Budget-friendly, one-pan Meatloaf and Vegetables is one of our favorite comfort food recipes. Savory meatloaf wrapped in bacon and cooked with tender carrots and potatoes? That will definitely bring the family running to the table!
Table of Contents
- Easy Meatloaf With Veggies
- What Makes This Meatloaf Recipe So Good?
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make the Best Meatloaf Recipe
- Why Is My Meatloaf Dry?
- Tips for Success
- What Goes With Homemade Meatloaf?
- Can I Prep This Meatloaf Ahead?
- How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Can I Freeze This Ground Beef Meatloaf?
- More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- Get the Recipe
Easy Meatloaf With Veggies
This homemade meatloaf is simple, and while it might not be the most elegant-looking meal you’ll ever make, it’s comfort food at its finest. So, if you’ve got ground beef sitting in the freezer, and you’re not sure what to do with it this week, one-dish Meatloaf with Vegetables is the way to go.
Let’s get into the details. Juicy ground beef, breadcrumbs, and onion soup mix are combined to make a tender, moist meatloaf that kids and adults alike will devour. For extra husband points, we also topped our meatloaf with bacon!
In addition to all of that goodness, there’s oven-roasted carrots and potatoes to dig into, which cook right alongside the meatloaf all in the same casserole dish. This easy dinner recipe combines a main course and a side dish into one dinner, and it cuts down on the number of dishes you’ll have to clean. On a busy weeknight (or just in general), that’s a win!
What Makes This Meatloaf Recipe So Good?
Baked meatloaf has been around for a while, so there are A LOT of recipes out there. Here’s why we think you’ll love this one:
- Super Moist: The bacon on top ensures that the meatloaf comes out tender and moist every time! No need to worry about it being dry!
- Flavorful: With the combination of a package of onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic salt, we promise your meatloaf won’t be lacking in flavor.
- Affordable: Most of these ingredients are probably in your pantry/fridge already! As long as you’ve got some ground beef and bacon in the fridge (and some carrots and potatoes for the side), you’re practically all set.
- Make Ahead: You can form the meatloaf up to 3 days ahead of baking it, making it a great dish to meal prep for later in the week. The leftovers also store very well, so you can enjoy the leftovers for lunches throughout the week.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients list looks lengthy, but don’t let that scare you. This meatloaf recipe is a breeze to put together and a lot of the ingredients are pantry staples you hopefully already have on hand. (Note that you can find the precise amounts in the recipe card below!)
- Ground Beef: We like to use lean ground beef, but you could use ground turkey or ground pork if you prefer.
- Dry Seasoning: This is a combination of Lipton onion soup mix, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Ensures that the meatloaf is full of savory flavor.
- Egg: Helps to bind all of the ingredients together so that you can form the loaf.
- Breadcrumbs: We like to use a mix of panko breadcrumbs and Italian breadcrumbs, but you could stick to one or the other if you like.
- Olive Oil: To coat the vegetables with so that they crisp up a little while they bake and don’t dry out. You can also use avocado oil or canola oil.
- Vegetables: Cubed potatoes, baby carrots, and sliced yellow onions are our go-to veggies. You could use sweet potatoes and parsnips instead, though, if desired.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is the salty, crispy, finishing touch on this meatloaf, because who doesn’t love some bacon?
How to Make the Best Meatloaf Recipe
Once you have everything rounded up and ready to go on the counter, here’s how you make (or bake) the best meatloaf into reality:
- Preheat Oven to 375°F: Then, prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Mix the Meatloaf Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, using your hands or a large spoon, mix to combine the ground beef, soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, egg, panko breadcrumbs, Italian breadcrumbs, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.
- Shape the Loaf: Form a loaf with the ground meat and place it in the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Using the same bowl, add the potatoes, carrots, and yellow onion. Pour the olive oil and remaining seasonings over the vegetables, and toss to coat them. Finally, place the vegetables around the meatloaf.
- Add Bacon! Line the bacon over the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake in the Oven, Uncovered for 60 Minutes: Or bake until the vegetables are fork tender and the meatloaf is cooked through.
Why Is My Meatloaf Dry?
It’s hard to dry out this meatloaf since it’s wrapped in bacon! The fat from the bacon soaks into the top of the meatloaf keeping it extra moist. However, there is one big reason that your meatloaf could be coming out dry… You overcooked it.
To avoid this, we highly recommend using an instant read meat thermometer. Meatloaf is cooked through when the center reaches 160°F. Don’t cook it any longer!
Tips for Success
There are a few more tips that we’d love to share with you on how to perfect homemade meatloaf with onion soup mix. Here’s what you need to know:
- If You’re Worried About Over-Cooking the Vegetables: If the vegetables are getting too brown towards the end of the baking time, but the meat still needs time to cook, loosely cover the pan with foil.
- For a Spicier Meatloaf: Add a little Cajun Seasoning for a bit of spice, if desired. If you want it really spicy, you can add some diced peppers (jalapeños or Serrano peppers depending on your heat preference) to the meatloaf.
- Topping Substitutions: You can skip the bacon on top of the meatloaf and use a more traditional tomato or BBQ sauce instead, if you prefer. Or use our favorite tomato paste topping from our favorite Easy Meatloaf Recipe.
- What Kind of Ground Beef Is Best? We used lean ground beef, but you can use any cut you prefer. Keep in mind that if you use a fattier ground beef, your veggies will be in the extra grease as they cook.
What Goes With Homemade Meatloaf?
Wondering what to serve with this ground beef meatloaf recipe? There are so many options to choose from, but here are just a few:
- Salad: With a heavier meal, a light green salad is the perfect side. During the summer months we love this light Cucumber Salad as well.
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy Mashed Potatoes taste great with this meatloaf! (You can swap out the cubed potatoes for another vegetable, or just omit the vegetables altogether if you want.)
- Bread: Why not, right? Crusty garlic bread is a foolproof side that everyone loves, but our family really loves when we make these Cheesy Herb Crescent Rolls for a side!
Can I Prep This Meatloaf Ahead?
Absolutely! You can prepare everything in the casserole dish together, but instead of putting it into the oven, you can store it in the fridge for up to 48 hours (as long as your ground beef you are using still has a few days left on the expiration date). Just make sure to wrap the casserole dish up tightly with Saran Wrap or foil.
When ready to bake, remove it from the oven and set it on the counter for 30 minutes before baking. Then bake it in the oven as directed in the recipe.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
This recipe has super simple storage directions. Like we mentioned above, it’s a great make ahead meal, too!
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat your meatloaf in the microwave, or warm it back up in the oven.
Can I Freeze This Ground Beef Meatloaf?
Once cooled, you can freeze this meatloaf for up to 3 months in an airtight container. I would suggest omitting the bacon, though. You could always add it later on the side once you thaw and reheat it, if you want.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Looking for easy ground beef dinner ideas? These ones are definitely worth trying out!
- Beef Enchiladas
- Crockpot Chili
- Easy Taco Soup
- The Best Taco Meat
- Crockpot Pasta Fagioli Soup
- 30 Minute Beef and Noodles
- One Pot Taco Pasta
Meatloaf and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 oz package Lipton onion soup mix
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
- 3 teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound potatoes, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 2 slices thick cut bacon, cut in half making 4 pieces (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using your hands or a large spoon, mix to combine the ground beef, soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, egg, panko breadcrumbs, Italian breadcrumbs, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Form a loaf with the ground meat and place in the prepared baking dish.
- Using the same bowl (no need to wash it) add the potatoes, carrots and yellow onion. Add the olive oil and remaining seasonings to the vegetables and toss to coat the vegetables. Place the vegetables around the meatloaf.
- Line the bacon over the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake in oven, uncovered, for 60 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender and the meatloaf is cooked through. (We recommend using an instant read meat thermometer, meatloaf is cooked through when the center reaches 160°F.)
Notes
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: You can reheat your meatloaf in the microwave, or warm it back up in the oven.
- Freeze: Once cooled, you can freeze this meatloaf for up to 3 months in an airtight container. I would suggest omitting the bacon, though. You could always add it later on the side once you thaw and reheat it, if you want.
- Prep Ahead: You can prepare everything in the casserole dish together, but instead of putting it into the oven, you can store it in the fridge for up to 48 hours (as long as your ground beef you are using still has a few days left on the expiration date). Just make sure to wrap the casserole dish up tightly with Saran Wrap or foil. When ready to bake, remove it from the oven and set it on the counter for 30 minutes before baking. Then bake it in the oven as directed in the recipe.
