Easy dairy-free meatloaf is a savory, budget-friendly recipe that uses no milk and no butter and comes together with only 5 ingredients and minimal prep.
Made with ground meat, bread crumbs, and egg, this quick homemade comfort food gets its savory flavor from a secret shortcut—onion soup mix!
Topped with your choice of ketchup or barbecue sauce, this easy meatloaf recipe makes the perfect cozy weeknight dinner with family or a convenient dairy-free dish to bring to a potluck with friends.
And the leftovers make a terrific sandwich!
About meatloaf
The first variations of meatloaf seemed to have first come about during Roman times when it included dried fruit, meat, bread, and wine. Later, it included some organs. Sometimes, it was served in pie form rather than in a loaf shape.
In medieval times, it was made of leftovers and perishables.
Meatloaf is believed to have been brought to America by the Pennsylvania Dutch and was made with pork and cornmeal shaped in a loaf.
In New England, when a cow was slaughtered, they made sure to use all parts, and so the extra meat was combined with bread, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper to make the meatloaf.
Meatloaf is an international dish. In each country, it is made with preferred variations, and each calls it by a different name.
In the United States, clearly the name comes from the shape of the meat.
While one could technically make the dish using ground meat and seasoning alone, the egg and bread crumbs add flavor and help the dish hold its shape.
In addition, by adding the egg and bread crumbs, the meal stretches a little longer and makes the dish budget-friendly!
During the Great Depression, meatloaf helped families stretch their budget when they made meatloaf using cheap or leftover meat (ground) and added some kind of filler from bread, crackers, or cooked grains. This is probably when ketchup was added as a topping for extra flavor!
Although many jokes about “meatloaf again?” and “Meatloaf Monday” have been around for decades, meatloaf is a tasty dish and quick to make. It can be eaten as a main course with sides, with or without gravy, or however one likes it.
Meatloaf itself makes great leftovers (just make sure not to let it dry out when reheating)!
While this recipe calls for ketchup spread on the top before cooking, you can pretty much spread whatever you want on top either before or after cooking.
One type of popular sauce includes mixing 1/4 ketchup with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and a tablespoon of some form of vinegar.
BBQ sauce is a simple and flavorful way to top meatloaf.
If you don’t like or don’t eat beef, you can use any type of ground meat or chicken.
This version is a simple version with only 5 ingredients. It’s healthy, and it is made dairy-free!
And beef and eggs both have nutritional value!
Frequently Asked Questions: Dairy-Free Meatloaf
1. Can I use different types of bread for the crumbs?
Yes, you can use any plain, unseasoned breadcrumbs or crushed plain crackers you have on hand. If you have stale bread, toast it lightly and pulse it in a food processor for a great homemade texture that binds the meatloaf perfectly.
2. Why is onion soup mix a good shortcut for this recipe?
Onion soup mix is packed with savory seasoning, and it acts as an all-in-one flavor booster that ensures your meatloaf is perfectly seasoned throughout without the need to chop fresh aromatics or measure out individual spices.
3. How do I know when the meatloaf is fully cooked?
The most reliable way is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert it into the center of the loaf; it should reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to ensure the meat is safely cooked through.
4. What is the best way to prevent the meatloaf from cracking?
Avoid overworking the meat when mixing in the soup mix and crumbs. Gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Also, allow the meatloaf to rest for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven to let it cool. This helps the structure set so it holds its shape when sliced.
5. Can I prepare this meatloaf ahead of time?
Yes. You can assemble the loaf, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. This could actually allow the flavors from the onion soup mix to permeate the meat even more deeply.
What is needed to make this dairy-free meatloaf recipe?
I am not great at meal planning, so I keep a lot of ingredients in my kitchen cupboards and fridge to be able to make many recipes with very short notice. Whether or not you do this, these are the only pantry ingredients you need to be able to make this dish:
ground meat
onion soup mix
bread crumbs or plain cracker crumbs
egg
ketchup or barbecue sauce (optional)
Some related terms
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking, though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.
Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?
If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor-related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance-related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.
What does “savory” mean?
“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.
If you like dishes with ground beef, then try these other simple recipes:
Easy Dairy-Free Meatloaf with Onion Soup Mix Recipe
Easy and delicious, 5-ingredient meatloaf made without milk and without butter.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground meat
- 2 tablespoons onion soup mix or to taste
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs or plain cracker crumbs
- 1 egg
- Ketchup or barbecue sauce (optional for topping)
Instructions
- Mix ground meat with onion soup mix, 1/4 cup matza meal, and egg in a mixing bowl.
- Place mixture in a greased loaf pan.
- Spread ketchup or barbecue sauce over the top (if using)
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through as desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 557mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 22g