If you’re not super confident in the kitchen yet, then there are probably a few simple meals you stick to while you build up your skills. And if Ina Garten’s meatloaf recipe isn’t already on that list, it should be. Not only is it so delicious and packed with tons of flavor, but it’s incredibly simple to make. In fact, it’s one of the go-to recipes she shares with new cooks because it’s just that easy.
“Whenever I’m asked to teach a beginner how to cook, I always ask them, ‘Well, what do you like to eat?’ Because that’s what they’re going to want to cook,” Garten said in a clip posted to the Food Network Instagram page. “You’d be shocked at how often the answer is meatloaf … you’ll also be shocked how easy it is to make.”
Garten’s meatloaf recipe starts with a heap of ground chuck mixed with delicious sauteed onions that have been infused with chopped fresh thyme, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. She then adds breadcrumbs and two eggs and mixes everything together using a fork.
“This is the key to making meatloaf. You want it to sort of aerate,” she said. “You don’t want it to be dense.” Another great way to introduce air into the meatloaf is to use your hands to mix.
Garten also skips the loaf pan and instead forms the meat mixture into a loaf shape on a flat sheet pan. She adds a bit of ketchup on top to keep it moist while it cooks, and then Garten tosses it into the oven to bake.
And to keep the loaf even more moist, you can fill a pan with hot water and place it on the rack underneath your meatloaf pan while it cooks. “You’ll have moist, delicious meatloaf every time,” Garten said.
“It’s light, it’s full of flavor, and nobody is going to believe you’re a beginner cook,” Garten said — we’re sold! Grab her full meatloaf recipe here to wow your friends and family.
Before you go, check out Garten’s best dinner recipes below:
