Meatloaf
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This Easy Meatloaf is comfort food at its finest—no fuss, no fancy ingredients, just a tried-and-true dinner that actually gets requested. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve got it all together, even if you’re serving it with instant mashed potatoes.
Make it a meal and serve this with mashed potatoes OR cheesy potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, or a roasted veggie for a filling meal everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Meatloaf
- Easy dinner recipe: This meatloaf comes together quickly with simple ingredients—perfect for a no-fuss dinner.
- Ground beef recipe: A great way to use up that pack of ground beef sitting in your fridge.
- Family-friendly meal: Kid-approved and customizable—this one pleases even the picky eaters.
- Make-ahead dinner: Prep it the night before and bake it fresh when you’re ready to eat.
This Easy Meatloaf is the definition of comfort food without the hassle. With just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep, it’s the perfect go-to for busy weeknights. The Manwich sauce adds a little sweetness and moisture, making each bite juicy and flavorful, while the ground beef brings that hearty, savory goodness we all crave.
Best of all, this meatloaf is easy to make ahead and can even be frozen for later. Whether you’re cooking for the family or prepping for meals in advance, it’s a simple, satisfying dish that always delivers.
Manwich Meatloaf Ingredients
This meatloaf keeps things super simple with just a handful of pantry staples—and a little help from a can of Manwich. Here’s what you’ll need to pull it together:
- Manwich – Yep, the sloppy joe sauce. It adds built-in flavor and moisture without extra work.
- Eggs – These act as a binder to help hold everything together.
- Breadcrumbs – Regular or panko both work. They soak up moisture and keep the texture just right.
- Onion – Finely diced for even cooking and a little extra flavor.
- Salt and pepper – Just a pinch of each to balance the sweetness of the Manwich.
- Ground beef – Leaner beef (like 85/15) works best—less grease, more flavor.
That’s it! A short ingredient list with big results. Just mix, bake, and enjoy a classic dinner with minimal effort.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
This is the best meatloaf ever. It’s one of those recipes that quietly steals the show. It’s hearty, flavorful, and comes together with minimal effort—exactly the kind of dinner that makes you feel like a weeknight hero. Bonus: even picky eaters clean their plates.
Tip from Jesseca:
For extra flavor, sauté the onions before mixing them in. It softens the texture and adds a subtle sweetness that takes the meatloaf up a notch.
Variations and Substitutions
This homemade meatloaf is super forgiving and easy to tweak based on what you have on hand or what your family prefers:
- Manwich: No Manwich? Use a mix of ketchup, a splash of BBQ sauce, and a dash of Worcestershire for a quick homemade version.
- Breadcrumbs: Swap with crushed crackers, oats, or even cooked rice if you’re out.
- Ground beef: You can use ground turkey or a beef/pork mix for a different flavor and texture.
- Onion: Don’t love chopping? Use onion powder or pre-chopped frozen onions.
- Spice it up: Add garlic, Italian seasoning, or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a little more flavor.
- Topping twist: You can use the classic ketchup glaze or BBQ sauce on top before baking.
Make it your own and don’t overthink it—this is one of those recipes that still turns out great even with a few swaps.
Best Meatloaf Recipe
Making meatloaf is as simple as mix, shape, and bake. Here’s a quick overview to walk you through it:
- Prep the pan and oven: Preheat to 350°F and lightly mist your baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix it up: Combine the Manwich, eggs, breadcrumbs, onion, salt, pepper, and ground beef in a large bowl.
- Shape the loaf: Form into a 9×5 rectangle in your pan—no loaf pan required!
- Top and bake: Spread the remaining Manwich on top and bake for about 45 minutes.
- Let it rest: Give it 10 minutes to cool before slicing. This helps it hold together.
That’s it—classic meatloaf flavor with half the work, and zero guesswork.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- To store: Let the meatloaf cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also wrap individual slices for easy grab-and-go lunches.
- To freeze: Wrap the whole meatloaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To make ahead: You can prep the meat mixture and shape it into a loaf up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover and refrigerate, then bake as directed when you’re ready. It’s a great way to get dinner halfway done before the day even starts.
Recipe FAQs
Nope! You can sub in a mix of ketchup, a little brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce if you don’t have Manwich on hand.
Yes! You can prep the meatloaf mixture up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge. Just bake when you’re ready.
Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temp hits 160°F—that’s the safe zone for ground beef.
Definitely. Wrap the cooled meatloaf tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Go with 85/15 or 80/20. Too lean and you’ll lose flavor; too fatty and it can get greasy.
Absolutely! Finely chopped mushrooms, carrots, or bell peppers work great—just keep the moisture in check so the loaf holds its shape.
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Manwich Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can Bold Manwich Sauce
- 2 large eggs (whisked)
- 1/2 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1½ lbs beef
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a shallow baking dish, loaf pan, or 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup of Manwich, eggs, breadcrumbs, diced onion, salt, pepper, and ground beef. Use clean hands or a wooden spoon to mix until just combined. Avoid using an electric mixer, as it can overwork the meat and lead to a dense, dry texture.
- Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and form it into a 9×5-inch loaf shape.
- Spread the remaining Manwich sauce evenly over the top of the loaf.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This helps it set and makes slicing easier.
Notes
- Do not over mix! Use your hands to incorporate all of the ingredients until they are only just combined. When shaping your loaf, remember that looser is better.
- Use a higher fat meat. We lean towards an 80/20 ratio.
- Let your meat rest. Once it has come to temperature, remove from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
I used Panko Bread crumbs and Lipton Onion Soup Mix (instead of onions). I also mixed Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce with the Manwhich sauce for the topper. Family loved it!
That sounds like an amazing twist! The Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce mixed with the Manwich must have added such a delicious flavor. I’m so glad your family loved it—thanks for sharing your creative tweaks!
I haven’t made this Manwich (sloppy Joe meatloaf)meatloaf yet, but I did make the sour cream and onion meatloaf and instead of using it for sandwiches as leftovers go Or spaghetti meal go , I made fried rice with leftover meatloaf and it turned out very beefy,something you won’t find around town, so I suppose this Manwich meatloaf would give your fried rice a big flavor change.
Can you substitute oatmeal for bread crumbs? I made meatloaf using bread crumbs (cushed salad croutons) and when you came to cut and serve the meatloaf,the bread crumbs started to come apart and the meatloaf was very tough and dry,not like oatmeal, moist and tender.
Yes. Oats would work for this recipe.
I use ritz crackers also
I made this meatloaf with the manwich sloppy joe can and added my seasoned crushed up stuffing mix and chopped green onions very fine and 2 eggs, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, a splash of milk, green peppers, and after it was almost done I topped it with the manwich sauce and just a touch of brown sugar. It was simple and the best meatloaf I’ve ever made. Everyone loved it and they said… don’t forget how you made this we want more lol. At the end process I sprinkled a little shredded cheese on top and yum! Turned around and it was completely all gone! Great recipe! Thank you!!
Hi Dale, these are all excellent suggestions and I cannot wait to try your version. Thanks for sharing.
Dale, what kind of stuffing mix did you use in your recipe?
Hi Melissa, we tried Dale’s suggestions and used a box of stovetop stuffing that we crushed a little. Hope that helps!
i like the saucy meatballs. I like adding sweet baby rays bbq sauce
I love your pictures! They turned out so good!
My favorite is the recipe for the Chuckwagon Beef and Bean skillet. They also have a few casserole recipes that I want to try out.
I would love to try the meatball hoagies. SOunds delicious!
I would try the Sloppy Joe Macaroni Skillet
I never knew that there were other choices either! Fun! THe baked sloppy joe cups, look like something I’d like to try! (And the meatloaf!) Awesome giveaway!
I’d l;ike to try the Sloppy Joe Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Turkey picadillo for me!
the meatball hoagies
I’d love to try the saucy meatloaf. Yum! Yum!
Yum! I’d make Chuckwagon Turkey and Bean Skillet. It looks easy!
Saucy meatballs definitely
i would try the Tangy Sweet Pork Chops recipe
I am going to try the party sausage dip! Looks yummy! Thanks
Sweet and Savory Saucy Meatballs are at the top of my list. Yum.
I think I would definitely try out the shredded beef sandwiches or the party sausage dip. I had no idea there were so many options!
I would like to try Sloppy Joe Slider Pull Aparts recipe.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
the Sweet and Savory Saucy Meatballs look amazing
This one! OK, the slow cooker crockpot chicken sandwiches too!
I want to try the meatball hoagies.
All the recipes look so delicious but I think I would like to try the Sloppy Joe Biscuit Casserole first
The meatball hoagie looks amazing!
Defiantly the sloppy joe dip! It looks amazing!
YUM! Sloppy Joe and Biscuit Casserole – all the mess you can sop up with a Biscuit!! That’s good eating!
Saucy meatballs look Super Bowl perfect!
Definitely the meat loaf! I love, love meat loaf and using this sauce would make it 10 times easier to fix!