Ina Garten Says You'll Be 'Shocked' by How Simple Her Meatloaf Recipe Is

If you’re not very confident in the kitchen yet, there are probably a few simple dishes that you stick to while you develop your skills. And if Ina’s Garden‘s meatloaf recipe isn’t already on this list, but it should be. Not only is it delicious and full of flavor, but it’s also incredibly simple to make. In fact, it’s one of the go-to recipes she shares with new cooks because it’s that simple.

“Whenever I’m asked to teach a beginner how to cook, I always ask them, ‘What do you like to eat?’ Because that’s what they’re going to want to cook,” Garten said in a clip posted to Food Network’s Instagram page. “You’d be surprised how often the answer is meatloaf…you’d also be surprised how easy it is to make.”

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Garten’s meatloaf recipe starts with a pile of ground meat mixed with delicious sautéed onions that have been infused with chopped fresh thyme, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste. She then adds breadcrumbs and two eggs and mixes it all together with a fork.

“That’s the key to making meatloaf. It has to be airy,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be dense.” Another great way to introduce air into meatloaf is to use your hands to mix.

Garten also skips the loaf pan and instead forms the meat mixture into a loaf shape on a flat baking sheet. She adds a little ketchup on top to keep it moist while it cooks, then Garten puts it in the oven to bake.

And to keep the bread uniform more To get moist meatloaf, you can fill a pan with hot water and place it on the rack under your meatloaf pan while it cooks. “You’ll have moist, delicious meatloaf every time,” Garten said.

“It’s light, it’s full of flavor, and no one will think you’re a beginner,” Garten says. We’re sold! Get her full meatloaf recipe here to wow your friends and family.

Before you go, check out Garten’s best dinner recipes below:

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