Name: Bread Machine Meatloaf
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup Italian bread crumbs; ½ pound ground beef; ½ cup onion (finely chopped); 4 ounce can mushrooms (drained and chopped); 1 large egg; 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon dried mustard; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Making meatloaf in the oven is so yesterday. Bread Machine Meatloaf is an easy and family-friendly option for dinner! Clean out your fridge and load up this beefy dish with Italian flavors and a savory tomato sauce.

ground beef meatloaf with tomato sauce on top in white serving dish

Why in a bread maker, you ask? Because we can! Bread Machine Meatloaf is easy to set and forget when it isn’t made in an oven. Plus, the delicious Italian flavors will infuse into the beef as it cooks in the machine.

I love that my bread machine makes the best soft white bread, but the best kitchen tools have more than one use. Load this beefy, tomatoey dinner into the machine and forget about it for 40 minutes. While you wait, whip up my Creamy Mashed Potatoes to serve on the side!

This easy meatloaf recipe and its tomato glaze only require a handful of staple ingredients. The entire recipe can be made way ahead of time or thrown together in under an hour. Either way, you end up with a mouthwatering family-friendly dinner.

slice of meatloaf being served on spatula

Meatloaf Ingredients

Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Italian bread crumbs
Ground beef
Onion
Mushrooms
Egg

Can I make meatloaf without breadcrumbs?

Breadcrumbs help bind the meatloaf ingredients together, and the Italian spices add sophisticated flavors. Feel free to use crushed saltine crackers or quick oats if breadcrumbs aren’t your thing. I would recommend adding additional spices, like oregano, parsley, and onion powder to replace the missing flavors.

You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs and Worcestershire sauce to make this meatloaf recipe entirely gluten-free.

Tomato Sauce Ingredients

Pasta sauce
Brown sugar
Dried mustard
Worcestershire sauce

All About The Sauce

Can you even call it meatloaf when it isn’t covered in a sweet and smoky glaze? No way!

Traditional oven-baked meatloaf is slathered in a ketchup-based sauce after it cooks. I’m switching things up and combining 4 easy and Italian-inspired ingredients instead. This tomato sauce has depths of flavor and can be used in all sorts of beef-based recipes, like my Homemade Sloppy Joes.

How To Make Meatloaf In A Bread Maker

Prepare The Seasonings: Combine the salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and bread crumbs in a large bowl and mix to combine.

salt, garlic powder, black pepper and bread crumbs in bowl

Combine Everything: Add the ground beef, onion, mushrooms, and egg into the bowl. Use a wooden spoon, spatula, or your hands to mix everything until combined.

ground beef, onion, mushrooms, egg in white bowl

Prepare The Bread Machine: Remove the kneading blades from the baking pan. Pour the meatloaf mixture into the baking pan and press it down gently with your hands.

uncooked meatloaf in bread machine baking pan

Bake: Set the bread machine to COURSE: BAKE. Press START and bake for 40 minutes. Once it’s finished baking, transfer the cooked meatloaf from the bread machine baking pan to a plate or small dish. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes.

Make The Tomato Sauce: Whisk together the pasta sauce, brown sugar, dried mustard powder, and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl. Tip: Have you ever tried homemade brown sugar?

Serve: Pour the tomato sauce on top of meatloaf, slice, and enjoy!

ground beef with savory tomato sauce on top of it in white serving dish on white table

Recipe Tips And Tricks

Lean ground beef is the best meat for meatloaf. This will minimize the grease and won’t make a mess!
Allow the meatloaf to rest for at least 10 minutes after its done cooking. This will help seal in all the juices and keep it from falling apart.
Clean out your fridge and add extra veggies into the meatloaf. They will add extra juices and flavor as it cooks with the beef. I recommend adding in finely chopped celery, carrots, or zucchini.

How To Store Leftover Meatloaf

Leftover meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food. Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Extra tomato sauce can be stored in the fridge separately and poured over the reheated meatloaf.

Can You Freeze Meatloaf?

You can freeze uncooked meatloaf by preparing all of the ingredients and placing the mixture in a loaf pan or airtight container, wrapping in plastic wrap and foil, and then freeze.

Place the frozen meatloaf in the fridge to thaw overnight and cook according to recipe instructions.

slice of meatloaf on white plate in foreground in front of meatloaf behind it

Love Meatloaf?

Make sure to try my Cheesy Meatloaf recipe too!

Perfectly Paired Side Dishes

Try these tasty side dishes on the side of my homemade meatloaf recipe for a fresh and crowd-pleasing meal:

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Bread Machine Meatloaf