Slow Cooker Meatloaf has the flavors of classic meatloaf with a delicious glaze made with ketchup and brown sugar, done in your slow cooker!
Classic Beef Meatloaf is a traditional comfort food, especially when served with a side of Easy Mashed Potatoes. Turning favorite Dinners into a Slow Cooker Recipe means you get all the deliciousness with a fraction of the work!
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Meatloaf
A classic meatloaf recipe is made in an oven but using a slow cooker allows you to have a flavorful dinner on the table as soon as you walk through the door. It’s the perfect busy weeknight meal that lets you enjoy one of your favorite comfort foods without the wait. Plus this hearty, meaty dinner makes amazing leftovers all week long!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Cut three 25×3-inch strips of heavy-duty aluminum foil; crisscross so they resemble spokes of a wheel.
- Place strips on bottom and up sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker.
- Coat strips with cooking spray.
- Combine the eggs, milk, bread crumbs, dried onion, salt, and sage in a large bowl.
- Crumble beef over mixture and mix until combined.
- Shape into a round loaf; place in center of strips in slow cooker.
- Cook, covered, until a thermometer reads at least 160 degrees, 5-6 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Spoon over meat loaf.
- Cook until heated through, about 15 minutes longer.
- Using foil strips as handles, remove meat loaf to a platter.
- Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
About this Recipe
There’s something to be said about the nostalgic flavors of meatloaf but what can make them even better is the set-and-forget magic of Slow Cooker Meatloaf. You just throw it together, pop it in the Crock Pot, and let it cook all day long. You could even prep Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes the day before and reheat them for a hearty homemade meal that is ready to serve in no time at all.
Chef’s Notes
This tasty, tender meatloaf is super easy to make but what really sets it apart is the sweet, tangy, and rich flavor you get from the glaze on top. It helps lock in the juices as the meat finishes cooking for the most flavorful meatloaf. Serve with comfort food favorites like Mac and Cheese or Garlic Mashed Potatoes, plus easy Sauteed Green Beans for the perfect delicious meal. While the glaze helps the meatloaf texture remain tender, you should also
Can this be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, this can be made ahead of time. You can prepare the meatloaf mixture and shape it into a loaf in advance. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it in the slow cooker.
How to Store
- Store: Make sure not to leave the meatloaf out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container or storage bag in the refrigerator. It’ll last up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat meatloaf is to wrap it in foil and warm it in the oven at a low temperature, around 325 degrees, until it is heated through.
- Freeze: You can easily freeze leftovers by placing them in a freezer-safe storage bag or container. You can also wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap. It’ll last up to 6 months.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
- Instapot Meatloaf
- Once the ingredients are combined, place them on 1-2 pieces of aluminum foil.
- Fold up the sides and shape it so nothing is able to fall out.
- Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot, add a trivet and place the meatloaf with aluminum foil on top.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes and then allow a natural pressure release of 10 minutes.
- Warm up the sauce ingredients and spoon it over the top of the meatloaf once it’s done.
- If you want to make mashed potatoes at the same time, add cut-up potatoes under the trivet and mash once done.
FAQ’s
The secret to keeping meatloaf moist is to use ingredients that add moisture, such as eggs and milk, and to avoid overmixing the meat mixture, as excessive handling can lead to a denser texture. Additionally, using a glaze or sauce during cooking helps retain moisture and adds extra flavor to the meatloaf.
Normally you would brown meat, especially ground beef, before putting it in the slow cooker because not only does it give it a lot of flavor but you can drain the grease. However, since we are using a foil sling to drain it from the grease, you don’t need to brown the meat first.
Make sure to follow the USDA’s website guidelines regarding beef’s minimum cooking temperature. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees to be considered safe to eat. You should use a meat thermometer to accurately check for doneness.
Variations
- BBQ Glaze: Another popular delicious glaze for meatloaf is BBQ Sauce. Just swap the ketchup with your favorite BBQ sauce recipe and glaze as usual.
- Italian: Season the meatloaf with Italian seasonings like oregano, basil, and parsley and add Romano cheese to give this an Italian flair. Use Marinara Sauce instead of the ketchup glaze and serve with some extra sauce.
- Turkey: Give this delicious dinner a slightly healthier twist by using ground turkey instead of ground beef. It’s higher in protein and lower in fat and calories. You can use this recipe for Turkey Meatloaf and cook it according to the recipe below.
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One more question, how much Romano cheese do you add if making it Italian style?
1/2 cup of Romano cheese would suffice. Since Romano is salty, reduce the salt measurement in half.
Instead of using foil to line the bottom of the slow cooker, can you just use a slow cooker bag?
Yes you can.
Is the setting in the slow cooker on high or low?
Cook: Shape meat into a round loaf and place in the center of the foil strips. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on low.
I use cooking bags in my crockpot- makes clean up so much easier and you can serve from the crockpot or pull the whole bag out and put it on a platter, and split the bag and pull it out. I also use oatmeal instead of cracker crumbs-better texture and healthier. I use Picsweet frozen seasoning blend in my meat loaf as well. Instead of bbq sauce for stopping I often use salsa, enchilada sauce, manwich(sloppy joe seasoning sauce) etc as a topping.
Sounds like you’re an amazing creative cook Amber!
This looks good. I like all ingredients but did you cook this on low or high setting for 5 – 6 hours? Thanks. Love your recipes.