This classic 1950s meatloaf recipe is post-war comfort food at its finest

The classic 1950s meatloaf recipe (1956)

Categories: 1950s, Retro dinner recipes, Vintage meat recipes By The Timeless Mag Team Added or last updated August 19, 2026

Note: This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Jump to recipe

There’s a reason meatloaf became the unofficial mascot of the 1950s dinner table. In the years after the war, home cooks were stretching every dollar and every scrap of ground meat as far as it would go, and this humble loaf — bulked up with bread crumbs, bound with egg and milk, and crowned in a thick blanket of ketchup — did exactly that. It fed a family of six on a modest budget, it used up whatever vegetables were sitting in the icebox, and it filled the house with the kind of smell that meant dinner was finally, wonderfully, almost ready.

What made it stick around for decades wasn’t just the price tag. It was the comfort. Ground beef and pork, softened onion and green pepper, a glossy glazed top that caramelized in the oven — this is the kind of dinner that tastes like somebody’s kitchen, not a cookbook. Sixty-some years later, it still does.

Our taste test

We made this one recently to see how it held up, and the verdict is: Recommended. The ketchup glaze on top gets sticky and slightly caramelized in the oven, which is honestly the best part, and the loaf itself stays moist thanks to the milk and egg doing their job. A few of us thought the green pepper was optional in the best way — leave it out if you’re not a fan, the loaf won’t miss it. And if you like your meatloaf a little sturdier for slicing, letting it rest the full 10 minutes (don’t rush this part) makes a real difference. Otherwise, this one needs almost nothing changed from the original. -GES

Get your vintage vibes delivered

Find out about the latest TheTimelessMag.com posts every week, right in your email inbox!

Yes, sign up for free We use your personal data for interest-based advertising, as outlined in our Privacy Notice.

Classic meatloaf recipe

“A good meatloaf should stretch a pound of meat into a meal the whole family will ask for again,” one home economist of the era liked to say. “The secret’s in what you mix in — and what you put on top.”

This is the meatloaf that home cooks reached for when the budget was tight and the family was hungry — ground beef mixed with a little pork for richness, bread crumbs to make it go further, and a thick, glossy layer of ketchup baked right into the top. No fancy technique required, no exotic ingredients — just a mixing bowl, a loaf pan, and a hot oven. That was the whole appeal, and it still is.

ALSO SEE: Roll-in-one stuffed meatloaf recipe: An easy one-dish meal from 1966

Classic 1950s Meatloaf

Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This classic meat loaf recipe brings post-war comfort food straight to your table!

5.0 Stars (1 Review)

Ingredients

1 lb 2 oz (500 g) ground beef, mixed with ground pork (retro-style blend)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper (optional, though very typical of the 1950s)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup ketchup (for the mixture)
1/2 cup ketchup (extra, for the glaze)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, sugar, and 1/2 cup of ketchup.
Add the bread crumbs, onion, and green pepper, and mix well.
Add the ground beef and pork, and mix in with your hands just until combined — don’t overwork it.
Shape into a compact loaf and place in a baking dish or loaf pan.
Spread the remaining ketchup thickly over the top — a generous layer is exactly right for the fifties.
Bake 50–60 minutes, until firm and browned on top.
Let rest 10 minutes before slicing, so the loaf holds its shape.

Recommended Products As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, qualifying purchases made via our links earns us a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Ceramic Loaf Pan, 9 x 5 inch
Chef Craft Easy to Read Plastic 10 Piece Measuring Cup and Spoon Set
Vintage-Style Enamel Mixing Bowl Set

Nutrition Information: Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 365 Total Fat: 20g Saturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 120mg Sodium: 780mg Carbohydrates: 14g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 8g Protein: 28g

TheTimelessMag.com offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.