Moist Make-Ahead Meatloaf With Mushroom Gravy

I made a meatloaf without the typical addition of ketchup. An onion and mushroom sauce added to the top of this meatloaf makes this the most delicious comfort food recipe.

I have found that using equal parts ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal for my meatloaf is the perfect combination. It is also what I use for my Swedish Meatballs. It gives a depth of flavor and moist texture that you don’t find with other combinations.

This recipe makes a large batch that I divided into three mini loaves so that we could have one meal for dinner and some leftover for my lunch the next day. With the other two loaves tucked into the freezer, we have two quick weeknight meals.

I also made my favorite make-ahead mashed potato casserole recipe and also divided those up into three loaf pans so we have meat and potatoes ready for dinner. We just need to add a vegetable or a side salad.

A plate featuring savory meatloaf topped with sautéed mushrooms, accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and a side of vibrant peas.

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My Meatloaf Ingredients

The secret to my delicious meatloaf is not only the meat mixture it is also a combination of sweet onions and shallots that I sauté before mixing it with the meat. I find that by using this combination and sautéing softens the onion flavor.

I also use fresh bread crumbs which I moisten with milk and an egg.

Finally, using fresh herbs takes this meatloaf from drab to fab!

Moist Make-Ahead Meatloaf

This a very flavor-filled moist meatloaf that can be three meals for the two of us.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Comfort Food, make-ahead meal, meatloaf
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 317kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup sweet onions diced
  • 1/2 cup shallots, diced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground veal
  • 4 slices bread
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Redmond Real Sea Salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • Mushroom and Onion Sauce, Recipe Below

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • In a small sauté pan, over medium high heat add the olive oil and the diced onions and shallots. Stirring often until the onions are translucent. Set aside to cool while you assemble the remaining ingredients
  • Put 4 slices into my food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs. (Other options below)
  • In a large mixing bowl place the beef, pork, and veal. Add the bread crumbs, cooled onions, milk, eggs, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until well combined.
  • You can make one big loaf or divide it into three small loaf pans like I did. This will be dinner for us for three nights and lunch for me for 3 days.
  • Top the meatloaf with the mushroom and onion sauce. I divided it up between the three loaves.
  • Bake @ 375° for 50 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160. If you're making one large loaf it will take longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1304mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
Yum

Other Meatloaf Options

You can make some changes to this meatloaf:

  • If you can’t find ground veal or are opposed to using it, you can add an additional 1/2 pound each of ground beef and ground pork.
  • Instead of the mushroom and onion sauce you can use a traditional ketchup topping
  • Handy” wishes I would save the sauce for a gravy to use after the meatloaf has baked but I think that contributes to the amazing flavor. Next time I might double the sauce recipe and add it to the top before baking and then have more for a gravy for the mashed potatoes
  • If you don’t want to make your own bread crumbs you can use pre-made crumbs or panko. the 4 slices of bread are equivalent to about 2 cups of crumbs.

Making Meals for Two

Making meals for two isn’t always easy because it’s hard to get the recipes to translate well when you scale the ingredients.

I also realize that many people aren’t cooking for just two. What I’ve come up with that works for just “Handy” and me is cooking for more and then having freezer meals for quick weeknight dinners.

Two aluminum trays on a wooden surface: one with raw meatloaf topped with mushrooms and onions, and the other with mashed potatoes.

Freezing

This recipe will freeze well. I covered the top of the container with foil and then the plastic lid provided with the pans. I marked the top so I know what is in it. Then into the freezer, it goes. When I want to prepare this I will let it thaw and then put it in the oven to bake per the directions.

What we like to do is make meals that freeze well. We have dinner for one night and then an additional meal or two in the freezer. If a meal isn’t one that freezes well, I save the leftovers for my lunch the next day or two. If we find that at the end of the week we have enough leftovers in the refrigerator, we have a leftover dinner night on Friday.

Enjoy,

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Meet Me

My name is Lynn. I live in the suburbs of Chicago in a 1,300 sq. ft. home with my Handy husband, Keith.

I’m an open book about my life on my blog. You can find out more about me by visiting my About page.

A decorative horizontal line with symmetrical blue floral patterns and a steaming coffee cup icon in the center, evoking the warmth and simplicity of a cozy meal like ricotta and lemon pasta.
A decorative horizontal line with symmetrical blue floral patterns and a steaming coffee cup icon in the center, evoking the warmth and simplicity of a cozy meal like ricotta and lemon pasta.
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A decorative horizontal line with symmetrical blue floral patterns and a steaming coffee cup icon in the center, evoking the warmth and simplicity of a cozy meal like ricotta and lemon pasta.

A great way to save this recipe is to add it to one of your Pinterest boards. You can find the pin button on the top left of the photo when you click on it. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest.

A close-up of meatloaf topped with savory mushroom-onion sauce, served alongside peas and creamy mashed potatoes. The text reads, "Moist & Delicious Meatloaf with Mushroom-Onion Sauce" and "Not Your Grandma’s Meatloaf." A website URL is also displayed.
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A decorative horizontal line with symmetrical blue floral patterns and a steaming coffee cup icon in the center, evoking the warmth and simplicity of a cozy meal like ricotta and lemon pasta.

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2 Comments

  1. Carol Griffin says:

    5 stars
    This sounds delicious! Will be making this soon and we love mushrooms! Love the new blog!!!

    1. Hi Carol – It is such a great recipe. My VA who is a food stylist told me “don’t do meatloaf because it doesn’t photography well” But it tastes so good I did it anyway! So glad you’re here.