This flavorful, juicy Pork Meatloaf with the tastiest glaze is a great kid-friendly dinner idea that the whole family loves! It's really easy to make—just mix together and pop in the oven—and you'll be so pleasantly surprised by how TASTY ground pork meatloaf is! This is a great budget-friendly recipe.
This meatloaf is dairy-free and is perfect for a small family, but the recipe can be doubled for a larger family!

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Ground pork meatloaf
We love cooking with ground pork instead of ground beef. I find pork to be so much more flavorful and versatile than ground beef. And with the cost of beef nowadays, I am glad I have a bunch of ground pork recipes in my rotation.
After my pork burgers were a huge hit, I decided to make ground pork meatloaf.
And we absolutely LOVE this pork meatloaf!!

It's so flavorful, juicy, and just absolutely spot on. Every time.
The best part is that it is SO easy to make! Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and pop it in the oven. No need to stand over the stove! After a few times of making this recipe, I don't even measure the ingredients but just eyeball them. (Don't worry, I measured them to write down this recipe for you).
This meatloaf has never failed me.
Ready to get started?

More non-traditional meatloaf recipes: Fish Loaf
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 1 lb ground pork (80% or 85% lean)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (the finer the better, you can use a food processor to chop it up)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely minced
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs (or panko)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, parsley)
- ¾ - 1 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon makes for a saltier, though admittedly tastier, meatloaf)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
For the glaze:
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce (or substitute with 2 tablespoons ketchup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar or any vinegar you have)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
More ground pork recipes: Ground Pork Tacos
Equipment
- An 8x5-inch loaf pan *or* a baking pan. If you want dry edges for your meatloaf, use a baking pan. If you want juicy edges for your meatloaf, use a bread loaf pan. If doubling the recipe, you can use a slightly bigger loaf pan, such as 9x5-inches.
- Parchment paper, to make sure the meatloaf doesn't stick
- Large bowl
- Pastry brush, to brush the glaze on the meatloaf (or you can use a spoon to spread it)
- Measuring spoons and cups
More ground pork recipes: Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Pork Stir Fry
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with oil, or place parchment paper on a baking sheet and lightly spray with oil.

Step 2: Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix it together well and make sure all the seasonings are spread throughout the ground pork.

Step 3: Shape the ground pork mixture into a loaf shape and place into the parchment paper-lined loaf pan or on a baking sheet. Press down gently to get it to your desired shape.

Step 4: Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. (If you want to skip the glaze, bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the meatloaf is fully cooked and a meat thermometer measures at least 165F in the thickest part.)

Step 5: While the meatloaf is baking, combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and mix together.

Step 6: After 30 minutes, carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. Brush the glaze mixture on top of the meatloaf and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the meatloaf is fully cooked and the internal temperature is at least 165F.

Step 7: Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing it from the baking pan and slicing. If you try to slice it too early, it will crumble.
More meaty saucy recipes to try: Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Small meatloaf recipe
This recipe uses 1 lb of ground pork and makes a meatloaf that is on the smaller side. It's perfect for a family of 4 or for a couple who wants leftovers.
If you want to double the recipe, you can simply double all the ingredients, except for the glaze. If you're using a loaf pan, the amount of glaze needed will be the same. If you're shaping your own meatloaf by hand, you might need to increase the glaze by just a little bit (add an extra tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce).
If doubling the recipe, increase the initial baking time to about 40-45 minutes before glazing. Make sure that the inside of the meatloaf is fully cooked to 165F.
More flavorful pork recipes to try: Cajun Pork Chops
Meatloaf without milk
You'll notice that this meatloaf doesn't have milk added do it. Most meatloaf recipes call for adding milk to the ground meat mixture, or for soaking bread in milk... but I find that it is just not necessary.
This meatloaf comes out perfectly juicy every time thanks to flavorful ground pork (make sure to use 80% or 85% lean), fresh onion and garlic, a little ketchup, and egg mixed into the meat mixture.
So if you're dairy-free, then this is the dairy-free meatloaf recipe for you!
More recipes to try: Ground Bison Meatballs
What to serve with meatloaf
For a classic American dinner, serve meatloaf with mashed potatoes (try these slow cooker mashed potatoes!) and a veggie (we love roasted veggies, try bacon roasted vegetables or roasted cauliflower!).
For a lighter meal, serve with a roasted veggie (try these thyme roasted carrots!) and a salad.
You can't go wrong either way!
More ground pork recipes to try: Baked Pork Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables
Leftover meatloaf ideas
If you have leftover meatloaf, it actually reheats REALLY well in the microwave and stays nice and juicy. But if you want to use leftover meatloaf for other recipes, try this:
- Meatloaf sandwich (add a slice of cheese and toast the whole sandwich in the oven, panini press, or a toaster oven. So good!!
- Crumble up meatloaf and add it to marinara sauce for pasta
- Crumble of meatloaf and add it to lasagna before baking
- Chop it up and make some meatloaf tacos
- Add it to shepherd's pie
- Use it in a casserole
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Pork Meatloaf with Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork - (80% or 85% lean)
- 1 small onion - finely diced (the finer the better, you can use a food processor to chop it up)
- 2 cloves garlic - finely minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - finely minced
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs - (or panko)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning - (or 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, parsley)
- ½ - ¾ teaspoon salt - to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - or to taste
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce - (or substitute with 2 tablespoons ketchup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar - (or white vinegar or any vinegar)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Special equipment
- 8x5-inch loaf pan or use a baking pan for crispier edges
- Parchment paper to make sure the meatloaf doesn't stick
- Pastry brush to brush the glaze on the meatloaf (or you can use a spoon to spread it)
- Measuring spoons and cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with oil, or place parchment paper on a baking sheet and lightly spray or brush with oil.
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix it together well and make sure all the seasonings are spread throughout the ground pork.
- Shape the ground pork mixture into a loaf shape and place into the parchment paper-lined loaf pan or on a baking sheet. Press down gently to get it to your desired shape.
- Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. (If you want to skip the glaze, bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the meatloaf is fully cooked and a meat thermometer measures at least 165F in the thickest part.)
- While the meatloaf is baking, combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and mix together.
- After 30 minutes, carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. Brush the glaze mixture on top of the meatloaf and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the meatloaf is fully cooked and the internal temperature is at least 165F.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing it from the baking pan and slicing. If you try to slice it too early, it will crumble. Serve warm, spooning the juices from the pan onto the meatloaf.
Notes
- Increase the initial baking time to 45 minutes, and make sure the thickest part of the meatloaf is fully cooked at 165F before removing from the oven.
- You can use a slightly larger loaf pan, about 9x5 inches.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Mindy
Thursday 26th of October 2023
Loved it! Thanks for the recipe. I had to cook it for way longer but that could be my oven. Delish.
Linda
Wednesday 29th of March 2023
You show 2 tbsp of parsley as an ingredient but never say how to use it. Are we to assume you fold it into the pork mix? Not very clear instructions.
Your English Teacher
Thursday 7th of December 2023
@Linda,
In step two, it clearly states "combine all ingredients for the meatloaf."
Janet Kang
Tuesday 21st of March 2023
We really enjoyed this meatloaf! I didn't have BBQ sauce, so I took the advice and just used more ketchup with sugar. (Next time we will omit the sugar and will use 3/4t salt instead of 1t salt.) I also added a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and I think that this was just the right touch!
Question: What is the serving size for the nutrition information?
Many thanks for posting this recipe! Best regards, Janet Kang
Kate
Wednesday 22nd of March 2023
Hi Janet, Thanks so much for leaving a comment, I'm glad you liked the meatloaf! The recipe card states 4 servings, so the nutrition info is estimated assuming 4 servings. I didn't weigh or measure the slices in each serving, and yours might be a bit different because of the exact ingredients you used.
Wade
Tuesday 13th of December 2022
The sauce was pretty good and made the whole thing more edible, but the mix of the bbq sauce with italian spices in the meat was a little strange to my pallet. The meatloaf without the sauce was a little too bland. Probably would make again with different spices or just more bbq sauce instead of italian spices.
Janet
Thursday 16th of February 2023
@Wade, Thanks for pointing out the italian seasoning not going with BBQ sauce. It didn't make sense to me, so after reading your post I left it out. I did use a bit more BBQ plus pepper, and a Tbs vinegar...acid was needed. Otherwise good basic recipe