Meatloaf is incredibly tasty and quite simple in concept. Yet, it can be hard to pull off, mostly due to the common use of ingredients that really shouldn't be there and over-cooking. Here's our meatloaf recipe!

In terms of looks, meatloaf is hardly the most appetizing of foods. Yet, it is a staple of nighttime meals and has been popular in the US since it was first introduced during the Great Depression way back in the 1930s.

A mashup of meat and vegetables, a good meatloaf is healthy and full of nutrition but also remarkably flavorful.

So, how do you make meatloaf? Is it an easy thing to make or something to be careful about? A good meatloaf recipe is simple yet packed full of flavor from top to bottom. Let's get started!

Few foods are as versatile as meatloaf, both in terms of flavor profile and in terms of quality. Many people don't like meatloaf because they've had a nasty, soggy mess or a sloppy mash that has a vague flavor of meat and onions with little seasoning or textural consistency. Meatloaf can be more than these two options – you just need the know-how.

You don't need any complicated or expensive equipment to make a good meatloaf; you just need these couple of items:

• Large mixing bowl
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Measuring utensils
• Rectangular cake tin
• Oven tray with baking paper or foil
• Meat thermometer (optional)

Making a good meatloaf can be very similar, and sometimes even easier, than making a cake. If you have the equipment to do the latter, you can make a meatloaf.

You don't need any fancy ingredients or anything particularly expensive to make a good meatloaf. All you really need is some good minced beef, which can be purchased at most butchers or even in supermarkets around America. Other than that, a few fresh and dried herbs and some basic kitchen ingredients are really all that you need.

Here are the ingredients needed to make a good meatloaf:

• Minced beef, 2.5 pounds (can also be chicken mince, turkey mince, etc.)
• 2 onions
• 2 eggs
• Bread crumbs, 1/2 cup
• Ketchup, 1 tablespoon
• Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp
• Dried rosemary, 1 tbsp
• Handful of fresh parsley
• 4-5 fresh sage leafs
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Not many dishes have as few steps as the humble meatloaf, which is a dish that has been designed to be easy, cheap, and something that anyone can make. The idea of the dish is to take some meat, whether it be beef, pork, turkey, or even chicken, and combine it with some leftover ingredients or whatever you've got in your fridge to make something delicious and packed full of nutrients.

Making meatloaf isn't hard and doesn't take very long, either. Here's how to make the perfect family meatloaf:

Step 1: As always, you need to start with your prep. Dice your onions, chop up your fresh herbs, crack and whisk your eggs, and measure everything out so that you have the right weights and volumes. Preheat your oven to 356°F.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add your beef and break it up as well as you can. Tip in the remainder of your ingredients, including about a tablespoon of olive oil, and season it well.

Step 3: Get in there with your hands and give it a good go. Squish the beef up as best you can, mixing it thoroughly with everything else so that the whole thing is one giant meaty mass.

Step 4: Line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper and use a little bit of oil to grease the sides. Pour in your meat mixture and, using your hands, press it into the mold until it is one big cohesive blob.

Step 5: Having lined your oven tray with parchment paper as well, carefully turn the cake pan upside down in its center. Give it a bit of a slap and carefully remove the pan and the parchment paper from your meatloaf, leaving it sitting upside down on the tray.

Step 6: Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until it reaches an internal temperature of about 170°F. Remove from the oven, allow resting for at least 5–10 minutes, and slice it up.

That wasn't very hard, was it? Meatloaf can be incredibly delicious and a lot of fun to put together. Grab the kids, round them up into the kitchen, and teach them how to cook this easy, filling, and healthy meal!

Meatloaf of various kinds has been a staple food in Asia and across Europe for centuries, but it only really entered the American consciousness during the Great Depression. This was due to economic turmoil at the time, which meant that, due to money being sparse, many had to make dishes that stretched the ingredients they had to feed as many people as possible.

As a result, relatively minor amounts of expensive products like beef were mixed with more inexpensive flour and bread that had gone stale to produce dishes that could feed a family easily and for relatively little money. The idea was to stuff as many nutrients into the dish as possible while filling the belly and keeping everyone happy with a pleasant and varied set of flavors.

For the most part, meatloaf in the US has been a combination of minced meat (of various varieties), with a variety of spices, and things like cereal, stale bread, or crackers that could stretch out the starch content of the dish, create a bread-like substance, and better feeding the family. In many cases, meatloaf was paired with inexpensive condiments to add flavor.

Usually served warm, the modern meatloaf is far more interesting and features all sorts of different flavors. It is a real comfort food and something that, when prepared well, can fill up the whole family while keeping them happy at the same time.

Many people don't seem to understand that a good meatloaf is all about the quality of the ingredients you use and the skill with which you have seasoned the log. If you use lower-quality meat and don't season it with the right herbs and spices, as well as a healthy amount of salt, though, your meatloaf will be remarkably boring and often quite tasteless.

Ultimately, meatloaf is about a balance of flavor and texture. You don't want a slimy meatloaf, but you do want one that tastes good and isn't too dry, either. Take a chance, give this recipe a go, and make your whole family happy!