If you have ever eaten at Cracker Barrel you know they have delicious meals, and well this Cracker Barrel meatloaf copycat recipe is the perfect replica of my favorite meal there. I could eat it at least once a week if not more.
This ground beef dinner recipe is nowhere near complicated to make and will more than satisfy your tastebuds. You can make this copycat restaurant meatloaf recipe for dinner any day of the week, but I love to make it on the weekends so I can just sit there and enjoy it without all the rushing around.
For this ritz cracker meatloaf recipe, all of the ingredients should be super easy to find if you don’t already have them right in your pantry ready to go. This is also what I love about this recipe, you don’t need to add much to your grocery list, making it a super budget-friendly recipe.
To try more of our copycat Cracker Barrel recipes and other delicious copycat recipes, take a look at our Cracker Barrel Buttermilk Pancakes copycat recipe, Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken cool wraps recipe, and our Instant Pot beef barbacoa Chipotle copycat recipe. Each recipe is from my favorite restaurant and is equally delicious!
Ingredients You Need to Make Our Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat Recipe:
- Olive oil
- Green bell pepper, finely diced
- Sweet onion, finely diced
- Lean ground beef
- Ritz crackers, crushed
- Eggs
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Milk
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic salt
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar
- Yellow mustard
How To Make Our Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat Recipe:
To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Then get out your loaf fan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Then in a medium-sized skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
After the oil is warm, add in the finely diced green bell pepper and sweet onion and saute them for a few minutes until they are tender.
Place the sauteed peppers and onions in a small bowl and set them aside while they cool.
Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed Ritz crackers, eggs, cheddar cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, milk, salt, ground black pepper, and garlic salt together.
Use a wooden spatula (or your hands if you’d like) to mix everything together well, but do not over mix the meat mixture as this is how you get dryer, tougher meatloaf.
Once everything is mixed well, gently place the meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan and press it into the pan evenly.
Place the loaf pan in the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes.
While the meatloaf is baking, in a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, ketchup, and yellow mustard together. Mix it all until it is all well combined.
After 30 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread the ketchup mixture over top of the meatloaf and then return it to the oven and let it cook for another 30-40 minutes or until the meatloaf is cooked all the way through.
Check out the Food Networks way to check for the internal temperature of the meatloaf if you are unsure how!
Once the meatloaf is done cooking, remove it from the oven and let it sit and rest for about 10 minutes.
Then simply slice it up, and serve it with your favorite sides!
To Make This Ritz Cracker Meatloaf Recipe You Will Need:
- Medium skillet (THIS one works great!)
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spatula
- Knife and cutting board
Want NEW freezer meals each month?
I need these easy meals!What is the Secret to Moist Meatloaf?
All of the wet ingredients added to the meatloaf are what keep the meatloaf incredibly juicy, plus they add flavor and texture. Along with not overmixing the meat when you are adding the seasoning.
What is Cracker Barrels Meatloaf Made of?
The secret you need to know for this Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe ingredient is the Ritz crackers. The light buttery texture of the crackers mixed with the milk will give you such a great rich and moist meatloaf that you won’t need any other recipe.
But, you will also need green bell peppers, sweet onions, eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, milk, salt, ground black pepper, garlic salt, ketchup, brown sugar, and yellow mustard to get the full effect of this amazing recipe.
Why Put Milk in Meatloaf?
The milk will soak into the crushed Ritz crackers and helps to keep the meatloaf super moist not to mention bring the flavor of the crackers to life and add a new depth of flavor to the meatloaf.
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Serve this Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipe with Down Right Delicious Sides like These:
- Slow Cooker Corn On The Cob Recipe
- Best Italian Roasted Vegetables Recipe
- Red Potato Salad Recipe
- Honey Dijon Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls Copycat Recipe
- Cheesy Garlic Green Beans Recipe
- Green Beans with Candied Pecans Recipe
- Slow Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Make Easy Meatloaf Recipes A Different Way Each Week for the Next 2 Months!
- Meatloaf Cupcakes Recipe
- Honey BBQ Meatloaf Recipe
- Sweet and Tangy Meatloaf Recipe
- Easy Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
- Sheet Pan Meatloaf and Green Beans Recipe
- Easy Sunday Meatloaf Recipe
- Instant Pot Mini Meatloaf
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- Meatloaf Recipe
Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ green pepper, finely diced
- ½ sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1½ sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed (about 48 crackers total)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
For Topping
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray the inside of a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is warm, add green bell pepper and onion. Saute for a few minutes until vegetables are soft. Set aside and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed crackers, eggs, cheddar cheese, milk, and seasonings. Using a wooden spatula (or even your hands), mix everything together (but be careful to not overmix because this can lead to dry meatloaf!).
- Gently place the meat mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Remove meatloaf from the oven and brush the ketchup mixture on top of the meatloaf.
- Place the meatloaf back into the oven and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the meatloaf is completely cooked through (and the internal temperature is 160 degrees F).
- Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes after you remove it from the oven, then slice and serve!
Notes
- All of the wet ingredients added to the meatloaf are what keep the meatloaf incredibly juicy, plus they add flavor and texture. Along with not overmixing the meat when you are adding the seasoning.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.Recipe adapted from 12 Tomatoes
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