 hour (if using a loaf pan) or 45 minutes if using an 8x8.
Step 8: Remove the meatloaf from the oven and drain the grease. Spread ketchup over the top and return to oven. Cook for another 30 minutes in a bread pan or 15 minutes if using 8x8.
Step 9: Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve warm and enjoy!
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Different Baking Pans- Using an 8x8 square pan cuts cooking time by 20-30 minutes. Ensure it's cooked through, reaching 160°F inside. Top with ketchup and bake 5-15 minutes more to warm up.
- An 8x8 pan yields smaller slices, seeming like more to share, but a bread pan works too.
- Temperature- Check the meatloaf's internal temperature, aiming for 160°F. Test when adding ketchup and after cooking.
- Scaling the Recipe- Double the recipe for more servings, using a 9x13 pan. Follow the square pan instructions. Doubling suits larger families or gatherings.
⏲️Make Ahead Instructions
Preparation Time: Prepare the meatloaf with oatmeal in advance, and you can refrigerate it covered for up to 2 days before baking.
Glass Pan Precaution: If using a glass pan, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes while the oven preheats. This helps prevent the glass from shattering due to sudden temperature changes.
🍳Reheating
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Arrange multiple slices of meatloaf in a baking dish.
- Heat in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Microwave Method:
- Place a few slices of meatloaf on a microwave-safe plate.
- Heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or until heated to your liking.
🥗 Side Dishes
This meatloaf would taste great with just about anything as a side dish, but because it's a comfort food classic, having it with simpler side dishes makes sense.
Some of our favorite side dishes include Bacon Ranch Brussel Sprouts, 5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese, Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes, or Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
Fridge: Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze uneaten meatloaf for up to 3 months. Thaw and cook or reheat as needed before serving.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Mix together ground beef, oats, eggs, and seasonings and place into pan and bake. Drain grease, top with ketchup, and bake a little longer to warm up the top. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Oats add fiber to the dish as well as double for a binding agent. Together the oats and the eggs help to keep the meatloaf retaining its shape.
If you want to cook the meatloaf at 375 degrees F, the baking time will be lessened. Check your meatloaf after 40 minutes and if it's reached 160 degrees F, then drain grease, top with ketchup, and return to oven for 5 minutes before serving.
❤️ More Delicious Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Meatloaf with Oatmeal, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Meatloaf with Oatmeal
Equipment
- 8x4 Bread Loaf Pan or 8x8 baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 pounds 80/20 ground beef ($12.84)
- 3 large eggs ($0.45)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ($0.02)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic ($0.12)
- ½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ($0.04)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder ($0.04)
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats ($0.09)
- ¾ cup ketchup ($0.31)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x5 bread pan or 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. **See note below for baking dish instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the ketchup. Mix well to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Pour the meatloaf mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and drain grease from pan.
- Spread ketchup over the top of the meatloaf so that it's evenly covered.
- Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Oats: Quick-cooking oats, steel-cut oats, or old-fashioned oats work.
- Baking Pans: Choose a larger pan for quicker cooking (e.g., 8x8) or a bread pan for traditional shape. Double the recipe and use a 9x13 dish for more servings.
- Temperature: Cook until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Check after adding ketchup topping and before finishing.
- Substitutions: Use ground turkey for a leaner version, cooked to 165°F.
- Make Ahead: Prep and refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. For glass pans, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Reheating: Heat slices at 350°F for 5-10 minutes in the oven or 2 minutes in the microwave.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat when needed.
Vonda says
Thank you very much. I'll post how it turns out
Nicole says
You're welcome, and please do report back haha, I'd love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
Vonda says
I made this in crock pot I used your recipe to the letter. Crock pot High for 3 hours it was the best meatloaf ever. Very moist delicious
Vonda says
Can this be made in crock pot. If so how long to cook on low and high.
I live in Arizona and at 111° I really do not want to use oven.
Nicole says
To be honest, I've never made meatloaf in the crockpot so im not sure how it'd turn out. It does sound like a wondeful option for summer though! I would estimate that you can cook this on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Drain the grease and add ketchup before serving. Double check that the internal temperature is at least 160F before serving (for food safety).
Pam says
Perfect timing! My kids were just talking yesterday about how long it's been since we've had meatloaf!
Srikanth says
What a lovely and unique recipe. Definitely have to try this for my picky toddler!
Maria says
Now that's a classic! Will definitely try this recipe.
Beth says
This looks so delicious and tasty! My family is going to love this recipe! So excited to make this soon!
Adrianne says
This looks like such a quick and easy go to recipe that gets dinner on the table quickly! Thanks for sharing.