Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
Cracker Barrel’s Meatloaf is one of the restaurant’s most popular homestyle dishes. It’s known for its tender texture, savory flavor, and slightly sweet tomato glaze on top.
🥩 What’s in It?
Cracker Barrel’s meatloaf typically includes:
- Ground beef
- Sautéed onions and green bell peppers
- Crushed buttery crackers (instead of breadcrumbs)
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Seasonings (salt & black pepper)
- Tomato-based glaze (ketchup, brown sugar, mustard)
🍽 How It’s Served
At Cracker Barrel, meatloaf is usually:
- Served in thick slices
- Topped with a sweet tomato glaze
- Paired with two country sides (like mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, green beans, fried apples, etc.)
- Comes with biscuits or cornbread muffins
🏠 Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup crushed Ritz-style crackers
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine beef, onion, bell pepper, crushed crackers, eggs, milk, cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix gently (don’t overwork it).
- Shape into a loaf and place in a baking dish or loaf pan.
- Mix glaze ingredients and spread half over the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Spread remaining glaze on top and bake 15–20 more minutes (internal temp: 160°F).
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- A slow cooker version
- A healthier/lower-carb version
- Or tips to make it taste exactly like the restaurant version 😊
