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Sticky Honey Garlic Meatloaf Best Easy Brown Sugar Glaze

sticky honey garlic meatloaf - featured image
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This sticky honey garlic meatloaf is tender, juicy, and coated with a caramelized sweet-savory glaze. It’s a quick and easy weeknight dinner that feels special enough for company, made with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ lbs (680g) ground beef (80/20 recommended)
  • ½ cup (60g) breadcrumbs (plain or Italian-style)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup (about 75g) finely diced onion (yellow or white)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme (optional)
  • ⅓ cup (110g) honey (runny, good-quality)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) low-sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang. Place on a baking sheet.
  2. In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté diced onion in a drizzle of olive oil for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, sautéed onion and garlic, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Mix gently with your hands until just combined; do not overmix.
  4. Transfer meat mixture to prepared loaf pan, pressing down evenly. Bake for 45 minutes.
  5. While meatloaf bakes, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Let bubble for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
  6. After 45 minutes, remove meatloaf from oven. Brush generously with glaze, reserving about ¼ cup for serving. Return to oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until glaze is caramelized and sticky.
  7. Check doneness: Insert a meat thermometer into the center; it should read 160°F (71°C). If not, bake 5 more minutes and check again. Let meatloaf rest in pan for 10 minutes.
  8. Using parchment overhang, lift meatloaf out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Drizzle reserved glaze over slices and serve hot.

Notes

Don’t skip the milk—it keeps the meatloaf tender. Use your hands to mix gently. Line the pan with parchment for easy cleanup. Apply glaze in stages for best caramelization. Let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing. For gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari. For dairy-free, use unsweetened almond milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: meatloaf, honey garlic, sticky glaze, brown sugar, easy dinner, weeknight meal, comfort food

Find it online: https://daintydine.com/sticky-honey-garlic-meatloaf-best-easy-brown-sugar-glaze/