• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Frugal
  • Resources
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe

BeeyondCereal logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Frugal
  • Resources
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Frugal
    • Resources
    • About
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Published: Aug 19, 2021 Modified: Apr 11, 2023 by Nicole This post may contain affiliate links.

    Meatloaf with Ritz Crackers

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    promotional graphic for Meatloaf with Ritz Crackers

    Meatloaf with Ritz crackers is sure to become your family's next favorite comfort meal. Made with very few ingredients and prep this recipe comes together easily, perfect for busy nights.

    meatloaf sliced and served on a dinner plate with macaroni and green beans with more meatloaf in background

    If you've never had meatloaf made with Ritz crackers before, know that it's pretty incredible. The flakey butter crackers work well as a binder to produce a fluffy textured meatloaf, but the little bits of salt from the crackers also work well for flavoring every bite.

    Inspired by my Simple Meatloaf Recipe with Oatmeal, this recipe is downright delicious. We love to serve it up with some Cast Iron Green Beans and 5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese, although I know a lot of people opt for Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes when they eat meatloaf.

    We love this easy meatloaf recipe with Ritz crackers, and I'm sure you will too!

    Why This Recipe Works

    • This meatloaf never lasts long! This is one meatloaf recipe you're going to need to keep leftovers aside for if you enjoy meatloaf sandwiches the next day, as we do.
    • There's plenty for everyone. This recipe makes enough to feed a family, so serve it alongside your favorite side dishes and dig in!
    • Two 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).
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 🌡️Temperature
    • 🐄Scaling the Recipe
    • 🧾 Substitutions
    • ⏲️Make Ahead Instructions
    • 🍳Reheating
    • 🥗 Side Dishes
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Storage
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    labeled ingredients of items needed to make meatloaf with ritz crackers

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ground beef- You'll want to use 80/20 ground beef for this recipe because it's fatty enough that the loaf won't dry out as it cooks, but it's also not so fatty that it falls apart or shrivels down to practically nothing.

    Eggs- The rule of thumb is one egg per pound of meat, so you'll need a few eggs to help bind the meatloaf mixture together.

    Worcestershire sauce- This will add a great depth of flavor.

    Minced garlic- Because garlic makes everything taste better.

    Salt- Adding in salt will help to naturally enhance the flavors in the dish.

    Black pepper- For seasoning.

    Onion powder- Adding more flavor. Minced dried onion can be used instead.

    Ritz crackers- You can use name-brand or off brand crackers, it really doesn't matter which. These crackers will be the "bread" in the mixture that helps to bind everything together.

    Ketchup-For the topping.

    For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    • Bread loaf pan or 8x8 baking dish
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons

    🔪 Instructions

    Check out how to make meatloaf with Ritz crackers with these simple step-by-step instructions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8x8 baking dish or loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

    Ingredients in a bowl to make meatloaf

    In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the ketchup.

    meatloaf mixture in a mixing bowl

    Mix well to distribute ingredients evenly.

    raw meatloaf mixture in a bread loaf pan

    Pour the meatloaf mixture into your prepared pan.

    baked meatloaf in a bread loaf pan

    Bake for 45 minutes if using a square 8x8 pan. Bake for 1 hour if using a 9x5 loaf pan.

    Remove from oven and drain grease from pan.

    meatloaf in a bread loaf pan topped with ketchup

    Spread ketchup over the top of the meatloaf so that it's evenly covered.

    baked ketchup topped meatloaf in a bread loaf pan

    Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes (if using a square pan) or 30 minutes (if using a loaf pan). Bake 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.

    sliced meatloaf on a wooden cutting board

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    Cracker Crumbs

    When making your Ritz meatloaf, you can crumble up your crackers as finely as you want or leave them chunked. For faster crumbling, you can run them through a food processor, but I find that crumbling them with my hands is easy enough and doesn't produce extra dishes to wash.

    Which Baking Dish to Use

    You can cook your meatloaf in an 8x8 baking dish like I do or in a bread loaf pan. Both work great but will require a different cooking time as one is flatter and cooks more quickly than the other.

    I grew up in a family of 5, and my mom always made meatloaf in a square pan or a 9x13, so that there was plenty for us all to share.

    🌡️Temperature

    Your meatloaf will be safe to consume when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. I recommend checking on the meat's temperature when you pull it from the oven to add the ketchup topping as well as after it has finished cooking.

    🐄Scaling the Recipe

    If desired, you can double this recipe and cook it in a 9x13 baking dish. You will bake it according to the square baking dish directions in the recipe card.

    🧾 Substitutions

    Ground turkey. You can use ground turkey instead of ground 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.

    ⏲️Make Ahead Instructions

    You can make this meatloaf and keep it covered in the fridge until it is ready to bake. If using a glass pan, make sure to let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking, so you don't shock the cold glass and cause your pan to shatter.

    🍳Reheating

    You reheat multiple slices of meatloaf in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes.

    Alternatively, you can place a few slices on a microwave safe plate and heat for about 2 minutes.

    🥗 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.

    I recommend trying it with Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans, Purple Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, or Southern Deviled Eggs.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Storage

    You can keep leftover meatloaf in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    Freeze uneaten meatloaf for up to 3 months. Thaw and cook or reheat as needed.

    💭 FAQs

    How long does it take to cook a 3lb meatloaf at 375 degrees?

    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.

    Why did my meatloaf fall apart?

    If your meatloaf falls apart when sliced or being removed from the pan, the main reasons for it to have done so would be that you didn't press the meatloaf together well enough when adding it to the pan, or you didn't use the proper amount of binding agents in the recipe.

    Should meatloaf be baked covered or uncovered?

    There's no reason to cover your meatloaf while it bakes. You want the top to create a nice caramelized crust, as this helps to seal in the juices for a softer loaf. If the top of your meatloaf is getting too dark you can gently lay a piece of foil over the top, but do not crimp or tuck the edges.

    sliced meatloaf on a dinner plate with macaroni and cheese and green beans

    More great main dish recipes to try

    • Creamy Tilapia and Spinach with Cherry Tomatoes
    • Ground Beef Pot Pie
    • Meatloaf Without Eggs
    • Mac and Cheese Tuna Casserole

    📖 Recipe

    sliced loaf of ritz cracker meatloaf on a wooden cutting board
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Meatloaf with Ritz Crackers

    Making meatloaf with Ritz crackers is going to become your family's favorite way to serve up this homemade comfort meal. With very little prep work you can have a dish full of meatloaf and in the oven quickly and ready to eat in about an hour.
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 728kcal
    Cost Recipe $11.68 / Serving $1.46
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Bread loaf pan or 8x8 baking dish
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds 80/20 Ground beef ($10.11)
    • 3 large Eggs ($0.24)
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ($0.10)
    • 2 teaspoons Garlic, minced ($0.10)
    • ½ teaspoon Salt ($0.05)
    • ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper ($0.05)
    • ½ teaspoon Onion powder ($0.05)
    • 1 ½ cups Ritz cracker crumbs (one sleeve) ($0.59)
    • ¾ cup Ketchup ($0.39)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. **See note below for bread pan baking 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 square pan and bake for 45 minutes.
    • 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 15 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

    Recipe Tips

    • To cook in an 9x5 bread pan bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and remove from oven.
    • Drain grease, top with ketchup and return to oven for an additional 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
    • When making your Ritz meatloaf, you can crumble up your crackers as finely as you want or leave them chunked. For faster crumbling, you can run them through a food processor but I find that crumbling them with my hands is easy enough and doesn't produce extra dishes to wash.
    • You can cook your meatloaf in an 8x8 baking dish like I do or in a bread loaf pan. Both work great but will require a different cooking time as one is flatter and cooks more quickly than the other.

    Make Ahead Instructions

    • You can make this meatloaf and keep it stored covered in the fridge until ready to bake. If using a glass pan, make sure to let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking so you don't shock the cold glass and cause your pan to shatter.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 2slices | Calories: 728kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.5g | Protein: 44.5g | Fat: 47.6g | Saturated Fat: 18.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20.9g | Trans Fat: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 253.5mg | Sodium: 708mg | Potassium: 923.1mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 8.2g | Vitamin A: 109.1IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 69.1mg | Iron: 5.6mg
    Author NicoleDurham
    Course dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

    More Main Dishes

    • an upclose view of stuffed chicken legs on a plate with broccoli
      Stuffed Chicken Legs
    • cheap pantry meals
      Cheap Pantry Meals
    • an upclose aerial view of honey soy chicken bites on a plate with white rice
      Honey Soy Chicken Bites
    • a close aerial view of a plate filled with french toast sticks and a small container of maple syrup to the side
      Air Fryer Frozen French Toast Sticks

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Nicole from Beeyond Cereal

    I'm Nicole and I am the owner and recipe developer here at Beeyond Cereal. I love saving money and one of the best places to trim expenses is in the kitchen. With this site, we are serving up tasty and frugal homemade dishes that the whole family will enjoy.

    More About Me →

    Trending NOW

    • angled upclose view of cinnamon rolls with icing on top in an 8x8 baking dish
      Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
    • roasted chicken, carrots and potatoes in a baking dish with a sprig of rosemary on top
      Roasted Whole Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
    • aerial view of zucchini carrot oatmeal muffins with fresh zucchini and carrots to the sides
      Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Muffins
    • a close up of taquitos enchiladas in a bowl with a board filled with toppings in background
      20 Minute Lazy Enchiladas

    Seasonal Recipes

    • angled view into a glass of ice cold lemonade with sliced lemons on a wooden cutting board and fresh lemons to the side
      Single Serving Lemonade
    • an upclose view of bowl of zucchini penne pasta
      Zucchini Penne Pasta
    • close up of a white bowl filled with orange fluff sald and topped with marshmallows and orange slices
      Creamy Orange Fluff Salad
    • an upclose view of a bowl filled with cheddar bacon ranch pasta salad
      Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

    As Seen In

    parade yummyle foodgawker the pioneer woman

    Footer

    ↑ Back to Top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Public Sharing Policy
    • Pricing Disclosure

    Follow

    • Sign Up! for emails
    • Follow on Facebook
    • Follow on Instagram
    • Follow on Pinterest

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Beeyond Cereal --Brunch Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.