​
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Ebook!Subscribe to updates & get a recipe book!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

The Chunky Chef

Comforting Family Recipes

  • All Recipes
  • Learn to Cook
  • Shop
    • My eBooks
    • Favorite Products
  • About
  • Contact
  • Trending:

    Slow Cooker

    Easy Dinners

    Desserts

    My Saved Recipe Box
  • Browse By:
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Sides
    • Drinks
    • Desserts
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sandwiches
    • Healthy-ish
  • Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Seafood
    • Meatless
    • Pasta
  • Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Italian
    • Mexican
    • Hawaiian
    • Middle Eastern
    • Comfort Food
  • Method
    • One Pot
    • Crockpot
    • Instant Pot
    • Oven
    • Fried
    • Grilling/BBQ
  • Trending:

    Slow Cooker

    Easy Dinners

    Desserts

Home / Comfort Food

The Best Crockpot Meatloaf

4.91
/5
6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
437 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Pin
By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 01/16/2019

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

The Best Crockpot Meatloaf is a way to enjoy classic comfort food, even on a busy weeknight!  Moist and tender, this meatloaf recipe is always a family favorite! #meatloaf #crockpot #slowcooker #comfortfood #weeknightrecipe #dinnerrecipe #beef #groundbeef #family

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!  No more waiting over an hour for meatloaf after you get home from work.

The Best Crockpot Meatloaf is a way to enjoy classic comfort food, even on a busy weeknight!  Moist and tender, this meatloaf recipe is always a family favorite! #meatloaf #crockpot #slowcooker #comfortfood #weeknightrecipe #dinnerrecipe #beef #groundbeef #family

Amazingly tender meatloaf, made easily in the crockpot!

Do you have a go-to dinner recipe?  My family LOVES my baked mac and cheese, but sometimes I need something that isn’t pasta.  That’s 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.  It may seem odd, but all the great seasonings are already in the stuffing mix, so it’s several steps in one!  The glaze on top of the meatloaf is lip-smackingly good; made with ketchup, minced onion, brown sugar and vinegar for a little tang.

Drizzling ketchup sauce over crockpot meatloaf

WHY COOK MEATLOAF IN THE CROCKPOT?

I love cooking meatloaf in the crockpot for two main reasons.  First, a meatloaf cooked in the crockpot is much more harder to “mess up” and be dry or tough.  The cooking process of cooking in the crockpot lends to a much more tender and moist dish.  Secondly, it’s ready when you get home.  Traditional meatloaf takes an hour or more to bake, so if you wait until you get home to bake it, you’ll be having a LATE dinner.  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!  Using aluminum foil makes for easy cleanup, but it also helps you remove the crockpot so you can broil it at the end.

  1. Line crockpot with foil (heavy duty works best)
  2. Combine meatloaf ingredients, mix well, place in crockpot and shape into a loaf-shape.
  3. Top with glaze, cover, and cook.
  4. Lift out foil and broil to brown the top. 

Glazed meatloaf in the crockpot

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK MEATLOAF IN THE CROCKPOT?

It depends on how big of a loaf you’re making, but for this 2lb meatloaf, it’ll take about 6 hours on LOW, or 3 hours on HIGH.  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!  I’ve included oven directions following the recipe at the bottom of this post.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT CROCKPOT MEATLOAF:

  1. Use beef with a good ratio of beef to fat.  I like to use 80/20 or 85/15, but no leaner.  Beef that is too lean can lead to a drier meatloaf.
  2. Avoid over-mixing your meat.  You only want to mix until the ingredients have just combined.  Mixing too much will make the meatloaf tough.
  3. Use your hands to mix.  Some people like to use a wooden spoon, but I find your hands are the best tools for the job.  Wear latex/nitrile gloves if you don’t want meatloaf hands.
  4. Use milk if you can.  I love the richness that milk lends to meatloaf.  If you can’t use dairy, you could try substituting with a non-dairy milk, or use water/chicken broth/beef broth.
  5. Add a little bit of onion and the sauce to the meatloaf mixture itself.  They both not only add flavor, but add moisture as well.
  6. Don’t skip the topping!  The sauce is sweet and tangy, and really takes the meatloaf from good to great.

Forkful of mashed potatoes and meatloaf

GREAT DISHES TO SERVE WITH MEATLOAF:

  • Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
  • Cheesy Broccoli
  • Cheesy Bacon Brussels Sprouts
  • Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables

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 for Spend With Pennies

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

The Best Crockpot Meatloaf is a way to enjoy classic comfort food, even on a busy weeknight!  Moist and tender, this meatloaf recipe is always a family favorite! #meatloaf #crockpot #slowcooker #comfortfood #weeknightrecipe #dinnerrecipe #beef #groundbeef #family

The Best Crockpot Meatloaf

4.91 from 167 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours hours
Total Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Calories: 396
Servings: 8 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
The Best Crockpot Meatloaf is a great way to enjoy classic comfort food, with less stress, and dinner is ready when you get home!

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 ½ 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.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

TO MAKE IN THE OVEN
Make glaze as directed, and mix meatloaf as directed.  Shape meatloaf, spread with glaze, and transfer to a greased meatloaf pan or baking dish.  Bake in a 350 F degree oven for 60-70 minutes.

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.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Save for Later Saved!

 

The Best Crockpot Meatloaf is a way to enjoy classic comfort food, even on a busy weeknight!  Moist and tender, this meatloaf recipe is always a family favorite! #meatloaf #crockpot #slowcooker #comfortfood #weeknightrecipe #dinnerrecipe #beef #groundbeef #family

 

You May Also Like...

  • Always a crowd-pleaser, these Crockpot Little Smokies are slow cooked in a sauce made with beer, garlic, honey, brown sugar and bbq sauce.  Perfect for game day, holidays, or any party! #littlesmokies #lilsmokies #partyfood #appetizer #recipe #easyrecipe #crockpot #slowcooker
    Crockpot BBQ Beer Little Smokies
  • Hearty and positively soul-warming, this beef barley soup simmers all day in the slow cooker, which makes for an incredibly rich soup recipe! #beefbarley #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #comfortfood #barley #beefsoup #easyrecipe #dinner
    Crockpot Beef Barley Soup
  • Guaranteed to warm you from the inside out, this homemade chicken noodle soup is made in the crockpot for an ultra-easy home-cooked meal that will feed your soul! #chickennoodlesoup #crockpotrecipe #slowcookermeal #chickennoodle #souprecipe #chickensoup
    Homemade Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
  • This rich and hearty beef bourguignon is made easily in the slow cooker. Come home after a long day of work to a deliciously savory dinner that's already done! Oven, stovetop, and Instant Pot directions are included as well.
    Best Crockpot Beef Bourguignon
Previous Post
Next Post

Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

4.91 from 167 votes

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question, comment, or review below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Fireman says

    Posted on 5/10 at 7:04 am

    What would be the breadcrumb measurements if we didn’t want to use the stuffing?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 5/10 at 8:55 pm

      Since I haven’t tried this recipe, except as written, this is just a guess… but I would think maybe 2 cups?

      Reply
  2. Anne says

    Posted on 4/6 at 7:35 pm

    Awesome. My 11 year old son made this tonight and we all LOVED it! We substituted 2 tsp onion powder to avoid unnecessary chopping. ☺️

    Reply
    • Linda says

      Posted on 7/22 at 8:01 pm

      Hello ! Just wondering what type of white vinegar you use? If I don’t have any white wine vinegar right now can I use distilled white vinegar? Worried that might have to much tang. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. L

      Reply
  3. Pamela Schulte says

    Posted on 3/23 at 4:41 am

    This is the best!! I will be making it again!!

    Reply
  4. Bryan says

    Posted on 3/8 at 10:26 am

    This is the best meatloaf I’ve ever made! This’ll be my third time making it. You may want to swap steps 2 and 3 since you need the glaze in the meatloaf.

    Reply
  5. Debbie Curtis says

    Posted on 2/26 at 10:12 am

    If I half the recipe using 1lb of beef instead how would that effect the cooking time?
    Would it cook for 3 hours instead of 6?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 2/26 at 9:26 pm

      I’ve not tested it, but I would try 3 1/2 hours, and check the internal temperature of the meatloaf to make sure it’s 165 F degrees.

      Reply
  6. Rebekah says

    Posted on 2/15 at 11:29 pm

    Has anyone tried making this overnight? I realize this post is over a year old so I may not get a response:) I have a feeling it might turn out a bit dry but am curious. I was thinking of cooking it on low for less time and then the “keep warm” feature for a few hours?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      Posted on 2/17 at 3:02 pm

      I actually did that last month. My cooker most be super high temperature. I o lu had to cook in low for about 3-4 hours and than I switched it to warm mode. Mine was super moist and we loved it! 

      Reply
  7. Ade says

    Posted on 2/14 at 11:32 am

    This is one of the best recipes I have made, I have three boys and they request this meatloaf once a week.  My husband says he has never had a meatloaf this moist before.  Thank you so much.  My only thing is that the meatloaf gets burnt at the bottom every time, I have tried putting the glaze at the bottom but nothing seems to work.  Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 2/14 at 8:25 pm

      I’m so glad you all love this recipe! You could try balling up some foil, adding it to the bottom of the crockpot, then adding the meatloaf on top of that. This keeps it off the bottom where the heating element is. You could also slice up an onion and add the meatloaf on top of the onion 🙂

      Reply
  8. David W says

    Posted on 1/31 at 12:35 pm

    Great recipe. Big hit. Easy to put together. I’m lazy so substituted the glaze with my fav bbq sauce. Will make again. And again.

    Reply
  9. Tamara Swift says

    Posted on 1/30 at 12:22 pm

    Can I make this without eggs/

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/30 at 8:50 pm

      You really need the eggs to bind everything together and make sure it stays in one piece. I’ve not tested any egg substitutes, but you could look into that if you don’t eat eggs.

      Reply
  10. Carey says

    Posted on 1/13 at 8:57 pm

    I prepared this tonight and will turn the crockpot on in the morning.  I felt like it was a ton of stuffing but have high hopes!  

    Reply
  11. Oralia Mora says

    Posted on 1/5 at 9:12 am

    When baking in oven should meatloaf be covered?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/5 at 7:39 pm

      Nope, that way the glaze gets nice and sticky 🙂

      Reply
  12. Emily says

    Posted on 12/5 at 8:27 pm

    Delicious! I baked mine in the oven per the instructions to shorten the time. I used 2.25 lbs of 85/15 since that’s how it’s packaged, didn’t have an onion but left all other measurements the same. Very moist and the sauce was nice n sticky. Thank you!

    Reply
  13. Kim Howell says

    Posted on 11/9 at 4:20 pm

    Looks delicious and I cant wait to try it! I have a large family and need to double the recipe. What do you think the cooking time will be?

    Reply
  14. Telisa Dyer says

    Posted on 10/20 at 6:39 pm

    It’s delicious 😋

    Reply
  15. Trish says

    Posted on 10/7 at 3:57 pm

    Meatloaf was good. We made it last Night. I felt like it tasted like Thanksgiving due to the  Recommendation of using the savory herb bread crumbs. Smelled deciduous in the house. I would not make this again tho.

    Reply
  16. Pennie E says

    Posted on 9/29 at 2:50 pm

    this sounds so amazing!! I live where it gets very hot weather in early March and lasting thru September so I don’t use my oven. Also I am the only one who likes Meatloaf. I wonder if I could use ground turkey instead of the beef? Thank you for your time

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/29 at 9:33 pm

      I haven’t tested this recipe with turkey, but you could certainly try it!

      Reply
  17. Jen says

    Posted on 9/25 at 3:10 pm

    Sounds good doing to try it soon anyone know if I can mix it up the night before and refrigerator it till in the morning then cook it in the crock pot?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/25 at 9:19 pm

      I haven’t tested it, but I think that would work just fine 🙂

      Reply
  18. Bobbie miles says

    Posted on 9/25 at 12:28 pm

    It was amazing…my suggestion make EXTRA of the sauce; it’s really good 

    Reply
  19. Beverly Clark says

    Posted on 8/31 at 3:12 pm

    What is the nutritional value?  We’re on KETO so checking it out. Thanks

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/31 at 9:27 pm

      As I’m not a nutritionist, I don’t provide full nutritional information for my recipes (don’t want to inadvertently pass along incorrect information). Your best bet would be to copy the ingredients into your favorite online nutritional calculator.

      Reply
  20. Linda says

    Posted on 8/15 at 12:09 pm

    Amanda, thank you for this recipe. I am looking forward to trying this. I currently dont have a oven and am looking for tried and true crock pot recipes. One question I have for Amanda or anyone who knows, if you try a halved recipe, do you know (or even a guess 🙂 )how much cook time on low or high? I have a thermometer, just not sure when to first start to check for correct doneness. TIA L.

    Reply
Older Comments
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

welcome!

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

New! Save Recipes To Your Own Account!

Free eBook!

Subscribe & receive my most popular recipes compiled into an easy ebook format!

download now!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

Game Day Recipes!

These crowd-pleasing tender meatballs are smothered in a super flavorful honey garlic bbq sauce.  Perfect for parties, this crockpot meatball recipe couldn't be more simple to make! #meatballs #crockpot #slowcooker #honeygarlic #bbq #appetizer #party #honey #garlic #easyrecipe

Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs

2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Smooth and silky queso dip, made using NO velveeta!  Packed with flavor, yet so easy to make, and party ready in just 20 minutes! #queso #dip #cheese #mexican #appetizer #party #cincodemayo #easyrecipe

Queso Dip Recipe

20 minutes minutes

Creamy, cheesy, and oh so addicting, this bacon cheeseburger dip is just like your favorite gooey cheeseburger... but in a party-ready dip form! #bacon #gameday #cheesy #cheeseburger #party #appetizer #dip #easyrecipe

Creamy Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

32 minutes minutes

Insanely tasty chicken wing recipe, dry rubbed, then hickory smoked to perfection.  And don't forget the homemade bourbon bbq sauce! #chickenwings #wingrecipe #smoked #smoker #smokedchickenwings #bourbon #bbq #crispy

Bourbon BBQ Smoked Chicken Wings

3 hours hours

This easy game day appetizer combines classic buffalo wing flavors with cool creaminess in an easy dip made in the crockpot. Perfect for any party, serve it up with chips or celery sticks and watch everyone go back for seconds!

Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crockpot Recipe)

2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels | These pinwheels are filled with a creamy chicken taco filling, which is easily customizable, and rolled up to make a perfect appetizer or party food! | http://thechunkychef.com

Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels

15 minutes minutes

More Holiday Recipes >

Who doesn’t love free stuff?

Who doesn't love free stuff? Get an ad-free ebook of my most popular recipes, plus be the FIRST to know about new things coming to the site!

Looking for something?

As Seen On…

Stay Connected

subscribe to get new posts via email:

Quick & Easy

Dinner Favorites

Hearty and positively soul-warming, this beef barley soup simmers all day in the slow cooker, which makes for an incredibly rich soup recipe! #beefbarley #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #comfortfood #barley #beefsoup #easyrecipe #dinner
M

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

white bowl of chicken and dumplings
T

Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings

HONEY GARLIC SALMON - Succulent and tender salmon filets cooked in a mouthwatering simple honey garlic sauce, then broiled until sticky and caramelized.  Made with simple ingredients, in one pan, and in just 20 minutes! #salmon #honeygarlic #onepan #easyrecipe #dinner #seafood #fish
W

Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon

Light and filling, this Italian Wedding Soup is perfectly delicious comfort food, all year round.  Made in one pan, and ready in 30 minutes, this recipe is great for a weeknight meal! #soup #souprecipe #Italianweddingsoup #onepot #30minutemeal #weeknight #dinner #easyrecipe #homemaderecipe
R

Italian Wedding Soup

This Honey Garlic Chicken is one incredible weeknight dinner idea. Juicy chicken coated and cooked with a glorious sauce made with soy, hoisin, garlic, honey and more! Toss it all in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you! #dinner #chicken #asian #honey #garlic #honeygarlic #easyrecipe #weeknight #slowcooker #crockpot
F

Honey Garlic Chicken

S

Swedish Meatballs

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
free e-book!

Download MY Free Recipe eBook!

Subscribe & receive my most popular recipes compiled into an easy ebook format!

get my copy!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

As Featured On:

Back to Top

Recipes

Dinners

Appetizers

Desserts

Slow Cooker

Learn to Cook

Start Here

Tips & Tricks

e-Cookbook

Easy Recipes

  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy
  • Contact
© 2025 The Chunky Chef
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.