12 Secret Ingredients Grandma Used in Her Meatloaf
Updated: Apr. 22, 2024
Did you know you could put THAT into meatloaf? Now you do!
Meatloaf is one of those nostalgic meals that takes us back to our childhoods. No doubt your mom or grandma had a recipe all her own—and these recipes might have had some interesting and tasty ingredients inside. So let’s bring meatloaf back with these tasty mix-ins and toppings.
While you are at it, try these meatloaf recipes that are anything but boring.
Bacon or Ham
Don’t just settle for ground beef in your meatloaf. Amp things up with chopped bacon or ham. You can even top the whole meal off with bacon like in this recipe.
Southwestern and Mexican Flavors
Call it meatloaf night and the whole family will probably groan. Rename it TACO meatloaf and they’ll jump for joy! Add in your favorite flavors, like salsa, kidney beans, corn and taco seasoning. You can even serve the slices in tortillas with a side of guacamole!
Hard Boiled Egg
Instead of putting an egg on it, put an egg in it! Place your meatloaf mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a 8×12 rectangle. Place three peeled hard-boiled eggs in the center and roll the long end of the loaf over the eggs. Discard the wrap, place the log in your loaf pan and bake it like normal. When you slice into it, you’ll get an eggy surprise!
Mashed Potatoes
We’re all used to serving mashed potatoes on the side with meatloaf, so why not stuff them inside the loaf itself? This recipe adds a creamy texture to boring-old-meatloaf that’ll have you digging in for bite after bite
Barbecue Sauce
You don’t have to stick to ketchup as your meatloaf topping. Try barbecue sauce instead, like with this mini meatloaf recipe. Looking for a sauce? Try our favorite brands.
Mushrooms
Grandmas always find a smart way to get us to eat our veggies—even mushrooms. Adding mushrooms to meatloaf give it flavor, moisture and great texture, like in this recipe. Choose your type—button, Portobello, shiitake—and chop them up as finely as you wish. Next, try these stuffed meatloaf recipes.
Tzatziki Sauce
Who said meatloaf had to be coated in a sugary, ketchup-y glaze? Switch things up by serving your meatloaf with a side of tangy and cooling tzatziki sauce. Go one step further and make your Greek-inspired meatloaf really authentic by using ground lamb instead of beef.
Make it Cheesy
Add your favorite cheese right to the meatloaf mix—like cheddar, pepper jack or even string cheese—to turn that loaf into a cheesy meal. Or, elevate its look topping it with blue cheese and herbs. Either way, it will be meatloaf transformed!
Vegetables
It’s not just about adding a healthy, nutrient-dense ingredient to your meatloaf. Veggies actually helps keep things nice and moist by releasing juices as the meatloaf cooks. If you really want to make the loaf healthy, you can swap in ground turkey for the beef.
This five-star recipe uses onion, carrots, celery and peppers.
Hot Sauce
I come from a long line of Buffalo wing lovers, so there’s almost nothing I won’t put hot sauce on! In this recipe, we add buffalo sauce to the meat mixture and also use it as the glazed topping for a fun-and-funky recipe that really kicks up the heat. Make bacon-wrapped meatloaf with this hot sauce.
Tomato Sauce and Italian Seasonings
Adding tomato sauce, tomato juice or marinara to your meatloaf can only make it more flavorful. Add in a sprinkling of Italian seasonigs—think basil and oregano.
Phyllo Dough or Puff Pastry
Most kids wouldn’t eat something called Beef Wellington, but they’d totally eat a puff pastry-wrapped meatloaf. The wrapper itself adds a delicious texture to your plate while also keeping the juices sealed inside, creating the juiciest, most flavorful meatloaf imaginable.
Originally Published: August 08, 2018
