Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat Recipe
My Cracker Barrel meatloaf is comfort food at its best, with onions, green bell peppers, Ritz crackers, sharp cheddar cheese, and a tangy glaze. The bits of green bell pepper are a key ingredient in this recipe. They add a delicious savory note that elevates this meatloaf, making it a true crowd-pleaser that tastes just like the restaurant version.1x recipe yields 8 servings or 5-6 larger servings. See my best meatloaf seasoning, how to freeze meatloaf, and how to reheat meatloaf for great tips on making perfect meatloaf!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 418kcal
Prep 15 minutes
Cooking 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
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Ingredients
- 1½ lbs ground beef (lean 85%)
- ½ cup yellow onion (finely diced)
- ¼ cup green bell pepper (finely diced)
- 3 eggs (at room temperature)
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- Ritz crackers (2 sleeves or 60-64 crackers per recipe)
- 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
Meatloaf Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
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Instructions
Prep & Mix The Meatloaf
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine the glaze ingredients: ½ cup ketchup, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Whisk till smooth then set aside for later.
- Place Ritz crackers into a plastic storage bag and cover them with a kitchen towel. Crush them with a meat mallet or other heavy object until mostly fine, with a few lumps for added texture.
- In a large mixing bowl add the 1½ lbs ground beef, ½ cup yellow onion, ¼ cup green bell pepper, 3 eggs, 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup whole milk, crushed Ritz crackers, 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper. Using your clean hands thoroughly combine all ingredients.
Shape, Bake, Glaze & Serve
- Place meatloaf mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and form it into a loaf shape.
- Bake in your preheated oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 30 minutes, remove from the oven, and apply the glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
- Return your meatloaf to the oven and continue baking for 30 minutes or until the meatloaf is 160°F (72°C) when the temperature is checked in the center of the loaf.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- For fine bits of your onion and green bell pepper, grate the vegetables using a cheese grater.
- To get a better shaped loaf look, you can put the meat mixture into a parchment paper lined bread pan and press down on it evenly. Flip the bread pan upside down over the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check the center of the meatloaf for doneness.
Nutrition
Calories: 418kcal (21%) | Carbohydrates: 32g (11%) | Protein: 33g (66%) | Fat: 17g (26%) | Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 173mg (58%) | Sodium: 930mg (40%) | Potassium: 592mg (17%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 25g (28%) | Vitamin A: 453IU (9%) | Vitamin C: 7mg (8%) | Calcium: 210mg (21%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)
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