Magic Slow Cooker Meatloaf
This recipe for Magic Slow Cooker Meatloaf combines the comfort of meatloaf with the ease of a slow cooker dinner recipe. Simply mix the ingredients together in the morning, place them in the slow cooker, set it and forget it! The slow cooker meatloaf holds its form while cooking, creating a meal that will be ready to serve when you are. Since it cooks in the slow cooker, it comes out super moist and full of flavor! Top it all off with a sweet ketchup mixture. For a complete meal, you can also place peeled and chopped potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker surrounding the meatloaf, and cooking them all together! We recommend placing a long piece of foil in the slow cooker before placing the meat in so it's easier to take out once cooked.
Notes
- Variation: Instead of 3/4 cups ketchup in the meatloaf, you can use 8 ounces tomato sauce. For a different flavor, you can also use 1 cup milk mixed with 1 packet gravy mix.
For more easy meatloaf recipes your family will love, check out our full collection!
Preparation Time10 min
Cooking Time8 hr
Cooking MethodCasserole, Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 cup green peppers, chopped
- 1/2 cup onions, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 egg
- 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
- 1 1/2 cup ketchup, divided
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
-
In a medium bowl, mix together ground beef, green pepper, onion, eggs, salt, cracker crumbs, and 3/4 cups of the ketchup. Use a spoon or your hands to incorporate the mixture.
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Line your slow cooker with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray. Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place in slow cooker.
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Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4, until the meat is no longer pink. In the last 15 minutes, mix together remaining ketchup, mustard and brown sugar and spread on top meatloaf. Let cook for remaining 15 minutes.
-
Let cool, slice and serve.
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Rnbowgrl
May 31, 2018
I'm such a big time meatloaf lover I've actually day dreamed about cooking it in the slow cooker before...but for some weird reason in my mind, it turned out like meatloaf soup. lol, I assume using a leaner ground beef would keep it from being soaked in grease and since I'm not a ketchup fan I'll definitely go the tomato sauce route. My meatloaf sauce is usually tomato sauce with grape jelly...an old recipe my grandmother used and it was amazing!
AmyJackson
May 25, 2018
Meatloaf is like my favorite food ever, but frankly I'm not that good of a chef. I never thought that I could make this in the slow cooker. Looks easy!
SissieSass
Apr 07, 2017
What does the texture come out like when it is finished? Many of the beef recipes I have tried come out greasy or they fall apart because of the moisture when I use the crock pot. Does the foil help with that or is it just to make it easier to clean?
AllFreeCopycatReci pes Editor
Apr 11, 2017
Yes! Aluminum foil can be used to keep this dish moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier. Hope that helps!
Sandi C
Mar 08, 2017
I'm a huge meatloaf fan and sadly, the only meatloaf fan in my house! My kids tease me because I'll order it out at any restaurant that serves it! The brown sugar is so appealing to me in this recipe. My question is, can you freeze meatloaf for a few weeks and does it still taste moist and good? I would try this and slice it up for myself into individual freezer meals.
Lynn K
Mar 03, 2017
Is meatloaf also one of your favorite go to meals? I used to have a meatloaf recipe that had a delicious ketchup/brown sugar sauce so I when I saw this recipe yesterday I just had to make it for our dinner and it was every bit as good as the one I used to make. The sauce in this recipe is even better than my previous one and I think it is the mustard that adds a special zinggg. A really good recipe, thank you!
kmcartoonity 62072 74
Mar 02, 2017
If you use really lean ground beef in this meatloaf recipe, grease really isn't an issue. If you use 80 / 20 ground beef, like I usually buy in bulk, grease can pool at the bottom. Rather than trying to soak it up using more breadcrumbs, a turkey baster works really well to stick in the corner and suck it out. I love how moist the meat stays when doing it this way!
msdeb21
Mar 02, 2017
This looks like good old-fashioned meatloaf. I like my meatloaf to be tomatoey, so I would add diced tomatoes and use tomato sauce instead of ketchup. I do wonder about the grease. Normally I take my meatloaf out of the oven after 45 minutes, drain the grease, then put it back in to finish baking. Maybe part of the goodness of this recipe is letting it slow cook in the grease! I like the idea of adding carrots and potatoes.
FoodLover
Jan 26, 2017
This meatloaf sounds nice and I like the way it is cooked in a slow cooker so that you can 'set it and forget it'. I would add tomato sauce to the mince instead of ketchup as you are adding ketchup anyway on top. I would take the tip of adding foil to line the crock pot.
Gracie
Jan 23, 2017
The photo looks like the meatloaf I remember from my childhood. I'm going to try this, but I think I will bake it in the oven. I am concerned the grease will be an issue in the crock pot and, after noting the comments from the person who tried it, I wonder whether the crock pot is really the best cooking method.
J
Sep 22, 2016
Where is the nutritional value? I would love to make this but nutritional is key when I'm cooking.
alexrob123410 6713 154
Aug 02, 2015
this brings me back to my childhood .... mmmm good eats...
madcakelover
Jul 13, 2015
I figured out why this meatloaf is magic. I cant stop eating it till its gone! I will make this for dinner another day!
nashmeow
Oct 01, 2014
Moist, tender, flavorful, and so easy! I love using my slow cooker, and this recipe gives me just one more reason to do so.
joanboy
Jul 15, 2014
I made this dish ,but I did not have tomato sauce or gravy mix so I used a can of celery soup with a can of water. It was soooo delicious. Joanboy
lrherrel 4843247
Nov 17, 2013
trying it today but substituting ketchup for tomato sauce and using croutons instead of crackers....garlic & cheese flavored croutons.
basscat3708 205464 6
Oct 18, 2012
katbird -Did you use milk/gravy mix AND the tomato sauce, by any chance? That would make it pudding-like.
katbird29 3441918
Jul 15, 2012
I tried this and it turned out awful. I don't know if I did something wrong, but my meatloaf was more like meat pudding. Just sad :(
weezy1c
Jul 14, 2012
This sounds very delicious.I have fixed my meatloaf in the crockpot,for years.
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