Crockpot Meatloaf

Just set it and forget it! You can “bake” a classic comfort food dinner in your slow cooker with this easy Crockpot meatloaf recipe. Pair it with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or green beans for an easy, family-friendly meal on your busiest nights.

That’s right — you can make a classic meatloaf recipe in the slow cooker! This easy crockpot meatloaf is just a twist on my mom’s traditional recipe, which I’ve adapted to suit the low-and-slow cooking method.

A Crock Pot Meatloaf Recipe for Convenience

Since a standard oven-baked meatloaf requires about an hour to cook, we need to be home early enough to get it in the oven before supper. On busy weeknights when we’re running around to soccer practices, golf lessons, and PTO meetings, a Crock Pot dinner comes in very handy!

I can prep it early in the day (or the night before), let it cook on my counter while we’re gone, and then return at mealtime to a delicious homemade dinner. A handy little trick to keep in your back pocket!

What to Serve with this Easy Crockpot Meatloaf

This classic comfort food deserves equally delicious, cozy sides! Here are a few good veggies and other options that go well with meatloaf:

• Party Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Baked Potato Wedges, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Easy Potato Salad, or Skin-On Mashed Red Potatoes
• Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
• Jiffy Corn Casserole
• Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
• Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
• Southern Succotash
• Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
• Fried Okra or Okra and Tomatoes
• Broccoli and Cheese, Easy Broccoli Casserole, or Broccoli and Rice Casserole
• Creamed Peas
• Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole or Southern Squash Casserole
• Cornbread Stuffing or Sausage Stuffing
• Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Corn Sticks
• 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
• Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon, or Drop Biscuits
• Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipe Variations

• Instead of using lean ground beef, substitute with a “meatloaf mix” from the butcher (which usually includes ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal).
• You can use the same Crock Pot meatloaf recipe to make turkey meatloaf. Just substitute ground turkey for the ground beef. I don’t recommend using 99% lean turkey breast, since it will likely be too dry. Use a ground turkey blend that has a bit more fat in it for flavor and texture!
• Brown sugar glaze: instead of just ketchup, make a glaze using ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar.
• If you prefer to use oatmeal as a binder instead of breadcrumbs, that’s fine! Just substitute an equal amount of oats for the breadcrumbs called for in this recipe.
• For more flavor, make your meatloaf with dry stuffing mix as the binder instead of plain breadcrumbs. You can also add grated fresh garlic or garlic powder if you like.
• Like meatloaf with cheese? Add a handful of grated cheddar (or other good melting cheese) to the mixture!
• Make this a Crock Pot Italian Meatloaf by using Italian style breadcrumbs and adding Italian seasoning to the meatloaf mixture.
• Crock Pot Meatloaf One Pound: for a smaller, one-pound meatloaf, cut all of the ingredients in half. You will need to decrease the total cooking time to account for the smaller loaf. Start with 2-3 hours on LOW or 1-2 hours on HIGH, check the temperature, and continue cooking if necessary until the inside of the meatloaf reaches 160°F.

Tips for the Best Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe

• Use 85%-93% lean ground beef, which works well to keep the meatloaf moist and juicy. Leaner ground beef has a tendency to dry out in the oven or Crock Pot, while fattier beef can be greasy.
• Use your hands or a fork to gently combine the meatloaf mixture. Be careful not to over-mix the meat, or it will become tough and dry.
• Every brand/type of slow cooker runs at slightly different temperatures. If you have a Crock Pot that cooks pretty hot, your meatloaf will likely only require about 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW. That’s why a meat thermometer is such a great tool — you can turn off the slow cooker when the meal is done.
• You’ll know the meatloaf is done when it registers an internal temperature of 160°F and the juices run clear.

More Meatloaf Recipes to Try

Southern Meatloaf Recipe

1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Muffin Tin Meatloaf

45 minutes mins

BBQ Meatloaf

1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Crockpot Meatloaf

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 4 hours hours

Total: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 – 8 people

Calories 236.9 kcal

Just set it and forget it! You can "bake" a classic comfort food dinner in your slow cooker with this easy crockpot meatloaf recipe.

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Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef (I use 85%-93% lean) (or a “meatloaf mix” consisting of ground beef, ground veal and ground pork)
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup breadcrumbs (I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, but any variety will work)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup ketchup

Instructions

• Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
• Gently combine all ingredients (except ketchup) in a large bowl. Just be careful not to over-mix, or the meat will be tough. I like to use my hands for this!
  
• Shape beef mixture into a loaf and place in the prepared slow cooker.
  
• Spread a thin layer of ketchup over the top of the meatloaf.
  
• Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the meatloaf reads 160°F.
• Remove meatloaf from slow cooker. Place on a cutting board, slice and serve.
  

TO BAKE IN THE OVEN:

• Place the prepared meatloaf on a foil lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for about 1 hour.

Notes

• Use 85%-93% lean ground beef, which works well to keep the meatloaf moist and juicy. Leaner ground beef has a tendency to dry out in the oven or Crock Pot, while fattier beef can be greasy.
• Use your hands or a fork to gently combine the meatloaf mixture. Be careful not to over-mix the meat, or it will become tough and dry.
• Every brand/type of slow cooker runs at slightly different temperatures. If you have a Crock Pot that cooks pretty hot, your meatloaf will likely only require about 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW. That’s why a meat thermometer is such a great tool — you can turn off the slow cooker when the meal is done.
• You’ll know the meatloaf is done when it registers an internal temperature of 160°F and the juices run clear.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipeCalories: 236.9kcalCarbohydrates: 12.7gProtein: 24.9gFat: 9.6gSaturated Fat: 3.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 116.5mgSodium: 863.4mgPotassium: 48.7mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 2.1g

Keyword: crock pot meatloaf, crockpot meatloaf, easy meatloaf recipe, slow cooker meatloaf

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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