There are a few secrets to Mom’s Easy Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce Topping including the type of ground meat and the oven cooking method. We enjoyed this meatloaf often during my childhood. It makes a great weeknight meal if you have an hour of hands-off time available. This recipe also works well for meal prep. The ingredients are ground chuck, diced onions, plain breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper—the simplest of ingredients. You can always swap for variety like substituting half of the onions with celery or green pepper. My attempts weren’t turning out as good as my Mom’s. So, I made it with my mom at her house, and realized she has some secrets to the success of her meatloaf.
Summary of Mom’s Secrets
- Use ground chuck vs. ground beef because it tends to be more flavorful.
- Cook uncovered at 350F (about 45 min) to get a nice browned top.
- Cook covered for 15 minutes to steam it and make sure the meat and onions are cooked through.
- Drain all the fat, add tomato sauce, and cook covered another 5-7 minutes until sauce is heated
What to serve with Meatloaf
- Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Root Vegetables like Rutabaga
- Smashed Cauliflower “Potatoes”
- Oven or Air-Fried Broccoli
- House Salad
- Pan-Seared Green Beans or Zucchini
- Sauteed Greens
Step-by-Step How to Make an Easy Meatloaf with a Tomato Sauce Topping
Gather all of the ingredients ground Chuck, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and a mixing bowl. Preheat oven to 350F. Chop onion into a small dice.
Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Combine all of the ingredients (without over mixing) and form into an oval and place into a casserole dish that has a lid. Place in the oven without the lid for 35 to 45 minutes or until nicely browned.
Once the meatloaf is nicely browned, bake the meatloaf with the lid for another 15 minutes. Don’t skip this step because it makes the meatloaf tender and moist.
Carefully scrape the ooze off the top, drain the grease, and if necessary use a paper towel to absorb any remaining fat. Pour tomato sauce over over the meatloaf, and cover.
Bake another 5 to 7 minutes to heat and set the sauce.
Serve slices with a spoonful of sauce and your favorite sides.
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Mom’s Easy Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce Topping
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chuck (fine if a little over a pound)
- 1/2 medium onion diced small
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces tomato sauce (1 small can)
Instructions
- Gather all of the ingredients ground Chuck, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and a mixing bowl. Preheat oven to 350F. Chop onion into a small dice.
- Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Combine all of the ingredients (without over mixing) and form into an oval and place into a casserole dish that has a lid. Place in the oven without the lid for 35 to 45 minutes or until nicely browned.
- Once the meatloaf is nicely browned, bake the meatloaf with the lid for another 15 minutes. Don't skip this step because it makes the meatloaf tender and moist.
- Carefully scrape the ooze off the top, drain the grease, and if necessary use a paper towel to absorb any remaining fat. Pour tomato sauce over over the meatloaf, and cover.
- Bake another 5 to 7 minutes with the lid to heat and set the sauce. Serve slices with a spoonful of sauce and your favorite sides.
