• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Hungry Waitress
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes

Home » Recipes

Meatloaf with a Crispy Cracker Crust

2 Comments | Our posts contain affiliate links to products we love.

Jump to Recipe
Meatloaf in a pan this Recipe!

I grew up on this meatloaf recipe. In our house my dad always made the meatloaf. It was his dish. My mom would try to replicate it, but it was never the same. It's my ultimate comfort dinner. He got this recipe from an old Joy of Cooking cookbook that had been passed down from my grandma.

He says the key to a good meatloaf is the Ritz crackers and adding water to the sides of the pan before it bakes. First you mix all of the ingredients into a bowl then form it into a ball. Roll the "meatball" into some crushed Ritz crackers, and then form the ball into a loaf in an 8x8 pan. (I like to top the loaf with more Ritz for an extra crispy crust.) Then pour 1 cup of water around the loaf, and bake at 350 for around 1 1/2 hours.

Sliced meatloaf

What's the best way to reheat meatloaf? Definitely in a pan with some butter in it to crisp up the sides!

Can you freeze meatloaf? For sure! It can freeze up to four months. I would slice it before freezing so you can cook each slice without reheating the whole loaf. To reheat plop the slice in a pan with a lid on the stove until it's heated through, or even faster ... microwave it for a few minutes.

What can you serve with meatloaf? The options are endless! Our personal favorite is Creamy Mashed Potatoes and some roasted vegetables!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Meatloaf with a Crispy Cracker Crust


  • Author: The Hungry Waitress
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This meatloaf is a classic comfort food.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs ground beef (lean or chuck work fine)
  • 1 1/2 cups medium onion, chopped fine
  • 1 1/2 cups crumbled crackers, reserve 1/2 cup for rolling (Ritz are the best!)
  • 2 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs and water.
  3. Form the mixture into a ball and roll it into reserved 1/2 cup of crumbled crackers.
  4. Pat the ball into an even loaf shape in an 8x8 dish. (Feel free to add any extra cracker crumbs to the top of the loaf!)
  5. Pour 3/4 cups of water around the meatloaf, then bake for an hour.
  6. Leave the loaf in the juices when serving so it doesn't dry out!
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour

More Dinner

  • Easy Broccoli Cheese Rice
  • Cajun Salmon
  • Easy Warm Quinoa Bowl
  • Spicy Salmon Roll Bowl

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brodie

    October 16, 2016 at 8:20 pm

    This post is really cool. I have bookmarked it.
    Do you allow guest post on your site ? I can provide hi quality posts for you.
    Let me know.

    Reply
    • thehungrywaitress

      October 16, 2016 at 8:44 pm

      Thanks Brodie! Right now I am not letting guests post to the site, but I will let you know if I change my mind!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Straight forward recipes using everyday ingredients

Meet the fam!

Leanna here, and I love cooking and sharing delicious recipes. My hope is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook something amazing today.

Want to work together? Shoot me an email at hungrywaitress@gmail.com

Want more recipes?

Subcribe to stay updated on the latest tips, tricks, and recipes!

Footer

back to top

Privacy Policy | As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright 2021 The Hungry Waitress