This Ina Garten Meatloaf recipe is the best I’ve ever had. It’s tender, moist, and flavorful. The delectable garlic meatloaf sauce makes it extra fancy and tasty. Pure comfort food. Originally posted February 21, 2014.
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One time in college my best friend/roommate Sarah and I each came back from Christmas break with the exact same pair of polka-dot rain boots from Target. Same color. Same size.
I’m in Texas visiting her this week, and it took us about 30 seconds of being together to realize that we have the exact same turquoise and purple iPhone case. The exact. same. one.
We are pretty much kindred spirits. The only drawback is that now her 4-year-old son thinks my phone is hers, and steals it when I’m not looking to take a thousand selfies every day.
Eric is back home slaving away while I take a girl’s trip to visit my best friend and sister. And by girl’s trip I mean all of the children are involved, so it’s not really one of those. We went to Walmart today with all 5 of our kids. We bought limes and diapers. It took 2 hours.
I’m not complaining though. It’s easier to dodge People of Walmart photographers if you’re in a group.
I woke up on my birthday last year majorly missing my sister Laura, who lives in Dallas. I’ve never visited, so I asked for tickets to see her for Christmas, and here we are. My friend Sarah also lives in Texas (7 hours away) and I thought it would be a great idea to rent a car one way to see her too. This was before I remembered how much I LOVE taking road trips with small children, so extra bonus for me!
Really though, we’re having so much fun. Time and space got nothin on kindred spirits.
The Meatloaf Recipe Ina Garten created is Chef’s Kiss
Meatloaf. I mean, other than bread, pretty much anything that has the word “loaf” in it is going to have a hard time sounding appetizing and winning beauty contests. Calling it “1770 House Meatloaf” definitely adds a little pizazz, so thanks for that Ina. Yes, this is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, so of course it is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had. It’s tender, moist, and flavorful. Pure comfort food.
My mom used to make people guess what was in her meatloaf, because she was always just throwing in whatever was in the fridge. You know, just in case meatloaf wasn’t adventurous enough for you already.
Ina Meatloaf Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Ground beef
- Ground veal
- Ground pork
- Herbs (parsley, thyme, chives)
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Panko bread crumbs
- Garlic sauce (olive oil, garlic, chicken stock, butter, kosher salt, black pepper)
How to make Ina Garten Meatloaf
- Chop your onion, dice your celery, and saute them together. Grind your panko in a food processor.
- In a large bowl, add the ground beef, veal, pork, parsley, thyme, chives, eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
- Add the cooled, sauteed veggies and finely ground panko to the meat mixture.
- Combine the meat mixture with your hands and shape it.
- Bake the meatloaf at 350 for 40-50 minutes; make the garlic sauce while it cooks.
- Remove from the oven, slice the meatloaf, and serve with the garlic sauce!
This recipe is pretty basic. The fresh herbs and garlic sauce take it to a whole new level. Plus it’s HUGE, so it’s great for feeding a crowd. Or you could freeze half for a later meal.
Slice your celery the thin way before you chop it to get the small dice you need.
You want your bread crumbs to look like this. I like Panko bread crumbs.
Pat it into a rectangle…
Then mold it into a cylinder to prevent air pockets.
Making 1770 House Meatloaf Garlic Sauce
Why have I never thought of making gravy to go with meatloaf? So much better than sugary ketchup. (Let’s not get confused here: I love ketchup. But I do prefer savory sauces with meat.) And this is not even gravy. It’s garlic sauce. 10 cloves of garlic? Enough said. It’s an Ina Garten meatloaf, alright.
How to store 1770 House Meatloaf
Leftover meatloaf will last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months.
When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge (if frozen), then warm either in the microwave or in the oven until heated through.
Ina Garten Meatloaf Recipe FAQ
A few simple ingredients contribute to the super moist texture of this 1770 house meatloaf: eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs.
The breadcrumbs not only add structure to the meatloaf, but they soak up the moisture of the milk, making the meatloaf tender. Eggs add both flavor and richness, and they also help the meat to stay together in a loaf shape without overworking the meat.
I bake my meatloaf uncovered and it comes out perfectly.
However, if you do notice the top of the meatloaf starting to brown a little bit too much before the center is heated through, tent it with foil and let it continue to cook until done.
Ina Garten serves her meatloaf with a super flavorful, buttery garlic sauce which I’ve included in this recipe. It’s the perfect way to add extra flavor and a little bit more moisture to the meatloaf. It also goes very well on top of whatever you’re serving with the meatloaf, like mashed potatoes or steamed veggies.
If you really want to pull out all the stops, make this meatloaf with Aunt Shirley’s Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Meatloaf and potatoes, there’s no greater combo, right? You could also do these 3 Ingredient Roasted Potatoes with Crunchy Onions. And how about a Green Salad with Feta and Beets to go with it? Yum.
More recipes to love!
- Easy Baked Meatballs << why buy frozen meatballs when the homemade version is this easy?
- Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs << nothing’s better than chicken tikka masala, except maybe this insanely delicious meatball version.
- Easy Baked Mexican Meatballs << so good with a side of Mexican rice!
- Raspberry Balsamic Meatballs (Slow Cooker) << appetizer or dinner? You decide.
- Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf from Foodie with Family
- Easy Turkey Meatloaf Muffins from Easy Good Ideas
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1770 House Meatloaf (Ina Garten Meatloaf Recipe)
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups onion, chopped (1 large)
- 1 & 1/2 cups celery, small-diced (2 stalks)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground veal
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon thyme, fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives , chopped, or green onions
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 & 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
For the Garlic Sauce:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic , peeled
- 2 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
For the meatloaf:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In your largest saute pan, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil. When it is hot add the onion and celery. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the onion is soft but not brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add ground beef, veal, pork, parsley, thyme, chives, eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
- Blend the panko bread crumbs in a food processor until they are finely ground, then add that to the bowl with the meat. Add the onion and celery mixture.
- Combine the meat with your hands. This is the best way to mix meatloaf so that it doesn’t get tough. Don’t overdo it.
- Cover a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Use your hands to pat the meat into a flat rectangle. Then push the sides in to make a cylinder about 15 inches by 6 inches (spreading it out first prevents air pockets).
- Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes, or use a meat thermometer to find out when it has reached 155-160 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with garlic sauce.
For the Garlic Sauce:
- While the meatloaf is cooking, combine the oil and garlic in a small saucepan . Bring the oil to a boil, then lower the heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the garlic is a light golden brown. Don’t burn it! Watch carefully. Strain out the oil and save it for another use (I used it for oven roasted potatoes).
- In the same saucepan (with the garlic still in it), add the chicken stock and butter. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat but continue to boil for 35-40 minutes, until it is slightly thicker. Use a fork to smash the garlic in the pan. Add the salt and pepper.
- Ladle the warm sauce over each serving of hot meatloaf.
The concept of a “girl’s trip” sure changes once you have kids, right?? I fear the days of relaxation are permanently behind us. :)
I’ve never been a meatloaf fan (in fact, I like to call it “loaf of meat” to make it sound extra-sketchy) but adding garlic sauce could totally change my mind! This looks and sounds fantastic!
Ha! I like the loaf of meat idea. Gross. It still isn’t as bad as Enchilada Loaf, a staple in my mother’s house growing up. (think ground beef, cinnamon, velveeta, and fritos). No amount of garlic sauce could have saved that train wreck.
This looks amazing! Love experimenting with different meatloaf recipes so I have to try this. What could I use in place of the veal? I don’t think any of our local grocery stores carry veal. Thanks!
Hi Emily! I usually just do half pork and half ground beef! Great question!
Excellent! Thanks for your reply. I am so so excited to make this! Thanks for sharing a meatloaf recipe that is not the ketchup variety… 😉
That should work, thank you! I am so so excited to make this! Thanks for sharing a meatloaf recipe that is different than the run-of-the-mill ketchup variety…😉
Meatloaf is one of the hardest things to photograph and you nailed it! I’ll have to give this recipe a whirl. I usually make a turkey one, but you can’t go wrong with Ina ;) Have a great trip visiting your sister and friend :)
I know, Ina is the best . I like turkey meatloaf too, I have a recipe with a red pepper sauce that is really good. I bet you could totally sub turkey in this, or at least go half and half.
My brain just registered that you posted grapefruit donuts…..what!!! Heading over!!!
You had me at “10 cloves of garlic” :) I’m definitely going to have to try this – any idea if it’s good to freeze?
RIGHT Laura??? That’s what I thought too. And yes, I actually froze half of this meatloaf for another meal. I froze the garlic sauce too. Works great!
I used to have a lot of fun making crazy meatloaf concoctions! At least they were tasty, tho ketchup was a given :) But I think yours is much more beautiful than any meatloaf I ever made!
And remember the prizes you used to give out if we guessed right? haha. Good times.
I saw the photo of you pouring that garlic sauce on your meatloaf and followed the tantalizing aroma over here. Beautiful job. I love it.
Thank you Lucy! Now that I think about it, I have no idea how I even got that gravy shot. I can’t do the camera with my left hand, and i know I was by myself for the shoot…maybe my left arm was like awkwardly arced over above? Probably, haha. Ah, food blogging.
Well done on the meatloaf pics Karen! It really looks so good!
Thanks Julie! Your food always looks so beautiful, so I take this as a huge compliment :)
This looks soo juicy and tasty too! I love meatloaf and the sound of garlic sauce sounds amazing!
Thanks Connie! I know, I was definitely looking forward to the garlic sauce and it did NOT disappoint :) I mean, 10 cloves.
This meatloaf sounds amazing! It really looks so good! Thanks for sharing with us!
Thank you so much Danielle! and thanks for stopping to comment! You blog is very cute :)
One are one brave woman, one trip, two locations, two children. Bravo! And bravo for this, you’ve actually made meatloaf look appetizing, brilliant. I must take notes. I hope you took the meatloaf out of the oven, and said to yourself, “How easy was that?!” :)
Haha, thanks Nicole! I am having so much fun, so all the traveling makes it worth it. The copious amount of chocolate I brought on my 7 hour drive today was helpful too.
I am super impressed you were able to photograph meatloaf and make it look extremely appetizing! Applause to you friend! This looks so moist and delicious. Can’t wait to try it. Hope you’re having a fun girls trip : )
Thanks Natalie!! I was suuuper nervous about these photos, so thank you! And I totally AM having a fun girl’s trip, it’s like having roommates again. I miss late night chat sessions :)
Every time I think your photos can’t POSSIBLY get any more beautiful, they do. I’m sitting here thinking “how in the world did she make meatloaf look beautiful? HOW??” I literally thought to myself when I clicked on this post that the first photograph is frame-worthy. Open an Etsy shop and sell prints, haha. ;) You do a phenomenal job, Karen!
HA!! Oh my gosh can you imagine having a meatloaf staring down at you from the wall? Haha. Beautiful meatloaf or not, I think I would rather have like, I don’t know, brownies, or an ice cream cone. Or bacon and eggs, a la Ron Swanson :)
I just put this on my weekly menu list last night for eating this coming week! Great minds think alike! Linda and I made together at her house right after we both bought the book it was in. It’s different than the meatloaf I always make – ketchup variety- and really delicious.
Glad you are having fun!
Yes, great minds DO think alike! I’m kinda jealous I wish it were on my menu for this week :)
I think I could take a bath in that garlic sauce. And now I totally need a meat grinder so I can have ground pork on hand.
I just really love imagining you in a bath of garlic sauce. Yes, I’m thinking about you naked.
You can’t find ground pork at your store? I wonder if my store is special.
They probably do sell it, but I’m just too lazy and cheap to buy pre-ground pork when I already have perfectly good (but groundless) pork in my freezer. Plus, if I had a meat grinder then I could grind up chicken meat and make these: http://www.grabandgorecipes.com/grandmas-special-meat-balls-with-gravy-tefteli-тефтели/
Yeah, winning people over with meatloaf is no easy task, but yours is definitely an exception. It looks phenomenal and who wouldn’t want to sink their teeth into a piece of this juicy deliciousness? So glad you’re having a great time in Texas!
Thanks so much Kathi! I was definitely sneaking a LOT of bites while taking these photos :) Yum!
What a fun trip…glad you are enjoying yourself. Love the “fancy” name for meatloaf…which looks delicious by the way.
Thanks Laura! Sometimes you just gotta spice up a title that has a loaf in it, you know? :)