This southern meatloaf is everything you want in a tender, moist, and super flavorful meatloaf. It’s made with a combo of ground beef and ground pork, has just the right veggies, pimentos, Cajun seasoning, and then topped with BBQ sauce.
Every family wants that go-to meatloaf recipe. Whether it’s a Sunday night family supper or a weekday meal, this is a recipe that will be sure to have everyone coming back for a second helping. This meaty, hearty, and lip-smacking meatloaf hits all the high notes: hot, juicy, comforting, and a little kick
If your family loves meatloaf as much as mine, I hope you’ll try our Cracker Barrel meatloaf, Stove Top meatloaf, brown sugar meatloaf, and my old fashioned, traditional meatloaf next!
What Is The Best Meat For Southern Meatloaf?
In this recipe, we use a combination of 80/20 ground beef and ground pork. Not only is the combo delicious, it adds the ideal amount of fat to the mixture which is one of the keys to a very tender meatloaf.
Southern Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil: Or any neutral-flavored oil is fine.
- Vidalia Onion: This is a sweet onion for this Southern recipe.
- Green Bell Pepper: Using a green bell pepper adds just the right complexity.
- Garlic: Garlic is the perfect complement to the meat mixture, spices, and BBQ sauce.
- Bread Crumbs: Dry bread crumbs, in combination with milk, make a panade. This is necessary to add tenderness and moisture.
- Whole Milk: Using whole milk ensures moisture and full flavor.
- Pimientos: Pimientos are a sweet cherry pepper that is mild and gives this meatloaf its unique Southern flavor.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This is a complex sauce that adds meaty flavor.
- Eggs: I use large eggs
- Ground Beef + Ground Pork: The perfect combination and ratio, resulting in a meaty but tender loaf. I use 80/20 ground beef.
- Smoked Paprika: Made from smoke-dried chili peppers, this spice works best for hearty recipes like this one!
- Cajun Seasoning: This spice mixture contains paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder. It has a little kick, but it’s not too spicy.
- Salt + Black Pepper: I use fresh cracked black pepper and table salt.
Recipe Tips
- Make It Moist: The trick to achieving a moist and tender meatloaf is not to overmix the meat mixture. The panade (the bread and milk) and veggies will not only add flavors but even more moisture. The result will be a crowd-pleaser!
- Overmixing: Overmixing can cause the meatloaf to become tough and dense. Use care to not over-mix the loaf.
- Line The Baking Sheet: Line the rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of foil for easier clean-up.
- Let It Rest! Before slicing the cooked meatloaf, allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This will help to keep it juicy.
Storing + Freezing + Make-ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This in The Fridge? Once cooked and cooled, your meatloaf will last up to three days in the fridge, it lasts that long!
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! The best way to freeze this dish is to fully cook it first.
- Once cooked, thoroughly cool your meatloaf then tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Don’t forget to label and date! Or, store it in a freezer-safe container. Then pop it in your freezer, where it’ll be just fine for four to six months!
- Make-Ahead: My Southern Meatloaf recipe is easy and convenient. Delicious and so easy to simply warm up in the microwave oven. It may even taste better the next day!
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
What To Serve With Southern Meatloaf
We love this with make ahead mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots or brown sugar carrots, Southern style green beans, sautéed asparagus (with lots of garlic), or my favorite cheesy roasted Brussels sprouts!
Who doesn’t want a side of biscuits or rolls? We always have a side of one of the two! If you’re looking for quick, nothing beat my Bisquick biscuits, cat head biscuits, or decadent butter swim biscuits! Now, of course, homemade rolls require a bigger time commitment, but if you have the time, nothing, absolutely nothing is more delicious! Try our Lion house rolls, crescent rolls, or our family favorite, garlic and herb parker house rolls!
If you’d like to go with something crisp and fresh, you really can’t miss with my Grandma’s carrot salad or her cucumber tomato salad, copycat KFC coleslaw, strawberry spinach salad or strawberry salad (with bleu cheese and an incredible sherry vinaigrette!!), or 1905 salad.
How To Make Southern Meatloaf
- Saute the veggies. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add bread crumbs, milk, pimientos, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, ground meat, paprika, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cooled sauteed vegetable mixture.
- Gently mix.
- Shape the meatloaf.
- Brush the remaining BBQ sauce over the top and sides. Bake.
- Serve.
***See the full instructions below.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Hamburger Rice Casserole
- Hamburger Casserole
- Stuffed Peppers
- Sloppy Joes
- Hobo Dinner
- Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole
- Hamburger Hash
- Hamburger Stew
- Baked Ziti With Meat
- Johnny Marzetti Casserole
- Runza Casserole
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Salisbury Steak
- Jalapeño Popper Meatloaf
Tried This Recipe?
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Southern Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup Vidalia onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup store bought dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
- 1/4 cup, plus 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Heat oil (2 tablespoons) to a 12-inch skillet, over medium heat and sauté, stirring frequently, onion (1 cup), green bell pepper (1/2 cup), and garlic (4 cloves) until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, Add bread crumbs (1 cup), milk (1/2 cup), drained pimientos (1 jar), bbq sauce (1/4 cup), Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon), eggs (2), ground beef and pork (1 pound each), smoked paprika (2 teaspoons), Cajun seasoning (1 1/4 teaspoons), salt (1/2 teaspoon), black pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and cooled sautéd vegetable mixture. Gently mix with your hands to evenly combine. Do not overmix!
- Evenly press the meatloaf mixture into the prepared pan. Invert the pan onto the foil-lined baking sheet.
- Pour half the remaining 3/4 cup BBQ sauce over the meatloaf. Brush the sauce over top and sides in an even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 400ºF (204ºC). Brush the remainder of the sauce over top and sides in an even layer.
- Return the meatloaf to the oven and cook until meatloaf registers 160ºF (71ºC), about 15-20 minutes. Allow meatloaf to cool for 10 minutes then serve.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Make It Moist: The trick to achieving a moist and tender meatloaf is not to overmix the meat mixture. The panade (the bread and milk) and veggies will not only add flavors, but even more moisture. The result will be a crowd-pleaser!
- Overmixing: Overmixing can cause the meatloaf to become tough and dense. Use care to not over-mix the loaf.
- Line The Baking Sheet: Line the rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of foil for easier clean-up.
- Let It Rest! Before slicing the cooked meatloaf, allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This will help to keep it juicy.
Nutrition
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I’m a 71 year old recent retiree that was told by my wife that I “needed to find something to do!” So, after 50 years of eating her wonderful cooking am starting to share the culinary duties. I absolutely love how you lay out your recipes. Even a guy like me can follow! ( And … congratulations, you have succeeded in getting me to follow directions. Something folks have been trying to get me to do for most of my life. 🙂 ) So far everything tried is great and am anxious to try more. Thanks for sharing your gift of taste with the rest of us in a way that we can follow along. Bruce PS Thanks for all the complements you are getting me. 🙂
Oh Bruce your absolutely made my day! I’m so happy you’re starting your culinary journey. I hope you find lots of new recipes you like here. Reach out anytime. Happy cooking!!
I love this as much as I love your Alton Brown meatloaf recipe 🙂
Thanks so much Gloria! I’m happy you enjoyed!
I love this recipe. Very flavorful
Thanks, Carolyn! Enjoy 🙂