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If you love ranch and cheddar, then this is your meatloaf!
Cheddar Ranch Meatloaf Equals Comfort Food
Meatloaf is one of those perennial comfort foods.
Even the thought of it brings back memories of wonderful family dinners from most folks’ childhood. It’s also one of the most popular items on old-time diner menus.
So you really can’t go wrong with serving meatloaf for dinner!
Infinite Variations On A Theme
Meatloaf is one of those things where you can have almost infinite variations.
Ask ten people how they make meatloaf and you’ll have ten different recipes! It’s much like pot roast in that respect.
Off the top of my head, I’d say most folks use ketchup or BBQ sauce as an ingredient in their meatloaf. I’ve done that a couple of times myself, but believe it or not, I’m not a great lover of meatloaf. Therefore, I look for more unusual seasonings.
A number of years ago, what I thought was a terrible mistake yielded one of my best-loved meals: Maple Meatloaf. And yes, it has a very unusual secret ingredient, and that was a total mistake too!
I wanted to give this meatloaf a ranch flavor because that’s a flavor I appreciate.
This Is A “Guy Pleaser”
If you’re stumped on what to feed a group of guys, you can’t go wrong with meatloaf!
Most Fridays, I cook a hot lunch for a friend and the two fellows who work for him. These three guys are also food critics for my newest recipes, so they were the first to try this.
The final word was this cheddar ranch meatloaf was delicious and there wasn’t a crumb left. That says a lot because the loaf I made would have easily served 6-8 people.
I also found this great tasting too–and remember, meatloaf isn’t one of my most favorite meals either.
The Recipe
Cheddar Ranch Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 envelope ranch seasoning/dressing mix -OR- 1/4 cup homemade ranch seasoning
- 2 tbsp au jus gravy mix
- 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp dried onion flakes -OR- 2 tbs finely minced fresh onion
- 2 tbsp cream or evaporated milk
- 3-4 slices American cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Shape into a loaf and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until center of loaf registers 160 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
- Garnish with cheese slices if desired.
Nutrition
Rick Grunwald says
Definitely giving this one a try
TJAMLS
Judith Hanneman says
The recipe you sent me for yours sounds scrumptious Rick! I will be trying that one next week!!