Easy Skillet Meatloaf
This easy skillet meatloaf recipe turns the classic comfort-food supper into a crispy, tender, ready-in-40-minutes meal!
I do love a classic meatloaf, but sometimes I don’t love waiting the better part of an hour for it to cook. Enter this easy skillet version, which gives us all that cozy meatloaf deliciousness in about half the time. Comfort food impatient people, this one’s for us!
Instead of shaping the meat into a loaf, we press it right into a skillet, drizzle it with ketchup and bake it until tender inside and delightfully crispy on top. Then we cut it into wedges like a meatloaf pie—which is every bit as fun as it sounds!
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- ⭐️ Why this recipe works
- 🥩 Ingredients you need
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
- 👩🏻🍳 How to make this recipe
- 🤔 Recipe FAQs
- 🥣 Equipment we used for this recipe
- 🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
- Easy Skillet Meatloaf
- 👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- 🥰 Other meatloaf recipes we love!
- ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
- 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- What It Is: A tender, veggie-filled meatloaf baked in a skillet and served in wedges
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Calories: 555 calories
- Cooking Method: Oven
- Good For: Easy weeknight dinners, cozy comfort food and meatloaf lovers who want extra crispy edges
⭐️ Why this recipe works
- ⏰ Faster than traditional meatloaf: The skillet shape helps it cook in just 25 minutes.
- 😋 Extra crispy edges: More surface area means plenty of golden, crunchy goodness to go around.
- 🥕 Veggies built right in: Chopped carrots and scallions add flavor, color and a little extra goodness.
- 🍰 Easy to serve: Simply cut it into wedges and slide them out with a spatula—just like pie!
- 🧀 Tender and flavorful: Milk, Parmesan and an egg keep every bite moist and delicious.
🥩 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- Meat: We love using meatloaf mix—a combination of ground beef, pork and veal—for extra flavor. If you can’t find it, 80/20 ground beef works perfectly.
- Breadcrumbs: Fresh, dried or panko breadcrumbs will all work in this recipe.
- Carrot: Chop it fairly finely so it softens completely during the short cooking time.
- Scallions: You can swap in half of a finely chopped sweet onion.
- Ketchup: The topping is optional, but it adds flavor, color and that classic meatloaf finish!
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
👩🏻🍳 How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 425. Add oil to a 10-inch oven-safe skillet and spread with a paper towel so the bottom is coated.
STEP 2: Add the meat, milk, breadcrumbs, carrot, scallions, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl. Gently mix just until everything is combined—overmixing can make meatloaf tough.
STEP 3: Pat that mixture into a pie shape in the skillet.
STEP 4: Drizzle ketchup over the top in a cross-hatch pattern (or really in any pattern you like!).
STEP 5: Bake for 20 minutes, or until the center reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Switch the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 5 minutes until the top is crispy, watching it carefully. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into wedges and serve.
🤔 Recipe FAQs
Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork and veal, and that combo gives your meatloaf a little extra flavor. Look for it next to the ground beef in your supermarket meat section – and if you can’t find it regular ground beef will work. We like the 80/20 version.
100% yes! Shredded zucchini, corn kernels, chopped spinach…use your fave!
You can definitely make the mixture ahead of time and bake it when you are ready…it is best baked right before suppertime. And if there are leftovers, a meatloaf sandwich is THE BEST.
Nope! Any 10-inch oven-safe skillet will work. Just make sure the entire skillet—including the handle—is safe for both baking and broiling.
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center. The meatloaf is ready when it reaches 160°F. Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into wedges.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
🥣 Equipment we used for this recipe
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Cast Iron Skillet: We use this classic skillet for everything from making a giant chocolate chip cookie to making meatloaf!
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Vegetable Peeler: This is our go-to peeler for carrots and potatoes, sweet and otherwise.
- Metal Bowls: We love these nesting bowls for everything from mixing to casual serving dishes!
🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
We love serving this cozy supper with a pile of feta mashed potatoes and either carrots with thyme or tomato bacon green beans. And for dessert, how about a slice of Devil’s Food Butterfinger Cake?
Easy Skillet Meatloaf
This easy skillet meatloaf recipe turns the classic comfort-food supper into a crispy, tender, ready-in-40-minutes meal!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooling Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (pork, beef and veal) or you can use all ground beef
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Ketchup for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Add oil to a 10 inch oven-safe skillet and spread it around with a paper towel so the bottom is coated.
- Combine all remaining ingredients except for the ketchup just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the finished meatloaf tough.Pat them into a pie shape in the skillet. Drizzle ketchup over the top in a cross-hatch pattern (or really in any pattern you like!)
- Bake for 20 minutes until the meatloaf is firm. Change the oven to broil, and broil for about 5 minutes until everything is nice and crispy on top.
- Cool for about 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
Notes
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- Meat: If we can find meatloaf mix in the meat section (a combination of ground beef, pork and veal) we like that best for this recipe, otherwise good old ground beef will work just fine.
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- Breadcrumbs: You can use dried breadcrumbs (such as panko) or fresh ones.
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- Scallions: You can swap in half a chopped onion for the scallions if you like.
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- Ketchup: This is optional, but gives the meatloaf a fun topping and an extra bit of flavor!
👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- Make it cheesy: Sprinkle shredded cheddar or mozzarella over the top during the last few minutes of baking.
- Give it a barbecue twist: Swap the ketchup for your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Try an Italian version: Add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and use marinara sauce instead of ketchup.
- Change up the vegetables: Replace the carrot and scallions with finely chopped bell pepper, shredded zucchini or baby spinach.
- Use ground turkey: Substitute ground turkey for the meatloaf mix and cook it until the center reaches 165°F.
🥰 Other meatloaf recipes we love!
⭐️ We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below.