Classic ground beef meatloaf topped with a delicious homemade BBQ sauce. Full of flavour and a nice change from the usual tomato topping. The homemade BBQ sauce starts with a can of tomato paste, so there is no store-bought BBQ sauce and no ketchup in this one.

Meatloaf with homemade bbq sauce on plate with mashed potatoes and peas.

I always love a meatloaf dinner and I have a classic tomato sauce-topped meatloaf recipe that I have shared. It’s the one I grew up eating. When I feel like changing it up, I go with this meatloaf with homemade BBQ sauce.

The homemade BBQ sauce is fashioned after my classic meatloaf sauce and starts with a can of tomato paste. Some brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, mustard and honey is added to the mix for a sauce that is full of flavour and thick enough to stay put as it cooks!

Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Ground beef – I prefer lean or extra lean ground beef for meatloaf. If making mini meatloaf in a mini loaf pan, you’ll probably be happier going with extra lean ground beef, to keep the fat in the cups to a minimum.

Tomato paste – You’ll need just one small can of tomato paste for this homemade BBQ sauce. I prefer to start with tomato paste as it is full of flavour and thick enough to keep the sauce on top of the meatloaf as it cooks.

Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar. I generally use light brown sugar here since we are adding additional molasses.

Molasses – I recommend Fancy molasses and that is what I have used in developing this recipe. I haven’t tested Cooking molasses. It may be fine. I don’t recommend Blackstrap molasses as the flavour is too strong for this use.

Honey – A bit of honey is added to the sauce in addition to the brown sugar. The honey provides helps to emulsify and thicken the sauce. If you don’t have honey on hand, maple syrup could be a good substitute or you can simply increase the amount of brown sugar.

How to make meatloaf with BBQ sauce

This is a summary of the steps to make mini meatloaves with BBQ sauce. You can also use this recipe to make one large meatloaf. I have included instructions for both versions in the Recipe Card below.

Meatloaf ingredients in bowl before mixing together.
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Mini meatloaves topped with bbq sauce before cooking.
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  • Start by combining all the meatloaf ingredients in a bowl. Note that 1/4 cup of the homemade BBQ sauce is added to the meatloaf mixture for extra flavour.
  • Divide the meatloaf mixture between the mini loaf pans and top with the BBQ sauce. (Alternately, you can make one large meatloaf. Instructions for both are in the Recipe Card below.)
Mini meatloaves removed from the loaf pan and placed on a baking sheet.
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Mini meatloaves after cooking.
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  1. When the mini meatloaves are cooked through (160F internal temperature) remove them from the oven. You’ll probably find that there is a good amount of fat and juices from the beef around the meatloaves. I like to remove them from the pan, set them on the foil-lined baking sheet and return them to the oven for a few minutes to dry them out a bit and to set the sauce. This is optional, so you can skip this extra step if you wish.
  2. You can see the meatloaves have dried out a bit and the sauce it nicely set. Serve immediately.

Recipe tips!

  • You can make this as mini meatloaves, as I have done here or as one big meatloaf. Instructions for both are included in the Recipe Card. The larger, single meatloaf will need a longer cooking time.
  • I have a dedicated mini loaf pan just for meatloaf as I don’t love the idea of going from meatloaf to baked goods. If you are a mini meatloaf fan, it’s a worthy investment to pick up an extra one.
  • I love to serve meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas (or any green vegetable).
Meatloaf with BBQ sauce on plate with mashed potatoes and peas.

Making ahead, storing and freezing

Meatloaf tends to hold up pretty well so making it ahead and reheating is always an option. Refrigerate and microwave to rewarm or place into a dish loosely covered with foil and place into a 350F until warmed through.

Store leftover meatloaf in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Meatloaf freezes well. Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Meatloaf with homemade bbq sauce on plate with mashed potatoes and peas.

Get the Recipe: Meatloaf with Homemade BBQ Sauce

Classic ground beef meatloaf topped with a delicious homemade BBQ sauce. Full of flavour and a nice change from the usual.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the meatloaf BBQ sauce:

  • 5.5 oz (156 ml) can tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup (45 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Fancy molasses, *see Note 1 below
  • 1-2 Tablespoons honey, *see Note 2 below
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • Pinch garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the meatloaf:

  • 2 lbs lean or extra lean ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon fine table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup soda crackers, crushed
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely diced or grated

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. (not fan-assisted). For mini meatloaves, spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. For one larger meatloaf, cover a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil (or two layers of regular aluminum foil). Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, make the sauce by stirring together the sauce ingredients until smooth. Set aside
  • In a large bowl, add the ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, crushed crackers and diced onion. Using a large spoon, stir to combine well. Add 1/4 cup of the prepared sauce to the beef mixture. Stir to combine well.
  • Tip! Cooking time for mini meatloaves may vary depending on the size of your mini loaf pans. Be sure to cook until the meat registers 160F internal temperature. You can see the mini loaf pan I used in the step-by-step photos above this recipe card.

For mini meatloaves:

  • Divide the meat mixture evenly between the mini loaf cups, pressing into the cups and smoothing the top. Divide the BBQ sauce evenly between the loaves, using a spoon to spread it out to cover the top of the loaves. Place the mini loaf pan on top of a larger baking sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in preheated 350F oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the meatloaves register 160F internal temperature when tested with an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven. Use a fork to carefully lift the meatloaves out of the loaf tin and place them directly onto the foil-lined baking sheet. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes to dry them out a bit and set the sauce. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

For one large meatloaf:

  • Drop big spoonfuls of the ground beef mixture into a rough log shape in the centre of the prepared baking pan. Using your hands, shape into a loaf shape about 2-3 inches high x 3 inches wide x 10-12 inches long. Try to keep the top of the loaf flat, so the sauce will stay on the top as it cooks. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top, along the length of the meatloaf. Use a spoon to spread over the top, trying to keep most of it on top. Spread a bit along the sides.
  • Bake in preheated 350F oven for 1 hour or until the meat registers 160F when tested with an instant-read thermometer. Allow to rest for several minutes before cutting.

Notes

Note 1: I recommend Fancy molasses for this sauce. I haven’t tested it with Cooking molasses. It may be fine. I don’t recommend Blackstrap molasses as the flavour would be too strong in this sauce.
Note 2: If honey is unavailable, maple syrup would be a decent substitute. Otherwise, simply increase the amount of brown sugar. Adjust the amount added for sweetness preference.
Nutritional information based on using extra lean ground beef.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Main Course
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 569mg, Potassium: 756mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 363IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 4mg
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