This Brown Gravy Meatloaf is the best meatloaf recipe ever! Every time we make this meatloaf, it comes out perfect – and we make it a lot!
I know you’re going to love this meatloaf recipe! All you need is our simple Brown Gravy Recipe, a side of super crispy Shoestring French Fries or our favorite Mushroom Rice and dinner is served!
Why Meatloaf With Brown Gravy Is One of Our Favorite Recipes
Meatloaf night is big at our house – we are a meatloaf loving family. This Brown Gravy Meatloaf recipe is one we make very often, too.
It’s a perfectly seasoned meatloaf covered with a homemade brown gravy that only takes minutes to make! it seems like you’re either a meatloaf with brown gravy person or a classic meatloaf with tomato glaze person.
We’re both.
Tips For Making The Best Meatloaf With Brown Gravy
Onions. Onions people. Onions are what makes this meatloaf recipe taste as good as it does.
Not undercooked crunchy onions, but tender, super sweet onions that practically melt into the meatloaf. SO make sure in the first part of this recipe you take the time to really cook the onions down.
Super sweet onions are really a big part of why this meatloaf recipe is the best.
The other trick to giving this meatloaf the best flavor and texture is not over mixing the meat. Just mix the meat well enough to get all your ingredients combined and walk away.
It’s all going in the same spot anyway.
Lastly, you have to make sure that you season your meatloaf properly before you go through all the trouble of shaping it into that loaf and cooking it. Take a small ball of the meat after you’ve mixed it and fry it up really quick in a pan.
Taste it to make sure it’s seasoned to your liking then move on to your loaf shaping.
Can You Make This Meatloaf Recipe Ahead Of Time?
You definitely can, and you’ve got a couple of options here.
You can make the meatloaf mixture and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake, or you can make the meatloaf all the way through, let it cool and reheat later.
Either way works totally fine so pick your method.
This Brown Gravy Meatloaf Recipe is our adaptation of an old meatloaf recipe we used to make all the time from Ina Garten. It’s a classic meatloaf recipe, kicked up with fresh thyme and lots of onions.
And let’s be honest, Ina knows how to make everything perfect so you know it’s going to be good.
How Can You Tell When Meatloaf Is Done?
Your meatloaf should register at 160 degrees using a meat thermometer when you take it out oft he oven. Or you can cut into the middle of the meatloaf to see if the pink is gone, then you know it’s cooked all the way through.
When this meatloaf comes out of the oven, you can pour the brown gravy all over the top and serve with extra gravy on the side.
All that delicious brown gravy is screaming for a pile of mashed potatoes or crispy french fries to soak it up, so don’t forget to get those going while this meatloaf is cooking in the oven!
Looking For More Meatloaf Recipes?
- Tasty AF Turkey Meatloaf with Bacon
- Turkey Taco Meatloaf
- Chicken Cordon Blue Meatloaf
- Swedish Meatloaf Recipe
Brown Gravy Meatloaf Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
This Brown Gravy Meatloaf Recipe is so easy and delicious, you’ll be making it all the time! Serve this beef meatloaf with our simple brown gravy recipe that can be made in just 5 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Brown Gravy Recipe (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook for 7-8 minutes until slightly caramelized and softened.
- Add the garlic, stir and cook for a minute longer, then add the thyme, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
- Work the tomato paste into the onions and garlic, then pour in the chicken broth and stir. Let the chicken broth reduce for 1 minute and then turn the heat off and remove the skillet from the burner to cool.
- To a large bowl, add the meatloaf mix along with the eggs and breadcrumbs. Once the onion mixture has cooled, add it to the bowl with the meat and mix to combine. (Clean hands work the best!)
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. (You can also use a piece of parchment paper) Form the meat into a loaf shape and place in the oven.
- Cook the meatloaf for 50-55 minutes. Check the meatloaf after 50 minutes to see if it’s cooked through, this will depend on the size and shape you made your meatloaf.
- While the meatloaf is in the oven you can make the brown gravy by following the recipe link. When the meatloaf comes out of the oven, pour the gravy over the top of the meatloaf or slice the meatloaf and serve the gravy on the side.
Recipe Notes
Meatloaf mix is a ground meat combination of beef, pork and veal which is sold in most grocery stores.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This is the recipe I use when making meatloaf. I am originally from Germany, where meatloaf with brown gravy has been made for ages. My grandmother, mother and other kitchen elders taught me at the tender age of nine when I was volunteered to help cook for our large family. We don’t use thyme and tomato paste, but yellow or spring onions, salt pepper, paprika, garlic and chopped parsley. Sometimes we also hide a boiled egg or two inside the meatloaf, making the dish a “Falscher Hase” (mock rabbit). Meatloaf comes from the times when large chunks of meat were scarce. The butchers would usually grind up meat left over from choice cuts, blend two or three varieties and sell it as “meatloaf mix”. I use the pan drippings and flour to make a roux and turn that into brown gravy. Often the meatloaf is prepared in a deep cast iron pan with a lid which suits cooking on the stove as well as in the oven.
Traditional side dishes are mashed potatoes, spaetzle, Bavarian potato salad (no mayonnaise), red or savoy cabbage, green beans and carrots.
I’ve made this as is with the gravy many times. This is delicious! One of the best meatloaf recipes out there!
I love to cook… but I could never find that *perfect* meatloaf recipe. Until now. This recipe is sooooo good! I even cut all the ingredients in half for a smaller loaf. Oh, and I did use dried thyme since I had it on hand. Excellent and will make it again and again!
This was so, so delicious! Definitley making again. Any tips for getting it to cut easier after cooking? Crumbled and fell apart a bit, thanks!
Definitely let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes, covered with foil after cooking. We slice our meatloaf pretty thick instead of thinner pieces as well. Hopefully that helps!
I’ve had my go-to meatloaf recipe for many, many years until now. This meatloaf along with the gravy recipe is the new go-to recipe! Absolutely delicious 😋
Thank you for a meatloaf recipe WITHOUT ketchup!
This is the best recipe I had made I loved it and can’t wait to make this again , came out delicious.
Seriously a solid recipe…. Solid because it stood up to my having to alter it for a vegan. More importantly it was seriously awesome and on top… made me look good! Kudos my man!
I used 1 package of impossible burger and one thawed package of Garden Be’f crumbles. I used vegan worcestershire. For the chicken stock I used one “not chicken” bullion in a cup of water and used 1/4 cup of it. For the eggs I substituted flax meal and water.
I did make gravy, but being short on time, I used 1 “not chicken” bullion and one “not beef” bullion, 2.25 cups water, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black powder. Put that in a roux of 4 Tbsp Good Earth sticks, 4 Tbsp flour.
Everyone loved it! Thanks.
Holy moly, now there’s some recipe adaptation! I love the fact that you even looked at a meat based recipe to convert it! So glad it turned out good!
I have made many different kinds of meatloaf and this is by far the best one I have ever made. I love the brown gravy that goes with it.
We’re so happy you liked it!
Delicious recipe! I’m going to make this again and again. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
This is the ONLY meatloaf recipe I have ever made and will ever make! All the ingredients are “spot on” making this meatloaf absolutely delish!
I am a widow and since my hubby passed, I cook for one… and freeze the remainder in single serving sizes – with gravy – and defrost and heat up when I wish.
So happy to hear that Estelle! Write us and let us know if you try anything else!
Since there are only 2 of us I am planning to bake half and freeze half to cook later. Any suggestions on how long to cook?
I would cook the whole meatloaf according to the recipe card. Then you can let the leftovers cool, slice and freeze for another dinner!
Loved it! This will be my new go-to meatloaf recipe. Hubs ate it all!
I did use the chicken broth, as listed, but then the beef broth for the brown gravy. Next time I will use beef broth for both so I don’t have to buy, and have leftovers, of both. Additionally, I couldn’t find meatloaf mixture at my store–nor, in this crazy supply chain issue world, did they have ground pork. I used 1.5ish lb of ground chuck and 1 lb of regular pork sausage. It was great! I have a photo I’d share if there was a way to do so.
That’s awesome! You can email me a picture at dan@mantitlement.com
By far the best tasting meatloaf I’ve ever had. I do however make 1 1/2 of the seasoning mix instead . Thats the only change. My kids request this every other weekend .
Merci from Mtl.
I can not wait to try this recipe. It looks delicious. I don’t understand why you use chicken broth in this beef dish. Is there a particular reason? I generally have both on hand and have used chicken broth in a pinch when making a beef dish. I am confused as to why a beef dish would call for chicken broth. But, I am still looking forward to making this dish!
You can use either one!