This is the best bbq meatloaf recipe with breadcrumbs, 1.5 lbs ground beef, onion soup mix and French’s fried onions! It is eggless with barbecue sauce in the mix and glazed on top too so the flavor is out of control.
Wondering can I put barbecue sauce in meatloaf? I did too and how did I wait until I turned 50 to try it??? I am telling you this was an experiment where I mixed and matched all of my favorite ingredients and it came out so good we didn’t even have any leftovers!
There are a few tricks to making the perfect loaf I tell you. First off you need to know how long to cook meatloaf so it stays as moist as possible. We figured that out and went a step further creating the perfect amount of caramelization on the top with just a bit of crispy edges your family will fight over!
As for the meatloaf mix you want ALL the flavors. Just like our stove top stuffing meatloaf we shared how you should use something other than just breadcrumbs for the binder. In this case I used about half crumbs and half fried onions! OH yes I did.
Ingredient Notes
You are going to start off with the main item, ground beef. Let’s talk about this for a minute shall we? You do want some fat because fat=flavor and moisture. 80/20 is your best bet. Leaner than that and it will dry out, ground sausage is a bit too fatty however you could use half and half.
Yes we did use Italian breadcrumbs for some of the necessary binder. I thought it was necessary to do so or it would be too salty with just crispy fried onions. I wouldn’t use Panko as the texture isn’t as good I don’t think.
Can you use crackers instead of breadcrumbs to make meatloaf?
Absolutely you can make meatloaf without breadcrumbs. You would want to crush them to a sand like texture. Ritz would be the best of the best to use so they break down easily. You would want to crush and then measure it out from there using the same amt. as listed below.
To add a ton of flavor use French’s fried onions. I measured them out right out of the can and then used the back of a spoon to crush them a bit.
Can you put bbq sauce in meatloaf?
Yes that is what I suggest that you do with your bbq sauce, as well as as a sauce on the top. I used this as an egg substitute for meatloaf basically. You just need some moisture and this did the trick. You can use any brand/style you prefer. I used Chick Fil A in a bottle and it was excellent.
How Long to Cook BBQ Meatloaf at 400
You are going to want a total of about 50 minutes for 1-1.5 pounds of meat in the oven. With that said it will vary slightly for a few reasons. If you use a different size pan, like it more well done, or your oven is off a bit it may vary by 5-10 minutes or so.
I also want the sauce to be caramelized with a bit of crispy edges on the sides so many times I might add a few minutes to achieve that outcome. Just pay attention at the end to get it just right for your family.
You can cook it faster with the same end result using our Ninja Foodi meatloaf temp and timing if you like. This will cut the timing to closer to 35 minutes or so.
Meatloaf Done Temp
Near the end you will want to use a meat thermometer in the center to ensure it has reached 165 degrees F. before removing from the oven. Remember that as it sits in the pan it will rise about 5 degrees so 160 is okay too.
FAQ
You don’t have to use a loaf pan, it’s just handy to have. If you don’t have one you can just shape it in about the same size and thickness as if you did have one, on top of a few pieces of tinfoil. Scrunch the sides up to create “a pan” and set on top of a sheet pan to bake this way instead.
Yes, it will just have a different flavor. Barbecue sauce offers a richer, sweeter flavor so that is what I recommended using. However if you don’t have enough, or any, ketchup would be the best substitute for bbq sauce.
That is totally subjective. If you like it a bit spicy I recommend using Stubbs sweet heat. Chick Fil A bbq sauce is what I use, you can buy a large bottle at the store. For the cheapest option you can typically find Sweet Baby Rays for a few dollars and they have a sweet brown sugar variety we like.
We have a long list of leftover meatloaf recipes on our site! You can basically break it up and use it just like ground beef in spaghetti, in casseroles or our favorite way may be in chili.
BBQ Meatloaf Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×5 loaf pan
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground beef, 80/20 is best, could use 2 lbs max
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 3/4 cup fried onions, canned, French's used, crushed but measured uncrushed
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup bbq sauce, 1/2 inside mix and 1/2 spread on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together everything in a bowl, leaving 1/2 cup of bbq sauce to the side to spread on top near the end.
- Dump meatloaf mixture in your pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and spread remaining barbecue sauce on the top. Continue baking with the foil removed for 20 minutes to caramelize. Remove once internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
