At Cracker Barrel, meatloaf is one of the most popular items on the menu. Try this easy copycat recipe and see why!

Meatloaf: Simple, Tasty And Comforting

One of the first things most people think of when they hear “comfort food” is meatloaf.

Everyone has their favorite go-to recipe for meatloaf and I always say if you ask 10 people for their favorite recipe, you’d get 10 different recipes.

If you’ve ever been to Cracker Barrel, America’s “comfort food” restaurant,  chances are you’ve tried their meatloaf. But if you haven’t, here’s a chance to make one just as good as theirs right in your own kitchen!

Copycatting The Original

There’s versions of this meatloaf all over the internet.

I found the recipe I based this one off of on Best of Long Island and Central Florida blog. Linda was a weekly participant in the blog hop I used to run and she really makes fantastic dinners. I also love that her Retriever is a big part of her blog being a fellow dog lover myself. I know if she said that this was good, I was sure to like it too.

One thing I did notice from all the recipes I looked at was that they seemed to exclude one of the original ingredients–green pepper. Maybe those folks didn’t like that taste or for dietary reasons could not eat it. I chose to add it back, albeit a small amount because I wanted an essence but didn’t want that flavor to overpower the others.

Another thing I did differently was add an extra egg, merely because I felt the mixture needed it and substituted extra-sharp cheddar for either the mild cheddar or American cheese the restaurant uses. I also shredded my own cheese because I feel freshly shredded is far superior to the stuff in the bag.

The Topping Is The Crowning Glory

This sweet and sour topping is the perfect thing for this meatloaf!

It’s simple with common ingredients and when it bakes on top of the meatloaf it gets thicker and sticky. Putting bad manners aside, your first thought is to gleefully lick it all off the top of your slice–you can do that when no one is looking!!!

You can use any mustard since there’s only a teaspoon. I used spicy brown–my store’s brand–and it was very good. However, yellow or dijon would be excellent choices too.

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Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

At Cracker Barrel, meatloaf is one of the most popular items on the menu. Try this easy copycat recipe and see why!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: copycat recipe, Cracker Barrel recipes, meatloaf recipe

Servings: 6 -8

Calories: 485kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 3 eggs
• 45 (1 1/2 sleeves) Ritz crackers crushed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper can be omitted if you prefer
• 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Topping:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp yellow mustard

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
• Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs then add the cracker crumbs, onion, green pepper, milk, salt, pepper and cheese; stir to combine.
• Add the ground beef and mix well. Turn out the meatloaf mixture onto the prepared pan; shape into a loaf.
• Bake for 30 minutes then spread topping on top of the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the center is 160 ℉.
• Let stand for 5-10 minutes to rest, then slice and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 1015mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 6.8mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 4.4mg

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Here’s a great copycat recipe for the famous Cracker Barrel Chicken Broccoli Casserole.

Is there anyone who doesn’t love Cracker Barrel’s great comfort food?

Cracker Barrel Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

I’ve seen a number of copycat cracker barrel recipes floating around for this chicken and broccoli casserole, but I never much cared for the sauce(s) that came with it.  So I perfected my own sauce.

Now I know that Velveeta isn’t everyone’s dish of tea.  I rather like it and I like one thing most about it–sauces made with it do not separate like ones made with natural cheese.  You can add natural cheese too, so long as there’s a fair amount of Velveeta.  I’ve tried it.  It works.  However, if you really hate the stuff or have an allergy to it, alternate sauces can be made.

Cracker Barrel Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

The first alternate is, of course, a cheese sauce made with a medium white sauce with yellow cheddar cheese.  The second alternate is a can (10.5 oz) of condensed cheddar cheese soup to which you add 8 oz evaporated milk.  So take your pick; you have 3 choices!

Naturally evaporated skim milk may be used as well as 2% Velveeta and/or cheddar cheese, and reduced-fat crackers, but please use the butter.  It’s really necessary for the flavor here!

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Cracker Barrel Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

Here’s a great copycat recipe for the famous Cracker Barrel Chicken Broccoli Casserole.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, chicken and broccoli, chicken casserole recipes, Cracker Barrel recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 761kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 4 medium breasts, about 6 oz. each
• 2 cups broccoli florets fresh or frozen
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs about 1 sleeve
• 3 tbsp butter melted
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Sauce:

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cups Velveeta cheese cut into cubes

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray or grease the bottom of a 11 x 7-inch baking pan.
• Place chicken breasts in prepared pan. Sprinkle seasoned salt over the chicken breasts. Set aside while making sauce and buttered crumbs.
• Place sauce ingredients in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HI in 30 second intervals stirring after each 30 seconds, until Velveeta is melted and sauce is smooth.
• Prepare buttered crumbs by processing the crackers either in a food processor or placing them in a bag and using a rolling pin. Be careful not to overprocess the crumbs!! You want some larger pieces in there for the crunch factor!! Drizzle with the melted butter and stir until all the crumbs are coated.
• Pour half the sauce over the chicken breasts. Add broccoli evenly across the top of chicken. Pour remaining cheese sauce over broccoli and chicken. Top with the buttered cracker crumbs.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken test done (180 degrees F) in the thickest part.
• Remove from oven and top with the shredded cheddar

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 761kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 3236mg | Potassium: 1314mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1850IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 845mg | Iron: 2mg

Cracker Barrel Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

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