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Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf — 🙌🏻😋🎉 This copycat recipe is tender, juicy, made with the restaurant’s secret ingredients, glazed to tangy-sweet perfection, and sure to become a family FAVORITE comfort food dinner recipe! Air fryer AND oven baking options provided.

A slice of copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf being lifted from a pan. - 3

Ingredients in Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
How to Make Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf (2 Options)
Air Fryer Option
Recipe FAQs
Side Dishes to Serve with Meatloaf
Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe
More Easy Ground Beef Dinner Recipes:

I have some family members who want to stop at Cracker Barrel every time we pass one!

I live in California. So, there aren’t too many here, but if we’re in a part of the country where we pass one, everyone is eager for their good ‘ole fashioned home-cooking recipes.

This Cracker Barrel Meatloaf copycat recipe is one of those family-favorite dinner recipes that everyone loves.

Overhead image of copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf on a plate with two slices cut. - 4

My recipe is complete with juicy ground beef mixed with diced tomatoes, onions, green peppers, Ritz crackers, and more.

There’s the signature sweet-and-tangy meatloaf glaze made with ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. I layer it on thick because I am always all about the sauce in whatever recipe!

I’ve provided options for either air frying the meatloaf or baking it in the oven. That’s right — two ways to cook this fantastic Ritz cracker meatloaf.

Ingredients to make a homemade Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe. - 5

Ingredients in Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

I called a few different Cracker Barrels and asked about the ingredients in their meatloaf. I had to really come up with some creative stories and tall tales and said to one location that I was making this for a special anniversary dinner. Then, to another location, I said that it was for a very important family reunion meal. But I had some luck!

They all told me that their meatloaf contains diced tomatoes, onion, green peppers, eggs, milk, and crackers.

There is NO sharp cheddar cheese and NO oatmeal in their glazed meatloaf recipe based on my conversations.

That being said, it’s impossible to really know what ingredients Cracker Barrel puts in their meatloaf. Here are the ingredients used in this copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe:

For the meatloaf:

Canned diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions
Fresh green peppers
Large eggs
Milk – Whole milk will create the richest flavor, but any percentage will work
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Ground beef
Ritz Crackers

For the glaze:

Ketchup
Light brown sugar
Apple cider vinegar
Dried ground mustard
Dried onion powder

Note : Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

Six images showing the process of making homemade Cracker Barrel meatloaf. - 6

How to Make Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf (2 Options)

Making copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf in your oven is a cinch by following these easy steps:

Stir all the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring the Ritz crackers in at the end.
Press the meat mixture into an 8×4-inch loaf pan lined with parchment and greased with cooking spray.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350F.
Combine the ketchup and other glaze ingredients while the meatloaf is baking.
Spread the glaze over the top, and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Two mini loaves of Cracker Barrel meatloaf on a plate. - 7

Air Fryer Option

To make a Cracker Barrel copycat meatloaf recipe in your air fryer , follow these straightforward steps:

Mix all the ingredients, stirring the Ritz crackers in at the end.
Divide the meatloaf mixture between two mini loaf pans lined with parchment and greased with cooking spray.
Air fry for 30 minutes at 350F.
Mix the glaze ingredients while the meatloaf is air frying.
Spread the glaze over the top, and air fry for another 5 to 7 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

A slice of copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf on a plate with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes. - 8

There is not a clearcut “right” or “wrong” way to cook meatloaf but here are a few notable differences that I’ve found: -With air frying, the meatloaf cooks in half the time, about 35 minutes versus 60 minutes -The grease or fat from the meatloaf tends to seep out more with an air fryer compared to an oven -You’ll get slightly crispier edges with air fried meatloaf compared to baked

I always use ground beef but not “lean” ground beef. You need fat in order for the meatloaf to hold together. Therefore, I use 80% lean ground beef. I don’t recommend using leaner meat, or your meatloaf is likely to become dry.

A plate with slices of meatloaf glazed with a red sauce. - 9

A plate with slices of meatloaf glazed with a red sauce. - 10

You can also use half ground beef and half ground pork. This makes for an extra moist meatloaf.

You can store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, freeze meatloaf for up to 4 months. To do so, let any leftovers cool completely. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight to serve.

A plate with a slice of glazed meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables of carrots, green beans, and peas. - 11

A plate with a slice of glazed meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables of carrots, green beans, and peas. - 12

When it comes to the raw meatloaf mixture, I urge you not to overwork the mixture because your meatloaf will be tougher. You’ll notice that I actually have you mix everything together first, add the beef at the end, and then finally add the Ritz crackers to help avoid overmixing.

If you want crispier edges, my suggestion is to leave a bit of air space around the meatloaf and the perimeter of the pan so that your loaf is about a centimeter from touching the pan on all sides.

Whether it’s an air fryer or the oven, take care not to overcook your meatloaf or it will be dry. And this is one recipe that no one likes on the dry side! The best, easiest, and most accurate way of knowing if your meatloaf is done or not, is by using a digital read meat thermometer. Pull the meatloaf out when the internal temperature reaches 155F. During the 15-minute resting period the temp will continue to rise to about 160F, which is the safe temperature at which to enjoy ground beef.

Side Dishes to Serve with Meatloaf

Baked casserole in a rectangular dish with a breadcrumb topping, placed on a marble countertop next to a red-striped cloth. - 13

Baked casserole in a rectangular dish with a breadcrumb topping, placed on a marble countertop next to a red-striped cloth. - 14

Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole

Classic Mashed Potatoes

A stack of freshly baked dinner rolls on a table with a knife and butter in the foreground. - 17

A stack of freshly baked dinner rolls on a table with a knife and butter in the foreground. - 18

No-Knead Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls

Green Beans with Bacon

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Pinterest image. - 21

Equipment

2 5x3x2-inch ceramic pans for air frying, mini metal pans may be substituted
2 5x3x2-inch metal pans (Wilton)
2 5x3x2-inch metal pans (Chicago Metallic)
1 8×4-inch ceramic loaf pan for oven baking, a metal 8×4-inch pan may be substituted
1 XL air fryer or similar not necessary if you’re oven baking

Ingredients

Meatloaf

▢ 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions , drained
▢ ½ medium green pepper , seeded and diced small
▢ 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
▢ ½ cup milk , 2% or whole recommended
▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
▢ ¾ teaspoon salt , or to taste
▢ ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or to taste
▢ 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef* , do NOT use lean ground beef
▢ 1 cup crushed Ritz Crackers

Glaze

▢ ½ cup ketchup
▢ 1 tablespoon light brown sugar , packed
▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 teaspoon dried ground mustard
▢ ½ teaspoon dried onion powder

Instructions

Prepare the Meatloaf Mixture:

To a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients through pepper, and mix to combine.
Add the ground beef and using either clean hands or a wooden spoon, mix to just incorporate the ingredients. Tip – The beef is added at the end to make sure you get everything else mixed first before adding the beef since you don’t want to overmix it at all or your meatloaf will be tougher.
Add the Ritz crackers and mix lightly to incorporate. If air frying, go to step 4. And if oven baking, go to step 10.

To Air Fry Meatloaf:

Preheat an XL air fryer to 350F, line two 5x3x2 ceramic loaf pans or similarly sized mini loaf pans (you can use metal, noting meatloaf will cook faster in metal than ceramic) with parchment paper and spray well with cooking spray.
Divide the meatloaf mixer between the two pans taking care not to hard-pack it in or meatloaf will be denser. For crispier edges, leave about a 1 centimeter perimeter between the meat and all sides of the pan.
Air fry for 30 minutes.
Glaze – While waiting, make the glaze by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.
After 30 minutes, open the basket, and evenly brush and distribute the glaze over the tops of both loaves of meatloaf and return to the air fryer.
Air fry again for about 5 to 7 minutes, and check for doneness with a digital thermometer that should read 155F, before removing the loaf pans from the air fryer basket and allowing them to rest for 15 minutes. Tips – The resting period is important because it will allow the internal temp to climb to 160F which is when the meatloaf is technically done and safe to consume. Therefore, don’t skip the resting step. Jump to step 16.

To Bake Meatloaf in the Oven:

Preheat oven to 350F, line an 8×4-inch ceramic pan (9×5-inch is also fine but meatloaf will not be as tall and may cook quicker; metal baking pans are also fine noting meatloaf will cook quicker) with , and spray with cooking spray.
Add the meatloaf mixer to the pan taking care not to hard-pack it in or meatloaf will be denser. For crispier edges, leave about a 1 centimeter perimeter between the meat and all sides of the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.
While waiting, make the glaze by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.
After 30 minutes, pull out the meatloaf, and evenly brush it all over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven.
Bake again for 30 minutes, or until done. Check for doneness with a digital thermometer that should read 155F, before removing the loaf pan from the oven and allowing it to rest for 15 minutes. Tip – The resting period is important because it will allow the internal temp to climb to 160F which is when the meatloaf is technically done and safe to consume. Therefore, don’t skip the resting step.

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Cracker Barrel Meatloaf - This Cracker Barrel meatloaf copycat is tender, juicy, made with the restaurant's secret ingredients, glazed to tangy-sweet perfection, and sure to become a family FAVORITE comfort food dinner recipe! Air fryer AND oven baking options provided. - 29