Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf (Family Favorite)
It was my sister Pam who named this recipe Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf, and this is the meatloaf everyone in my family has made for years! Gives it a try and see if your family also thinks this meatloaf recipe is the best!
Click Here to PIN Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf!
This family-favorite recipe that my sister Pam dubbed Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf is something I first made many years ago, long before food blogs existed or I thought about carb-conscious cooking. And through the years many family members have enjoyed the meatloaf and asked for the recipe.
Then in 2005 when I started Kalyn’s Kitchen eventually I posted the meatloaf recipe (with a cringe-worthy photo that certainly wouldn’t have enticed anyone to make it.) And I talked about how this is a meatloaf recipe that uses canned mushroom soup and the Lipton onion soup mix, which is certainly not the norm for my blog.
Even though all my family thinks this is the best meatloaf ever, I might have let this recipe hang out in the archives forever without updating the photos until it was brought to my attention that fairly regularly people in my family make the meatloaf for friends. And I found out that family members who love the recipe were sharing the link to that old post with horrible photos with their friends who had enjoyed the meatloaf!
So I had to get better photos. And when Kara and I made the meatloaf you see here, it was just SO good that we realized it deserved to be called my BEST meatloaf, decided to share it during the holidays when people might like a super-simple and foolproof meatloaf recipe. (And when I calculated the nutritional information I was happy to see that the meatloaf isn’t nearly as high in carbs as I had imagined!)
Of course if you’d never make a meatloaf with processed ingredients, then this recipe isn’t for you! But if you’re interested you can read below to find tips for making a less-processed, gluten-free, or lower-carb version of my family’s best meatloaf!
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- lean ground beef
- pork sausage
- whole wheat bread crumbs (or low-carb bread crumbs)
- Lipton Onion Soup Mix (affiliate link)
- Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup (affiliate link)
- egg
- Garlic Powder (affiliate link)
- salt and pepper
Why does my family think this is the best meatloaf?
There are several reasons people in my family think this is my best meatloaf recipe. First, we love the combination of ground beef and pork sausage that adds flavor. Second, the combination of Lipton Onion Soup Mix (affiliate link) and Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup (affiliate link) gives a Beef Stroganoff flavor vibe to the meatloaf that my family really loves. And finally, this recipe is easy enough to make for a week-night dinner and makes two meatloaves so you have some for another meal.
Making a Gluten-Free or Lower-Carb Version my best meatloaf:
I didn’t tag this recipe Low-Carb, but when I calculated the nutritional information I was pleasantly surprised that even with the breadcrumbs it came out to only 10 carbs per serving. But here are some tips if you want to try making a version that’s gluten-free and even lower in carbs.
- If you want a low-carb option with similar flavors to this recipe I found a recipe for dry Onion Soup Mix if you want to make your own.
- I also found a low-carb and gluten-free onion soup mix at Amazon.com (affiliate link).
- Amazon also had quite a few options for Gluten-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (affiliate link)
- The Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup has 20 carbs, and this recipe makes 10 servings, but I did find a recipe for Low-Carb Cream of Mushroom Soup that can be cooked down to make a condensed soup to use in recipes
- I used 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, but you could use low-carb breadcrumbs (affiliate link) or a combination of low-carb breadcrumbs and ground pork rinds if you prefer.
- You can also use Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (affiliate link) for gluten-free.
Want to see more of my Family Favorite Recipes?
Use Denny Family Recipes for more family-favorite recipe ideas like this one.
How to Make Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
- Spray Broiler Tray (affiliate link) with non-stick spray.
- Crumble ground beef and sausage into a bowl and let it come to room temperature.
- Add mushroom soup, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix ingredients with your hands until ingredients are well-combined.
- Divide and shape into two loaves. (I make diagonal grooves, purely for decoration.)
- Bake 50-60 minutes, or until meatloaf is firm and well browned.
- Internal temperature must be at least 160F/70C when you test with an Instant Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link).
- Serve hot, with ketchup if you prefer! I would use G. Hughes Sugar-Free Ketchup (affiliate link)
- This freezes very well, and it’s great to pull out of the freezer for a quick dinner.
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
I was pleasantly surprised that this meatloaf recipe came out to only 10 carbs per serving. If you wanted to make it into a low-carb meal it would be delicious with Roasted Turnips, Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan, or Twice-Baked Cauliflower.
Kalyn's Best Meatloaf (Family Favorite)
It was my sister Pam who named this Kalyn's Best Meatloaf, and this is the family-favorite meatloaf recipe that everyone in my family has made for years!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 12 oz package pork sausage
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (or low-carb bread crumbs)
- 1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix (dried mix)
- 1 can Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 egg
- 1 T garlic powder
- salt-pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
- Spray a Broiler Tray (affiliate link) with non-stick spray. (I always use this type of pan for cooking meatloaf so the fat can run out.)
- Crumble the ground beef and sausage into a bowl and let the meats come to room temperature.
- Add breadcrumbs, onion soup mix, mushroom soup, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Use your clean hands to mix the ingredients, squeezing and folding over and squeezing again until ingredients are well-combined. (Don't over-mix, just mix until combined.)
- Divide the mixture in two and shape into two loaves. (I like to use a knife and make diagonal grooves, purely for decoration.)
- Bake 50-60 minutes, or until meatloaf is firm and well browned and internal temperature is at least 160F/70C when you test with an Instant Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link).
- Serve hot and see if this meatloaf becomes a favorite in your family!
- This freezes very well, and it's great to pull out of the freezer for a quick dinner.
Notes
I use Jimmy Dean 50% less fat sausage when I can find it, but use any sausage you prefer.
See suggestions earlier in the post for making a low-carb and gluten-free version of this recipe.
This recipe created by Kalyn long before there was such a thing as a food blog!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 500mgCarbohydrates: 10.1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 33g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
My best meatloaf as originally posted definitely has some carbs and isn’t gluten-free, although when I calculated the carbs I realized this is not that much of a splurge for a carb-conscious dish, but not Keto. Use the tips in this post if you want to make a version that’s more diet-friendly for your way of eating.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Oven Dinners to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2005, simply as a way to record the recipe for my family. After I found out family members were making it for friends who were asking for the recipe, I updated the photos in 2019. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
40 Comments on “Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf (Family Favorite)”
Thanks!…Definitely will try..sounds great! I will use pork rinds or breadcrumbs I ground from low-carb bread. If you think any meatloaf needs “catsup” ..get G Hughes brand is a great low-carb catsup.
Hope you enjoy the recipe. I am a fan of the G Hughes products too.
The whole family loved this! Â I did saute green pepper, onion and mushrooms and, when cooled, mixed in to the meat at the stage where you add breadcrumbs and egg etc. Â Also added 2 tbsp of chili sauce. Â Other than that, I followed the recipe.
So happy to hear it was a hit at your house!
I have what is probably a stupid question.  Would you freeze the meatloaf before it’s cooked or after?  Thank you!
Not a stupid question at all! I’m sure you can freeze it and cook later (after it’s thawed.) But what I do is cook the meatloaf, then eat some and freeze some (usually a few packages) to eat later! I love pulling it out for a quick dinner.
Really good recipe. The meatloaf was delicious.
Rachel, so glad you enjoyed it!
Laurel, so glad you liked it!
I just made this into foil packet dinners and it was FABULOUS!! I added fresh, sliced mushrooms and it was a hit. I put holes into the bottom of the foil packets and baked it on a rack to allow the extra fat to drain. We loved it.
RedRoseHip, so glad you are enjoying it!
I've tried lots of meatloaf recipes lately and I keep coming back to this one since it's the only one my family will eat.
~Kristi, I'm guessing it would work, although I haven't tried it that way. Most of the mushroom soups I've seen have other ingredients I don't want, but maybe I should look harder for one and try to adapt this! Let me know if you try it; would love to hear how it turns out!
Is there any way to substitute tha cream of mushroom soup with one of the cream of….soups that are all over Pinterest. This is one of my fave recipes on your blog, but I'm with you we don't use the fake soups or onion soups any longer.
Gillian, so glad you liked it. This is such an old recipe, but several of my siblings still use it regularly!
Kalyn,
I have been looking for years for a great meatloaf recipe. Well, thank you! I have finally found it! My picky husband loved it, too! He doesn't like mushrooms so I didn't tell him what was in it :). We had 8 generous servings between us and my adult son who eats a lot. Thanks!!
Here's a very helpful hint, I substituted Chicharrones (Pork Cracklins/Rinds) instead of the bread crumbs. They usually have 0 carbs & the pork flavor complements the pork meat. However, it's high in sodium & fat — so if someone uses them they may not have to add much salt to taste & they would need to make sure to use the leanest cut ground beef & pork they can find.
Anonymous, I'm not sure the pork rinds are South Beach Friendly, due to the saturated fat content. Might work though, if you're careful to use low-fat meat.
Oh my that looks delishious! We luv meatloaf.
My non meatloaf loving kids had seconds. It was delicious. Thanks for making south beach so much easier and tastier. Everyone of your recipes that I've tried has been first rate.