Crock Pot Meatloaf

Enjoy one of your favorite comfort meals from childhood without the work or mess. This Crock Pot Meatloaf is simple to put together and even easier to cook. The result is a moist, hearty meatloaf the whole family will love.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. That's already the trifecta of any recipe, but if you need more reasons to love it, I have them right here.

• A Nostalgic Comfort Meal: If you grew up with your mom's or grandma’s meatloaf, this slow cooker meatloaf recipe will take you back to childhood. It's the perfect comfort food after a long day.
• Kid-Friendly: Since this recipe uses more simple ingredients, like ketchup and mustard, your kids are more likely to love it. It has simple flavors for kids’ sensitive palates.
• Easy to Make: This recipe is so much easier than an oven-baked meatloaf. Just mix it up and put it in the slow cooker! It will be ready for dinner without your rushing home to preheat the oven.
• Great Dinner on a Budget: Chances are you probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry, and if you don't, they are easy to find at the grocery store. The ground beef and ingredients won’t cost much, but the meatloaf is more than enough food for the family. 

Ingredients

• Ground Beef: Use a slightly lean ground beef; the 80/20 ratio is best, so there isn’t too much grease, but still some fat to keep the meatloaf moist and tender. 
• Crushed Ritz Crackers: These crackers will help the meatloaf hold its shape while absorbing some of the fat and juices to keep the loaf moist. You can also use bread crumbs if you don’t have crackers on hand.
• Eggs: The eggs act as a binding agent and help hold the meatloaf together. 
• Ketchup: This signature meatloaf ingredient gives the dish its slightly sweet flavor. This goes in the meatloaf and in the sauce.
• Yellow Mustard: Give the dish a slightly more zesty flavor with a little bit of mustard. You can use yellow mustard or spice it up with a little Dijon. 
• Milk: Give your slow cooker meatloaf a creamier texture with a bit of milk. This also helps soften the crackers and bind the loaf together.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Boost the savory, umami flavor of the meat with Worcestershire sauce.
• Garlic: Add a little zip of flavor with freshly minced or jarred garlic. 
• Lipton Onion Soup: Take the flavor of your slow cooked meatloaf to the next level with this soup packet. It gives the dish a rich, oniony flavor and helps keep the meat moist.
• Brown Sugar: You’ll need a little bit of sugar in your meatloaf sauce. Brown sugar has a richer flavor than regular sugar.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

• Skip the Milk: If you want to avoid dairy, use a little bit of chicken or beef broth instead of milk. It helps keep the meatloaf moist as it cooks slowly. You could also use a dairy-free milk alternative, but some of those may change the flavor of the dish.
• Use a Different Meat: Instead of ground beef, try this recipe with ground chicken or make a crock pot turkey meatloaf with ground turkey. These ground meats are leaner and perfect if you’re avoiding red meat. You could also mix a little Italian sausage in with the ground beef to alter the flavor.
• Try It With Stuffing Mix: Instead of crackers and soup mix, try this recipe with a box of stuffing mix. It adds flavor and helps bind the meatloaf together.

How to Make Crock Pot Meatloaf

This easy crock pot meatloaf will change how you make meatloaf forever. This recipe calls for your slow cooker to be lined with aluminum foil along the bottom and sides, so there is even less clean up!

1. Step 1: Prepare the Loaf. Combine the ground beef, Ritz crackers, eggs, ketchup, mustard, milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion soup packet, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until combined. Do not pack the meat tightly together or overwork it.
2. Step 2: Shape the Meat. Shape your meat mixture into an oval loaf and place it in your aluminum foil-lined slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
3. Step 3: Add the Glaze. About 30 minutes before the meatloaf is done, mix up your glaze using ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Pour the glaze over the meat, then recover it and cook for the remaining 30 minutes. 
4. Step 4: Slice and Serve. Slice the meatloaf and serve it hot with vegetables or mashed potatoes.

Storage Directions 

• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through. Reheat a large portion in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
• Make Ahead: Combine the ingredients and form the loaf the night before and store it in the refrigerator. Then, when it’s time to cook, add the loaf to the crock pot and start cooking.

Serving Suggestions

This easy meatloaf crock pot recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner! Your family will love the comforting, home-cooked meal, and you’ll love how easy it is to clean up. It’s a great way to keep a classic dinner in rotation without any extra work.

• We love this slow cooker meatloaf served with a scoop of crock pot mashed potatoes and a side of collard greens and cooked carrots. 
• You could also serve it with homemade cornbread in the crockpot, crockpot corn casserole, or buttermilk biscuits. 
• Put leftover meatloaf between buns with a slice of cheese to make an amazing meatloaf sandwich!
• Make a full 3-course dinner with bacon little smokies as the appetizer, crock pot meatloaf with roasted potatoes as the main course, and slow cooker blueberry cobbler for dessert.

More Delicious Ground Beef Crock Pot Recipes

If you enjoy meatloaf, you'll definitely want to explore more of my simple and tasty crock pot dinner recipes, ideal for busy weeknights.

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