How Long To Cook 2 lb Meatloaf At 350 Degrees In Oven?

Have you ever experienced a case DD? DD stands for “Dinner Dilemma” and it’s when you just can’t decide what to have for dinner. I always experience DDs and whenever I have DDs, I always have only one answer: Meatloaf! I mean, who doesn’t love a loaf of meat? Meatloaf is a loaf full of flavor in every bite that will surely make every dinner a delight. I’m telling you, a great meatloaf will be your family’s new favorite, and it’s bound to solve every DD you have! A popular question that we get is this. How long to cook 2 lb meatloaf at 350 degrees in oven? We like to cover this in this post and other tips on the recipe to make the best homemade meatloaf in the oven.

How Long To Cook 2 lb Meatloaf At 350 Degrees In Oven?

It takes 1 to 1.5 hours to cook a 2 lb meatloaf at 350 degrees in the oven. The cook time per pound of meatloaf is 35 to 45 minutes per pound at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And, the more meatloaf you want to cook, you just need to adjust the cooking time. That is to say, a 3 lb meatloaf would take around 1.5 to 2 hours to cook in the oven!

What temp to cook meatloaf to?

You can actually raise the oven temp a bit to 375 degrees to cook the meatloaf. This would give you a decrease in your cooking time by a slight 5 minutes per pound! Though, you can’t really lower the temperature anymore because anything lower than 350 degrees won’t cook your meatloaf through. So, 350 to 375 degrees would be just the perfect temp for cooking your meatloaf in the oven! Also, make sure that the internal temperature of your meatloaf reaches 160 degrees to make sure it’s cooked to absolute safety and perfection!

How to bake meatloaf in the oven?

There are many recipes for meatloaf in the oven online. But I just stick to the one easy meatloaf recipe. And here’s how to make meatloaf in the oven.

1. Make your meatloaf

All you need to do is just mix the ground beef, minced onions, garlic, eggs, ketchup, some parsley, oregano, some breadcrumbs as extenders, milk.

2 Add seasoning to meatloaf

Add seasonings to your meatloaf like salt, pepper, paprika, and other seasonings you want to add according to your taste!

3 Shape your meatloaf

Then, you just have to put your meat on a loaf pan, shape it evenly and flatten it out, and then you just let it bake!

4 Make glaze for meatloaf

After that, all there’s left to do is just make a glaze! You can make a simple yet classic and scrumptious one by mixing ketchup, sugar, vinegar, onion and garlic powder, a little cayenne for spice, and salt and pepper!

5 Bake

After letting your meat bake for some good 35-40 minutes, simply put the glaze on top, and pop it back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes! And you’re done! It’s that simple, yet it’s the best way to have a tasty dinner!

Tip: Once your meatloaf is done cooking, don't put it out right away. Let it rest for around 10 minutes instead! That would let your meatloaf keep its shape better and it would absorb its juices better!

How to cook meatloaf in oven fast?

Meatloaf is just super scrumptious! This classic dish is perfect for any dinner or occasion! Meatloaf doesn’t require much preparation too! It’s really simple, easy, and quick! But, if you’re looking for ways to cook a meatloaf even faster, here are some ways you can quicken up that process to make sure the hungry tummies of your guests won’t have to wait for too long!

Make meatloaf in advance

The best thing you can do to quicken your cooking is to prepare your meatloaf the day before! Simply prep the meat and pop it in the freezer overnight. Simply put it out a few hours before cooking to let it thaw, then bake it as you would usually do!

Smaller Meatloaf

Another thing you can do is to cook smaller loaves instead of one big one! Though this deviates from the classic meatloaf recipe, it does make the cooking time much faster since the meat is cooking in small portions.

Broil meatloaf

If you’re looking for faster cooking methods, then you can opt for the broiler to cook your mealoaf! It will shorten your cooking time since it will cook your meat at a higher temperature. However, be careful not to overcook your loaf, and don’t make it dry.

What goes well with meatloaf?

Yummm! Everyone loves a good meatloaf! And I’m sure, your meatloaf will save every dinner and make every family-and-friends gathering you have, the absolute best! Meatloaf in its bare minimum is already heavenly. But, why not take your meatloaf to the next level and wow your guests even more? If you want to do that, here are things you can do!

Add Sides for meatloaf

Like I always say, sides will always make your main dish shine! Some sides that go great with meatloaf would be some broccoli, spinach, or even potatoes would go great!

Try new meatloaf glazes

Though the classic meatloaf has a glaze made with ketchup or tomatoes, you can’t go wrong with trying out something new too! Try using gravy, barbeque, or so many other options!

Conclusion

We just love a good loaf of meat. A great meatloaf will keep your friends and family wanting it for dinner back to back! It’s just never a wrong choice to serve this for dinner! And I hope, this can help you prep and cook your meatloaf to absolute perfection, and wow your friends and family with the dish you’re serving! Enjoy your dinner and have a lovely and scrumptious meal!

FAQs on Oven Baked Meatloaf

How many pounds of meatloaf per person?

I always prepare 1 pound of meatloaf per person. This is sufficient meat for a serving.

What is the internal temp of meatloaf when done?

The internal temp of the meatloaf should hit 160 degrees Fahrenheit for the meat to be fully cooked.