Classic Quaker Oats Meatloaf really is an old-school classic meatloaf. Just plain cookin’ & hardly anything to the making it of it at all. It’s one of those recipes that really makes you appreciate the taste of FOOD.
Quaker Oats Classic Meatloaf
It seems everyone wants more, more, more when it comes to flavors in our food (including me, who thinks a little Sriracha never hurts now and then, lol!) but it’s nice to have a little break and celebrate family dinner with a simple meal like this classic Quaker Oats Meatloaf recipe.
About Classic Quaker Oats Meatloaf:
This is a great “It’s 4:00 & I don’t know what to make for dinner, but it’s gotta be easy” recipe. I don’t know about you, but I almost always have a little sales-priced ground beef in the freezer. (I buy larger amounts when the price drops and divvy it up, label it and chuck it in the freezer.)
The rest of the items in this meatloaf are ones you might already have in your fridge or pantry, but the real basis of the flavor is Lipton Onion Soup Mix. This is one of the recipes in my little series to use my Homemade Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix, but of course, the store-bought version works just as well.
This is one of the first meatloaf recipes my Mom taught me to make when I was a teenager, and to me, it tastes like “home.” My folks just love this old familiar standby, and so did my kids, so this recipe has served our family well over the decades.
Homemade Onion Soup Mix
Making Classic Quaker Oats Meatloaf:
You can make it in a freeform loaf, like I did on a sheet of foil over a sheet pan for easy clean up. It can also be made in a loaf pan or in an 8 x 8″ Pyrex casserole. If you want to speed things along, make these in muffin pans. And if you don’t want the hassle of cleaning out the muffin pans, try little free-form footballs on a sheet pan, again, lined with foil for easy clean up.
You’ll want to lightly mix the meatloaf mixture together, preferably with clean fingertips. I still remember Mom telling me to get into it with my hands and how grossed out I was at the time – but it really is the best way. Overworking the meatloaf will turn it into a dense mass.
Either quick cooking “instant” or regular oats will work in the recipe. The quick cooking more readily absorbs the tomato juice. The mixture, when using regular oats, might seem a little liquidy right at first, but no worries, it cooks up fine.
About the Tomato Juice:
Tomato juice is an item that I don’t always have on hand, but I often have cans of whole tomatoes.
- Since I make many recipes that call for whole tomatoes but don’t use the juice, I save the juice in a freezer, and it’s there for recipes like this.
- In a pinch, I don’t mind opening the can, draining the juice for this recipe, and tossing the tomatoes in the freezer. I’d guess that nine times out of 10, those tomatoes get tossed into a quick blender salsa, later!
Leftovers:
Leftovers are fine stored in the fridge for three or four days, tightly wrapped. This is best reheated by the individual serving, loosely covered, in the microwave for one to two minutes. If the meatloaf is dry, cover with a damp paper towel or sprinkle it with a little water before reheating.
If reheating in the oven, slice the meatloaf and place in an oven safe container. Wrap tightly with foil and reheat in a 350 degree F. oven until temperature reads 165 degrees F. If the meatloaf is dry, consider adding a tablespoon or two of water to the bottom of the container.
A favorite use of leftovers are as a meatloaf sandwich (sturdy bread, a little mustard, maybe some thinly shaved red onion) or crumbled up to use as a filling for stuffed bell peppers. Add a bit of cheese if you lean that way.
Quaker Oats Classic Meatloaf
Saving Money on Groceries:
Watching the bottom line means saving on each item used, and especially watching on the items that are regularly used.
Meatloaf is generally considered a budget item because the ground beef is stretched with other items. A baked or mashed potato and a simple green vegetable are perfect budget sides.
Tomato Juice:
- I already gave some hints for subbing inexpensive options for the tomato juice. If you drink/use tomato juice, consider buying it at discount stores or buyer’s clubs. Compare buying in larger containers to individual servings.
- Keep in mind that preventing waste and saving money are not always the same thing when it comes to beverages.
Onion Soup Mix:
- It only takes pennies and a few minutes to mix up your own Homemade Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix.
- A box (each box has two packets) doesn’t cost a lot; I last saw it for $2.19. But here’s the catch: that one packet works out to $17.60 a pound and adds $1.10 to the cost of the meal.
Ground Beef:
- Ground Beef is on sale often and freezes well – there’s no need to ever pay full price. When prices are low, stock up and freeze in amounts that make sense for your family. Most recipes using ground beef call for one pound. Some can get by with a little less.
- As a general rule, grocery store pricing is lowest during the summer months, and some of the lowest prices are before the Summer Holidays.
- Regardless of the time of year, each percentage of ground beef drops to a low about once a quarter; being versatile gives more options for savings. Generally, the higher the % of fat, the lower the cost, but there is more waste in fat.
- Ground beef is usually cheaper in larger family packs and even cheaper in the “chubs.”
- Discount stores like Aldi or Lidl have great sales and your buyers club is worth checking.
Oatmeal:
- Stock up on oatmeal in the fall; it’s generally cheapest when the warehouses are full. Look for it on sale before the holidays known for brunches, especially Mother’s Day & Easter. January is National Oatmeal Month, and you may find specials and coupons. Discount stores like Aldi or Lidl are great places to pick up oatmeal, and the product is indistinguishable from the name brand.
- For best pricing, buy in the round cartons; avoid the individual packets and flavor your own.
I hope you enjoy this old-school recipe for Quaker Oats Meatloaf as much as our family has over the years! It’s hard to go wrong with a classic!
Mollie
Quaker Oats Classic Meatloaf
Classic Quaker Oats Meatloaf
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: main dish beef
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
- 3/4 cups Quaker Oats (regular or instant)
- 3/4 to 1 cup tomato juice or V-8
- 1 egg
- 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix or 1/4 cup of Homemade Onion Soup Mix
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix lightly but thoroughly with fingertips. Shape into a 10″ x 6″ loaf and place on a foil-lined sheet pan or place in a loaf (bread pan) shaping the top into a mound.
If desired top with ketchup or chili sauce.
Bake for 55 minutes to an hour or until no longer pink in the center. Let stand 5 minutes, drain off any excess drippings & serve.
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I’ll be bringing this recipe to Angie’s Fiesta Friday, hosted this week by the incomparable Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook. Do stop by and take a peek at all the bloggers linking up their best creations.
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