Brown Family

Ingredients

• ½ medium onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 pounds lean ground beef (80/20)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup or chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Meatloaf Sauce

• ½ cup chili sauce (see notes)
• ½ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. In a small pan, cook onions in butter over medium-low heat until tender. Let cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs. Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes.
4. Add the ground beef, cooked onions, ketchup or chili sauce, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined — do not overmix.
5. Form into an 8”×4” loaf on the prepared baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.
6. While the meatloaf bakes, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar (if using). Spread over the meatloaf and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Broil 1–2 minutes if desired.
7. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Chili sauce is not spicy — it tastes like a zesty ketchup with more tang and less sweetness. Find it near the ketchup at the store. Substitute extra ketchup or a bit of BBQ sauce if needed.
• Optional additions: 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or Worcestershire sauce can be added to the beef mixture. Onions can be added raw but will have a stronger flavor and may not soften as well.
• Do not overmix — mix just until combined to avoid a dense meatloaf.
• Skip the loaf pan — a baking pan gives the meatloaf a nice crust. A loaf pan causes the meat to steam and leaves nowhere for the drippings to go.
• Rest the meatloaf — letting it rest after baking redistributes the juices and keeps it from falling apart when sliced.