Comforting and delicious southern meatloaf recipe !
Ground meat combined with evaporated milk, oats, butter, and spices. This traditional southern meatloaf is brought to you with authenticity of a true southerner. There is no holding back on the butter, milk, and eggs!
Southern Meatloaf Recipe
In my honest opinion, this is the best meatloaf recipe! It is actually one of my favorite things to eat at country restaurants and I can honestly say this recipe nails it with flavor and texture.
The best meatloaf recipe!
A wise woman once said to me “there are as many meatloaf recipes as there are cooks!” I honestly can agree with that statement. When we were discussing meatloaf recipes, she gave me some tips and I am sharing those with you!
There are a few key tips when making this recipe so be sure to read the ingredients and method prior to breaking it down in the kitchen.
TRUTH: This might be the end of your journey when it comes to finding the best meatloaf recipe (I’m warning ya)! It is made with real butter, finely minced onions, and obviously ground meat of choice.
Turkey vs Beef
This is a dietary preference. I love how southern meatloaf tastes with ground beef because of the tender end result. But with the detailed turkey recipe listed below, you can achieve the same texture. Please avoid buying grass fed beef if you are not accustomed to the flavor of it.
What kind of ground beef to use
- Avoid Grass Fed (unless you like the flavor)
- 80/20 will give you better results for meatloaf
- Organic Beef is okay to use as long as it is not grass fed (I really don’t like the flavor of grass fed meat)
Ingredients
- Ground Beef (80/20) or Turkey
- evaporated milk (not sweetened)
- celery
- onion
- quick oats
- breadcrumbs
- salt
- pepper
- butter
- eggs
- worchestire sauce
- tomato puree
- brown sugar
- garlic (optional-I do not add any but my husband does)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the ground meat
- Add the ground meat and softly mic it together. Do not over knead
- Place the meatloaf in a pan
- Cover with foil paper and cook in the oven
- Remove the foil and top with the tomato mixture
- Cook again
- Let it cool down for about 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving with a vegetable mash such as mashed potatoes.
Pictured Instructions
combine all ingredients except meat
Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
📖 Recipe
TURKEY MEATLOAF
Ingredients1x2x3x
TOPPING SAUCE
- ▢ 12 oz tomato sauce (use tomato puree for a thicker consistency)
- ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
MEATLOAF
- ▢ 2 lb ground turkey
- ▢ 2 tablespoon melted butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoon oil
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ▢ ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick or regular)
- ▢ 2 tablespoon worchestire sauce
- ▢ 1 medium onion, very finely diced/chopped (can be food processed)
- ▢ 2 ribs celery, very finely diced/chopped
- ▢ 6 oz evaporated milk (“unsweetened” condensed milk) can substitute with milk of choice
- ▢ salt
- ▢ fresh ground pepper
Instructions
TOPPING SAUCE
- Combine the tomato sauce/puree with sugar and microwave or heat on a stove top until the sugar has melted.
- Set it aside
MEATLOAF
- Mix all of the ingredients for the meatloaf together, except the ground meat.
- Stir and combine the ingredients well and then add the ground meat to the bowl.
- With a very light hand combine the meat and the ingredients together. KEY TIP: use a very soft/light hand when mixing.
- Place the mixture into a meatloaf/bread pan and gently press down. Again, using a very soft hand.
- Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
- Uncover the foil, cover the meatloaf with the Topping Sauce, and place the meatloaf back in the oven for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes.
- Slice/cut and serve with the reserved topping sauce.
Beef Meatloaf Recipe
📖 Recipe
Beef Meatloaf
Ingredients
TOPPING SAUCE
- ▢ 12 oz tomato puree (sauce works as a substitute but will not be as thick)
- ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
BEEF MEATLOAF
- ▢ 2 lb ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ▢ ½ cup old fashioned oats (quick or rolled)
- ▢ 2 tablespoon worchestire sauce
- ▢ 1 medium onion, dice or food processed extra small
- ▢ 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- ▢ 6 oz evaporated milk (“unsweetened” condensed milk) can substitute with milk of choice
- ▢ salt
- ▢ fresh ground pepper
Instructions
TOPPING SAUCE
- Combine the ingredients and either microwave or heat on a stovetop until the sugar has melted.
- TIP: If using tomato sauce, be sure to condense to a thicker consistency.
- Set it aside.
MEATLOAF
- Mix all of the ingredients for the meatloaf together, except the ground meat.
- Combine the ingredients well.
- Slowly add the ground meat and mix very gently. KEY: Mix it very lightly
- Place the mixture into a meatloaf/bread pan and gently press down. Again, using a very soft hand.
- Cover the meatloaf tightly with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Uncover the foil, top with the Topping Sauce (I use about half, but you can use more) and place the meatloaf back in the oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.
- Let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Cut serve with the reserved topping sauce.
Notes
- If using a leaner beef, then double the butter and oil quantity.
KID FRIENDLY!
Mini Meatloaf Option
If you want to make mini muffin meatloafs, then cut the cooking time in half or less. Overcooking them, can lead to dry meatloaf.
scoop into a muffin tin and bake
More Beef Recipes
- Ragu Spaghetti Meat Sauce
- Beef Barbacoa Keto Chipotle Bowl Recipe
- Instant Pot Bone Broth Porridge (kid-friendly recipe)
- Ground Turkey Kheema Curry
TURKEY MEATLOAF
Ingredients
TOPPING SAUCE
- 12 oz tomato sauce (use tomato puree for a thicker consistency)
- ½ cup brown sugar
MEATLOAF
- 2 lb ground turkey
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick or regular)
- 2 tablespoon worchestire sauce
- 1 medium onion, very finely diced/chopped (can be food processed)
- 2 ribs celery, very finely diced/chopped
- 6 oz evaporated milk (“unsweetened” condensed milk) can substitute with milk of choice
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
TOPPING SAUCE
- Combine the tomato sauce/puree with sugar and microwave or heat on a stove top until the sugar has melted.
- Set it aside
MEATLOAF
- Mix all of the ingredients for the meatloaf together, except the ground meat.
- Stir and combine the ingredients well and then add the ground meat to the bowl.
- With a very light hand combine the meat and the ingredients together. KEY TIP: use a very soft/light hand when mixing.
- Place the mixture into a meatloaf/bread pan and gently press down. Again, using a very soft hand.
- Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
- Uncover the foil, cover the meatloaf with the Topping Sauce, and place the meatloaf back in the oven for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes.
- Slice/cut and serve with the reserved topping sauce.
Recipe Courtesy of The Curry Mommy
Beef Meatloaf
Ingredients
TOPPING SAUCE
- 12 oz tomato puree (sauce works as a substitute but will not be as thick)
- ½ cup brown sugar
BEEF MEATLOAF
- 2 lb ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ½ cup old fashioned oats (quick or rolled)
- 2 tablespoon worchestire sauce
- 1 medium onion, dice or food processed extra small
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- 6 oz evaporated milk (“unsweetened” condensed milk) can substitute with milk of choice
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
TOPPING SAUCE
- Combine the ingredients and either microwave or heat on a stovetop until the sugar has melted.
- TIP: If using tomato sauce, be sure to condense to a thicker consistency.
- Set it aside.
MEATLOAF
- Mix all of the ingredients for the meatloaf together, except the ground meat.
- Combine the ingredients well.
- Slowly add the ground meat and mix very gently. KEY: Mix it very lightly
- Place the mixture into a meatloaf/bread pan and gently press down. Again, using a very soft hand.
- Cover the meatloaf tightly with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Uncover the foil, top with the Topping Sauce (I use about half, but you can use more) and place the meatloaf back in the oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.
- Let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Cut serve with the reserved topping sauce.
Notes
- If using a leaner beef, then double the butter and oil quantity.
Recipe Courtesy of The Curry Mommy
Italian Quesadillas for Flavor Lovers
This golden brown cooked cheese quesadilla recipe with gooey mozzarella cheese is what dreams are made of! Imagine, a crispy tortilla cooked over medium heat that is filled with Italian seasoned mushrooms and jalapenos. Are you drooling yet?
If the site of that quesadilla doesn’t make you drool, then you have got to be numb my friend. I can’t stress how delicious the combo of spicy mushrooms with gooey cheese is. Make a large batch of these and enjoy movie night with your family. You will not be disappointed!
Italian Mushroom Quesadilla
This Italian seasoned mushroom stuffing has a chewy texture, lots of spices, and seasoned flavor. Pair it with a bowl of soup or your favorite salad.
I am a sucker for quesadillas. It’s a favorite food. Especially when paired with quesadilla sauces. Some of my favorite quesadilla sauces include La Victoria , Trader Joe’s Habanero Sauce, and obviously fresh salsa! But these jalapeno mushroom quesadillas need no sauce-trust.
The crunch of bell peppers and spice of chili peppers in this combo goes well Plus the mixture is quick to make and serves as a great appetizer, lunch, or even dinner. Gather the ingredients (you most likely already have) and make these TODAY!
WARNING-THEY ARE DELICIOUS!
What kind of tortilla to use for Italian Quesadilla?
Any flour tortilla tastes great with this recipe. If you want to try healthier options, then be sure to check out my favorite by Siete. There are plenty of other options to choose from these days at the grocery store. Want to try homemade versions? Give my carrot roti a try!
Mushrooms for Italian Mushroom Quesadilla?
White button or cremini mushrooms work great for this mushroom quesadilla recipe. The texture seems to have the right amount of chewyness to give it a bite while enjoying the flavors of the peppers.
What type of peppers to use?
Green bell peppers are my favorite and I love to use them for this recipe. For photography reasons, I used red. Whatever you have on hand will work though. When it comes to spicy peppers, I highly recommend either jalapeno or serrano. Making these a total of 1000+ times, I can definitely say using anything spicier will alter the enjoyment of the quesadilla stuffing. And that my friends, is coming from a true spice lover!
Want to make healthier jalapeno mushroom quesadillas? Try this…
- Add some greens to the mix (spinach, kale, etc)
- Use a carb friendly tortilla
- Add different vegetables
- Try a vegan cheese you love
Spinach Mushroom Quesadillas
If you decide to add fresh chopped baby spinach to these mushroom quesadillas, then be sure to add just a handful and nothing more. The liquids that release from fresh raw spinach can make them soggy. To prevent this, you can cook fresh spinach with the mushrooms for this Italian mushroom quesadilla recipe.
Let’s talk cheese recommendations!
Avoid using the normal everyday cheese we all tend to buy for this recipe. You know, mexican blend, colby jack, etc. These options here will make any cheese quesadilla much more flavorful, but particularly for this Italian Mushroom Quesadilla.
- A blend of gruyere and white cheddar is my favorite. Luckily, it is readily available at Trader Joes!
- White cheddar
- Monterey Jack
- Mozarella
LOOK AT THAT CHEESE PULL!
Step by Step Instructions for Mushroom Quesadilla
Saute peppers
Italian Mushroom Quesadilla Recipe
📖 Recipe
Mushroom Quesadilla
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 large flour tortillas
- ▢ 8 oz mushrooms, diced (white button or baby bella)
- ▢ ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ▢ 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
- ▢ salt (quantity depends on type of butter used)
- ▢ fresh chili peppers of choice, diced
- ▢ butter
- ▢ oil
- ▢ cheese, shredded (mozarella, white cheddar, monterey jack, or a blend of gruyere and cheddar work well)
Instructions
STUFFING
- In a pan, heat some oil and cook the bell pepper first.
- Once the bell pepper is translucent add the mushrooms and a little bit of butter.
- Add the diced chili peppers and cook for about a minute.
- Mix in garlic, italian seasoning, and salt.
- Cook until the mushrooms are soft.
QUESADILLA ASSEMBLY
- Heat a tortilla on both sides in a large pan.
- Spread cheese on the bottom of the warm tortilla.
- Layer with the stuffing mix and cover with the tortilla.
- Cook the quesadilla with some oil, for a minute or two.
- Cut and serve!
LIKE IT? LOVE IT? LET ME KNOW!!!
