The Best Crockpot Meatloaf is a great way to enjoy classic comfort food, with less stress, and dinner is ready when you get home!
The most amazing meatloaf recipe, made so easily in your slow cooker!ย No more waiting over an hour for meatloaf after you get home from work.
Amazingly tender meatloaf, made easily in the crockpot!
Do you have a go-to dinner recipe?ย My family LOVES my baked mac and cheese, but sometimes I need something that isnโt pasta.ย Thatโs when I turn to this classic meatloaf recipe!
This recipe is amazingly flavorful and easy, thanks to using dried stuffing mix in place of breadcrumbs.ย It may seem odd, but all the great seasonings are already in the stuffing mix, so itโs several steps in one!ย The glaze on top of the meatloaf is lip-smackingly good; made with ketchup, minced onion, brown sugar and vinegar for a little tang.
WHY COOK MEATLOAF IN THE CROCKPOT?
I love cooking meatloaf in the crockpot for two main reasons.ย First, a meatloaf cooked in the crockpot is much more harder to โmess upโ and be dry or tough.ย The cooking process of cooking in the crockpot lends to a much more tender and moist dish.ย Secondly, itโs ready when you get home.ย Traditional meatloaf takes an hour or more to bake, so if you wait until you get home to bake it, youโll be having a LATE dinner.ย This way, dinner is mostly finished!
Plus, I can generally fit more beef into my crockpot than I can in my meatloaf pan.
How to Make Meatloaf in a Crockpot
Making meatloaf in a crockpot is SO easy!ย Using aluminum foil makes for easy cleanup, but it also helps you remove the crockpot so you can broil it at the end.
- Line crockpot with foil (heavy duty works best)
- Combine meatloaf ingredients, mix well, place in crockpot and shape into a loaf-shape.
- Top with glaze, cover, and cook.
- Lift out foil and broil to brown the top.ย
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK MEATLOAF IN THE CROCKPOT?
It depends on how big of a loaf youโre making, but for this 2lb meatloaf, itโll take about 6 hours on LOW, or 3 hours on HIGH.ย If you have an instant read meat thermometer, check for doneness by cooking until meatloaf is at 160 F degrees.
CAN THIS MEATLOAF RECIPE BE MADE IN THE OVEN INSTEAD?
Absolutely!ย Iโve included oven directions following the recipe at the bottom of this post.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT CROCKPOT MEATLOAF:
- Use beef with a good ratio of beef to fat.ย I like to use 80/20 or 85/15, but no leaner.ย Beef that is too lean can lead to a drier meatloaf.
- Avoid over-mixing your meat.ย You only want to mix until the ingredients have just combined.ย Mixing too much will make the meatloaf tough.
- Use your hands to mix. ย Some people like to use a wooden spoon, but I find your hands are the best tools for the job. ย Wear latex/nitrile gloves if you donโt want meatloaf hands.
- Use milk if you can.ย I love the richness that milk lends to meatloaf.ย If you canโt use dairy, you could try substituting with a non-dairy milk, or use water/chicken broth/beef broth.
- Add a little bit of onion and the sauce to the meatloaf mixture itself.ย They both not only add flavor, but add moisture as well.
- Donโt skip the topping!ย The sauce is sweet and tangy, and really takes the meatloaf from good to great.
GREAT DISHES TO SERVE WITH MEATLOAF:
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Slow Cooker – my favorite slow cooker.
- Heavy Duty Foil – I love using heavy duty foil so it doesn’t rip when you’re removing your meatloaf.
- Disposable gloves – save yourself some major hand scrubbing!
Recipe previously contributed forย Spend With Pennies
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
MEATLOAF
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, finely minced
- 2 boxes (6 oz each) dried stuffing mix (I like the savory herbs variety)
- 1 1/3 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp glaze (see below)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
BROWN SUGAR KETCHUP GLAZE
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp finely minced onion
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Tear off a large strip of aluminum foil (heavy duty works well), and press it into the bottom and up two of the sides of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray, then set aside.
- Combine all ketchup glaze ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add ground beef, minced onion, stuffing mix, milk, eggs, 2 Tbsp glaze, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix until just combined.
- Shape into an oval-like shape and place into the foil lined crockpot. Top with ยฝ cup of the glaze, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- When finished cooking, carefully lift out the meatloaf, using the foil overhang, and place on a baking sheet. Top with 2/3 cup of the glaze and broil until glaze is sticky and bubbly.
- Serve sliced, with remaining glaze sauce served on the side for drizzling.
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Chef Tips
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Lauren says
Looking forward to trying this! Can you leave on los a little longer than 6 hours or will it ruin it? I probably wonโt get home until the 6.5-7 hour mark
The Chunky Chef says
Iโve only tested this recipe as written. So without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work, but I’m guessing it wouldn’t hurt it. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Sara in Lithuania says
I used a 50/50 mix of ground pork and ground beef. Not gonna lie, I was skeptical of the stuffing mix, but I had some boxes to use up from a bunch I ordered last year (overseas living!). I’m converted โ this was so tasty! I also took the suggestion from reviewer Hannah to add sriracha to the glaze. Perfect amount of heat.ย
Critter Gitter says
I just made this as per the recipe except. I used 2&1/4 of ground venison with 10% beef fat. I used homemade ketchup. I don’t like prepared box or bag stuffing/dressing, so I used 1 box of Italian seasoned Panko crumbs. It’s in the crock pot now for on high for about 2-3…I hope the people at church like it…
Vanessa says
Can I use dried minced onion instead of fresh. ย Itโs easier to hide from my son๐
The Chunky Chef says
I feel your pain! Yes, you can absolutely use dried minced onion ๐
Melissa says
A tip to hide onions in meatloaf that Iโve been using for years. Grate the onion. It works so well.ย
Ellen DeLashmutt says
I use to use the blender for green peppers, onions to hide in meatballs, meatloaf and sauce. My son was a “I don’t like that” and my youngest picked up on it. They never knew their 56 and 47 years old.
jeanne rogers says
I do not have an oven to use for broiling. ย can I heat remaining glazed serve on side?
The Chunky Chef says
Sure can ๐
Jen says
Hi, my question might sound crazy, but wondering if you experimented with turkey or meat alternatives? I will try this with impossible beef as I am curious how it would stand up to slow cooking, but the recipe looks amazing and adaptable. Thank you!ย
The Chunky Chef says
Without doing some extensive testing using those products, I can’t say for certain how it would end up. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Jess S. says
I just took this out of the oven about ten minutes ago and sliced some up..delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly, as I am NOT a seasoned cook(Ba Dum Psh), therefore I donโt attempt to alter recipes! Itโs very moist and flavorful, and I love that this uses stuffing instead of breadcrumbs or crackers! I also like that there is no garlic, as I am unfortunately prone to an upset stomach as of recently if there is garlic in anything! (Dammit) Iโll definitely make this again! Thanks!ย
Monica says
so if I double the recipe how long do I need to cook it?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not doubled this recipe myself, so I can’t say for certain, but I would think just an extra hour, so 7 hours on low. But I would use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature to make sure it’s fully cooked (should read at least 160ยฐF).
AHK says
Made this yesterday! I LOVED it but I think next time we will cut back on the stuffing. It was a LOT of stuffing in this meatloaf….. it was a little to much but still great and will make this again.
Marisa says
Thank you for the recipe, my family thinks the milk in it is crazy but can’t get enough of this meatloaf.
Lisa Ramirez says
Had anyone tried this in an instant pot? Just wondering cook time. Thanks.
Melissa says
This is probably not suited to an instant pot. They need at least one cup on liquid in order to build up the pressure needed during cooking.ย
Tiela says
Hi, thanks for this recipe! It sounds delicious and Iโve never heard of meatloaf in a crockpot before! It sound much nicer than heating my house up with the oven in this hot weather we have here! My question is: I donโt have any stuffing on hand and donโt want to take my kids to the store, so can I use breadcrumbs instead? Do you know how much I would use? I know that with oven meatloaf itโs usually about a cup, but I canโt find info on if it would be the same in a crockpot ๐ thanks for your time, hopefully I can get this in on time ๐
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve never made this exact recipe without the stuffing (my family loves this version too much lol), but I would think it would be the same amount of breadcrumbs as an oven recipe. Just make sure the oven recipe you’re going by uses 2lbs of meat like this one does ๐
Angela L Shoemaker says
If I 2/2 the recipe how long will it take to cook?
The Chunky Chef says
Iโve only tested this recipe as written. So without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain what the exact cooking time would be. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Alaina Frantzis says
Hi again, also forgot to ask how long can this be cooked on high? I want it to be ready in time for dinner. Thanks for your help.
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve never cooked this recipe on high before, but I would guess 2-3 hours.
Alaina Frantzis says
Hi there, love all of your food. Especially the mac and cheese omg!! My whole family thinks I can cook, thanks to you.
I had a question about this recipe.I am making it now.Im using turkey stuffing, that’s all they had. hope that’s ok..its already in the pot! I was just wondering what the green garnish on top was? is it parsley?
Thanks for your help
The Chunky Chef says
So happy you enjoy the recipes! Turkey stuffing will work just fine, and the garnish is just some chopped parsley to make it look pretty ๐
Lori mccann says
I want to try this recipe. Do you know the carb count for a serving? Thanks
The Chunky Chef says
As Iโm not a nutritionist, I donโt provide full nutritional information for my recipes (wouldn’t want to potentially and unknowingly pass along incorrect information). Your best bet would be to copy the ingredients into your favorite online nutritional calculator.
Hannah Flack says
I found this recipe via pinterest and wanted to take the time to comment on this wonderful dish. Very easy to make, delicious flavours and easy to follow directions. I added 2 tbsp of sriracha sauce and found the spice level good for hubby and I, but a bit zippy for the kiddo’s (which can be easily fixed with less spice). Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Keith says
Excellent. My girlfriend had seconds and then took some left overs for lunch the next day so it has her seal of approval. I will make this again for sure and the only change I might make is I think I will soak the stuffing mix in the milk and eggs for about 5 min and let that set up and then add the meat and remaining ingredients. I think it will make it easier to mix together. Just my opinion otherwise this make a really good meatloaf.
Tony Mowatt says
This came out so good! Thank you for providing such an easy to follow recipe!
Nicole Mellon says
Hi there, thank you so much for the recipe!! I tried this and although the flavor was really awesome, it was a little too much stuffing for me. (I don’t care for boxed stuffing) ๐ Would it be possible to just use one box? Or maybe could I substitute with rice?
Thank you so very much!! ๐
The Chunky Chef says
Glad you liked the flavor! I’ve only made this recipe as written, but I think you could try it with one box. You could add some extra breadcrumbs if you’re worried about it staying together ๐
Marisa A Herman says
I double the meat, 2lb beef, 1lb turkey and 1lb pork but only use the amount of stuffing and milk for the 2lb loaf and it turns out wonderful. Moist and yummy. If I only do a 2lb we don’t get leftovers and it’s even better the next day.
Marsha Berry says
Re: the stuffing…are you talking about the large bag of savory Pepperidge Farm? Or are you talking about Stovetop that comes 2 pouches to a box?
The Chunky Chef says
Here’s what I use. The 6 oz box that has 1 pouch in it ๐