Cooking Time:
8 hoursServings:
6-8
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. Lean Ground Beef or Turkey1 + 1/2 T. Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/4 tsp. Onion Salt
1/4 tsp. Celery Salt
2 T. Mustard
1/4 c. + 3 T. Ketchup, divided
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 c. Breadcrumbs (Italian or Plain ok)
1/4 c. Almond Milk (can sub cow's milk or water)
1 Onion, diced
Slow Cooker BEST Meatloaf EVER, is exactly what the title states. It is moist and has a ton of delicious flavor!
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Form into a loaf to fit slow cooker.
- Place a strip of foil on the bottom of a large oval slow cooker.
- Place meatloaf in the slow cooker and baste top with 3 T. of ketchup.
- Cover. Cook on Low for 8 hours.
Optional: If you would like to add vegetables like potatoes and carrots, place them in the bottom of the slow cooker, and put the meatloaf on top, so the vegetables can cook in the juices.
NOTE: Foil is to make it easier to lift out!
Happy Crocking!
XOXO,
Jenn
If I only use 1 lb of ground beef how long do you think it should cook? I was thinking to just use my normal meatloaf recipe which is similar to yours. Just don’t want to cook it too long…
Hi Hilary, I have never only used 1 lb. of ground beef for my meatloaf, so I am going to just give you my opinion. I would think if you cooked it for 3 hrs on Low to start, check it, and if you think it needs more time, then leave it on Low for an extra 30 minutes, and check again until you feel it is done. Please let us know how it turns out, as I am sure othes would like to know! Happy Crocking!
Thanks Jen! I’ll probably make it this weekend and let you know how it goes!
What is the foil used for? And have you ever done this recipe with ground turkey?
Yes, it is very good with Ground Turkey! The foil is to be able to lift the meatloaf out of the crock! I have also used one whole piece of foil, and it works fine too! Happy Crocking! Absolutely wonder recipe… a Crock Pot Girl FAVORITE!
I enjoy your crockpot recipes…and have tried a few and some I have saved to try later. I just made the Meatloaf recipe. I was so hungry smelling it 8 hours and excitedly took off the cover and was shocked. I was silly to forget how regular Groundbeef meatloaves do, so it had sat in the greasy pool it made and bathed in it the whole time, though it tasted good. Glad for the foil trick, as saved me a struggle and I had to be clever to not make a greasy mess. If I had thought about it more… Read more »
making this for my daughters family now=no foil so i’m using parchment paper on the bottom of crock. also using ground turkey instead of beef. added seasoned salt, onion powder and chopped green pepper plus written ingredients. a/c is doubtful so extension cord will cook this in garage and keep kitchen cooler (expected to reach 106 degrees here today).
Hi, I am new to crock pot cooking and was wondering if you could cook it a shorter length of time if you cooked it on high? I would like for it to be done in 4 hrs.
Hi Kathy, welcome! It will get done in 4 hours on High but it may not be quite as tender. If you make it this way, please let me know how it turns out. Thanks & Happy Crocking!
I did it with a pound and 1/2 of moose meat and a pound of turkey. My girls and I loved it! thank you for sharing. I would have never figured you could do meatloaf in a crock pot and with my work schedule……….we use the crock pot alot!
Changed the name of this recipe as my sister said when I took it to her house that it was “BEST Meatloaf EVER”, so in honor of my sister….. Title was changed!
What type of mustard do you use in this recipe (yellow, dijon, powder, etc…)? Thx for clarifying. I’m excited to try this recipe!
A favorite at my house! I use yellow mustard. Thanks for the question! Happy Crocking!
Hi all! Just wated to say i made a 2.5 lb turkey meatloaf in crockpot last week. I cooked it on low and it was DONE after 4 hours! It was pretty dried out so i recommend checking it often and NOT sucking juices out while it cooks. I plan on making a 1 lb turkey meatloaf today and will definitely be checking it after an hour or so. Just wanted to give all a heads up! All crockpots are different. But thank goodness i checked mine after 4 hrs otherwise it would have been burnt to a crisp at… Read more »
Thanks for posting Ashley. Your crock pot must cook very hot, as I make this recipe, and I have it on low for the full 8 hours, and I also do not drain any of the juices. But very glad you checked on it when you did. Happy Crocking!
This looks great! Is the nutritional information for beef or turkey?
It is for Ground Beef, for Ground Turkey it would be lower in total calories from fat. I just figured it and it would be 107! Hope this answers your question. Happy Crocking!
I will be trying this recipe this week.. I never made meatloaf in my crock pot but i can’t wait to try it… I love all ur recipes u post and thank u!! 🙂
Delilah thank you so much…. 🙂 Happy Crocking!
I never use aluminum – bad for health…. any other suggestions to make it come out easier
Sheriel you really don’t have to use anything… Just a suggestion. Happy Crocking!
I use parchment paper as much as possible when baking or crockpotting.
What size crockpot should I use?
Hi Sue, I use my 5.5 qt or my 6 qt crock pot. Happy Crocking!
I have a 8qt crock pot..and I know that you should make sure the pot is pretty full to cook right..should I add more/double recipes that call for smaller Crocks?
Rachelle the key is to have the slow cooker 1/2 to 2/3 full, so it does not have to be pretty full. Yes some recipes you will want to double for this large of a slow cooker. 🙂
How many servings does this recipe make?
Alison all of the serving sizes are in the upper right hand corner of the web page of this recipe at GetCrocked.com, but I am happy to share with the 2 1/2 lb. of meat it makes 6 servings. But I always get about 8 out of it! Happy Crocking!
Just put it in my crockpot. I did add 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Can’t wait! I did use ground turkey too!
Getting ready to make this recipe and am wondering if you use the slow-cooker liners, and if so, do you still put the foil at the bottom? Or do you just use the foil and no liner? Thanks!
Hi Karen – you can use the foil if you would like but it’s not necessary if you are using a liner. Thanks & Happy Crocking!
Thank you! I ended up just using the foil and not the liner. Excited to try it out…I love a good meatloaf!
I had NO idea you could make meatloaf in a crock pot!!!!! How exciting. My meatloaf has been in the slow-cooker for 2 hours now, and I can’t wait to see it in another 6 to see how it’s doing! It’s starting to smell wonderful too 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!!!
OMG – this was SO GOOD. Thanks for another awesome recipe 🙂
http://www.slowdownsavor.com/2013/10/you-can-do-pretty-much-anything-with.html
Katie thanks for posting…. It is AWESOME!
Getting food ready for deer hunting and I think this will be a hit. However my boys (4 plus my husband and my dad) eat a lot. Do you think this receipe can be doubled in the same crock pot? Or what do you count as a serving size cause my boys probably would eat 1 lb each if not more, lol.
Roxanne I have actually doubled the recipe and I used my 6 1/2 quart slow cooker and it was great as always. ENJOY!
I receive your postings via facebook and many of your recipes look really good, but … You never mention what size crock pot to use as this can effect the recipe. Mine is large so is that okay for this one?
Penny thank you for your post, yes this one will work in a large slow cooker. I don’t always add the slow cooker size, as some can either double a recipe or cut a recipe in half to fit their needs. Rule of thumb is to fill a slow cooker 1/2 – 2/3 full to crock properly. Hope this helps you! Happy Crocking!
I have a gluten allergy. Could it be cooked with quinoa?
Amber you should make this recipe your own, and change what works for you. Quinoa should work fine… Please post back after you make this so other readers can hear how delicious your meatloaf turned out. 🙂 Happy Crocking!
My brother slices up a couple potatoes and places them in the crockpot and the meatloaf on top. Juices cook the potatoes. Definitely trying your recipe.
So excited to surprise hubby with this and how easy is this!!!!! I just had to buy cookbook. I am tired of cooking and can sure use a quicker way to make dinners that I am too tired to make!. Will let you know if the hubby says how much he loves this.. I bet I can freeze these and have a few on hand to just pop in crock. Thanks, Jb
I stink at making meatloaf, comes out like a brick. Think I’ll give this one a shot though!!
My husband will not eat ketchup. Is this necessary to keep moist? Or Is there an alternative you can suggest? Can’t wait to try it
Hi Bridgett – How about subbing salsa? That should keep it moist and still add some flavor. If you make it this way please let us know. Thanks & Happy Crocking!
I’ve subbed barbecue sauce when I’m out of ketchup. It’s a nice alternative and adds a nice flavor.
You need a print button so I can print just the recipes. Thanks.
Sheila I have a print button, I am sure you just missed it, but it is the first icon under the Share and Enjoy area on the recipe you are viewing. A print friendly page will come up for you to print. Happy Crocking!
Hi Jenn,
I love all your recipes and posts! Now that winter is almost here I plan on making a ton of crock pot meals. Thank you so much!
Can you use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil?
Julia you can use parchment paper, or skip this step as it is only to help lift the meatloaf out of the crock. Thanks for the question, and Happy Crocking!
Hi Jenn – Just found you site a couple of weeks ago. I’m thinking of making a double batch of this meatloaf – any idea how it freezes? Any modifications or reheat instructions?
Thanks!
Gerilyn it freezes well! Just set it in the refrigerator overnight and warm it up slowly for your next meal. Thanks for the question, and Happy Crocking!
Howdy Miss Jenn,I have recently discovered Panko bread crumbs as a coating for pork chops and I much rather use them instead of regular bread crumbs.I’m wondering though if the regular bread crumbs would work better to keep the meatloaf together since they are more fine textured than the pankos.What do you think? Also,can’t wait to get your cookbook!!! 🙂
Duane I love it when others make recipes there own. I understand your concern, but how will we know if we don’t attempt to make the change with the PanKo Bread. I say go for it, and be sure to post back and let us all know how it turned out. Happy Crocking!
Why milk? I’m a little turned off by the idea of milk in it. Have you made it without the milk?
You don’t have to use milk, in fact you can use water if you’d like. I grew up in the midwest, and we always used milk, but you can make this recipe your own, and make how you would like it. I’m sure it will still be delicious… 🙂
I made this last night cutting the recipe in half using turkey and my husband said it was the best meatloaf I made in 7 years!!! Thank you!
Raquel my family loves this recipe too… I’m sure you now have this in your rotation of meals…. Thanks for posting, appreciate hearing of your success!
I just discovered this page yesterday and thought I’d try this recipe. We just finished dinner and this got phenomenal reviews from the entire family. I never would have thought of cooking meatloaf in a crock pot! I used ground turkey. I realized I was out of foil when I went to make this so I just sprayed the pot with canola oil cooking spray and the meatloaf kept its shape and came out easily with a spatula. (I cut and served from the crock pot.) Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I’ll be making it again and… Read more »
Made this last night…FIVE STARS…hey, I’d give it FIFTEEN if I could…lol….It was amazing. So moist, not dry like meatloaf can be when cooked in the oven. And SO flavorful. My 13 year old son will not eat onions so I used some dried minced onions by McCormick, garlic salt instead of garlic (I was out) and it was amazing!!
I am excited to try this! Meatloaf is not something I have ever thought to make in a crock, so I was so surprised when I came across it. I read on a few other recipe sites that the meat shouldn’t touch the sides of the crock pot. I noticed that your recipe says to form a loaf that will fit. Does it matter if it’s touching the sides? Thank you 🙂
It doesn’t matter Jenny, but I usually have a little trench around the meatloaf to allow the juices to form around the meatloaf. This will allow the juices to surround the meatloaf to make sure it is very moist. Truly a favorite of mine … it is great! ENJOY!
Are you supposed to brown the turkey meat first? Looking forward to making this today!!
No need to brown the meat first. Happy Crocking! I hope you love it!
Hi Coral, no you just mix it together like a regular meatloaf and put it in the crock to cook. 🙂
Just put in the crockpot! I used buttermilk instead of milk (had some I needed to use up). I read that buttermilk gives it a moist texture…we will see! Wish me luck!
The meatloaf was wonderful! Very moist!
I want to make this tonight but need it to be ready in 6 hours at the latest…would you recommend cooking on high? I will be using 2.25lbs of meat. Thanks!!!
Hi Crock Pot Girl, can you please answer this question: if you double a (any) crockpot recipe, do you add cooking time??? Thanks so much!
Hi Crock pot girl, your recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of ketchup. Do you mix that in with the other ingredients? Also it says put 2 tablespoons on the top which seems like not much. Could you please explain what to do with the ketchup better? thanx!
Hi Mike, Yes you mix the 1/4 c. ketchup in with all the other ingredients. Then for the top, I state 2 tablespoons, but you can add more if it is to your liking! I usually do, but for the recipe I find others like a measurement. Hope this helps! Enjoy and Happy Crocking! This meatloaf really is the BEST EVER!
I made this recipe tonight! I only used 1 pound of ground beef and did as you recommended previously to Hilary and only cooked it for 3 in a half hours on low. It turned out AMAZING!! my husband loved it and was so impressed! Thank you so much!
this was SO good, even my super picky 9 year old loved it (so much that he took seconds before he was even done with his first portion). i’m going to try it with Hoisin instead of breadcrumbs since we are trying to cut back on bread as much as possible. Thanks for making me look like a star!
You are a Crock Star Jill! 🙂 Happy Crocking!
it was dilish…mmm..defo do it again..i did it with minced beef and sausage meat mixed together also added paprika and a pinch of chilli powder for that extra kick….love your crock ideas popping up on my facebook keep them coming.x
Thanks David! Happy Crocking! 🙂
trying to make this somewhat paleo. what can be used instead of bread crumbs? almond flour? how much?
I’m curious if you have made this without the breadcrumbs? What did you do, if anything, to accomodate for the lack of breadcrumbs? Not sure one needs to do anything to replace them, but I’m always in the market for ideas! I have made another (oven meatloaf) recipe using almond flour and it was very crumbly and dry (the dryness could be attributed to the loaf being over-baked, however). If you use almond flour I would suggest not using too much, maybe less than the amount of breadcrumbs called for in the recipe. Just an idea. Maybe add a little… Read more »
Kaz I have not used anything other than breadcrumbs, but I am sure the almond flour would work fine. Yes you should add it slowly, as more than likely you will want as much flour as bread crumbs. This is my favorite Meatloaf. Thanks for the question, and Happy Crocking!
What keeps this from being too moist or soupy? I tried one awhile ago and it came out way to moist it didn’t hold its shape.
Mary it may of needed to crock a little longer, but it is a very moist meatloaf. I just made one a week ago, and it was very good.
Hi Jenn, I’m new to your site & have loved your recipes so far! Going to try this tonight with ground turkey & GF breadcrumbs for my husband who has a sensitivity. We have a new 6 qt oval smart crock—think this will be ok or would you recommend my 4 qt round? In our experience, things seem to cook more quickly in the 6 qt than recipes state? Also, have you tried it using ketchup with the turkey, or would you recommend an alternative for moistening? My husband doesn’t typically use ketchup, but says he’s fine with it in… Read more »
Hi Jennifer, I use my 6 quart oval for this recipe, and I also use the ketchup. I promise you will love this recipe too! Happy Crocking! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this great recipe!!!
Do you think it’s possible to add red skin potatoes and baby carrots as well? Will help make for an even easier meal! 🙂
Yes Nicole! Make this recipe your own, as with any of my recipes, and be sure to post back and let everyone know how it turned out. Thank you! 🙂
It’s in the crock pot now. Only thing I did different was add some brown sugar and worcestershire sauce to the ketchup on top, it was a neat trick I learned to make the ketchup extra yummy. I also combined beef and turkey 1/2 and 1/2. Another 6 hours to go!
A W E S O M E Livvy!
it was great! A hit!
I do this with 1.5 pounds ground beef and 1 pound spicy ground turkey sausage. Instead of the ketchup on top I use a few extra dashes of Worcestershire and Dinosaur BBQ Wango Tango barbecue sauce. I’ve found making it the night before and keeping it in the fridge really binds the ingredients well and makes for a solid (it doesn’t fall apart) but moist meatloaf. My (mostly vegetarian) 9-year-old daughter loves this!
I love poached fish or chicken, but I seem to do something wrong. I think I should have been starting with cold water instead of simmering. I am going to try your technique. And the leek sounds like a good idea also. 🙂