• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
Fox Valley Foodie
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About the Fox Valley Foodie
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Entree

    Meatloaf without Eggs

    Published: Aug 17, 2021 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Meatloaf without Eggs

    If you don't have any eggs on hand, don't worry. You can still create a mouthwatering meatloaf without eggs using simple ingredients! Is it still tender? You bet! Does it still hold together? Perfectly! Well, what's the secret? Let me tell you...

    Meatloaf without eggs on cutting board.

    Why are eggs added to meatloaf?

    Eggs are commonly used as a binder in a traditional meatloaf recipe to help hold everything together so it doesn't crumble and fall apart. The egg yolk in particular adds a little moisture, protein, fat, and flavor to the meatloaf. However, if you have an egg allergy, or just don't keep eggs on hand, you may think you can't make your favorite meal. Well, that is simply not true. This is a great recipe for anyone craving a flavorful meatloaf.

    Here's the secret: You can still make an exceptionally flavorful and moist meatloaf without eggs. Their binding power is minimal, particularly when the appropriate ratio of liquid and breadcrumbs are used, and the protein and fat can easily be replaced.

    What can I substitute for eggs in meatloaf?

    The way I see it, you have two perfectly good options to choose from. Let me explain the pros and cons of each egg substitute.

    • Shredded Parmesan cheese - This is my favorite binding agent substitute. This is a great choice because it replaces the lost fat, protein, and moisture from the eggs. Plus it adds flavor.
    • Nothing - This is the easiest option. Most any homemade meatloaf recipe will still turn out exceptional if the recipe creator used the proper amount of breadcrumbs and liquid. Eggs can be eliminated from the recipe and you will likely never know.

    Ingredients Needed for this Meatloaf Recipe

    Meatloaf ingredients without eggs shown in mixing bowl.
    • Ground beef - I recommend 85/15 lean ground beef, but anything between 80% and 90% lean will work. Avoid anything fattier or the eggless meatloaf will be too greasy. Anything leaner will be really dry.
    • Breadcrumbs - Plain bread crumbs work best, but Panko can also be used.
    • Milk - Beef broth can be substituted.
    • Shredded Parmesan cheese
    • Onion - Yellow onion or sweet onion is recommended.
    • Garlic clove - Garlic powder can be substituted.
    • Ketchup
    • Dijon mustard
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Salt and black pepper

    Meatloaf Glaze Ingredients

    • Ketchup
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Balsamic Vinegar

    How to make it

    Crumble the ground meat into a large mixing bowl. Smaller crumbles are best because it will make it easier to combine with the remaining ingredients. Add breadcrumbs, milk, onion, garlic, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the bowl as well. Using clean hands, combine the mixture thoroughly, as shown.

    Mix together the meatloaf ingredients.

    Prepare the simple sauce for your meatloaf in the same way. In a small bowl combine together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and Balsamic vinegar until well blended.

    Next, line a bread loaf pan with aluminum foil. This not only helps prevent the meatloaf from sticking, but it also makes removing the meatloaf WAY easier since you can just lift the foil out. Add a smear of sauce to the bottom of the pan then add the meat mixture into the pan and firmly press to fill the crevices evenly. Finally, add all of the remaining sauce to the top of the raw meatloaf.

    Raw meatloaf mixture in a bread pan.

    Place it in a 350-degree oven for one hour. Meatloaf is done when it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit when tested with a meat thermometer. Let the meatloaf rest briefly, then slice and serve.

    Make-Ahead Tip: You can make the meatloaf in advance and freeze the raw mixture until you are ready to make it. Simply remove it from the freezer, giving it plenty of time to thaw out in the refrigerator. Then proceed to bake it.

    What to serve with meatloaf

    Round out this comforting family dinner with any of these mouthwatering side dishes.

    • Classic Mashed potatoes
    • Steakhouse mashed potatoes
    • Roasted green beans
    • Brown sugar glazed carrots
    Sliced eggless meatloaf served with mashed potatoes.

    Meatloaf Leftovers

    Leftover meatloaf should be placed in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored in the refrigerator. To reheat it the next day, first cut it into individual slices then reheat in the microwave, oven, or stovetop until heated through. Personally, I like reheating them on the stovetop and then making leftover meatloaf sandwiches!

    Tip: If you do not slice the meatloaf prior to reheating it will be hard to reheat it evenly due to the thickness of the loaf.

    Meatloaf recipe without eggs.

    Meatloaf without eggs

    This meatloaf recipe without eggs is exceptionally flavorful and tender. You would never know there aren't eggs in it!
    5 from 37 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 415kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Equipment

    • Bread loaf pan
    • Aluminum foil

    Ingredients

    Meatloaf

    • 1 ½ pounds ground beef (85/15 beef recommended)*
    • ¾ cup breadcrumbs
    • ¾ cup milk
    • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
    • ½ cup diced onion
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • 2 tablespoons ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 teaspoon table salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Meatloaf Glaze

    • ½ cup ketchup
    • 2 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Crumble your ground beef into a large bowl and add breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, ketchup, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
    • Mix well to combine all of the meatloaf ingredients evenly.
    • Prepare the meatloaf glaze by mixing together the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.
    • Line a bread loaf pan with aluminum foil and smear approximately two tablespoons of meatloaf glaze on the bottom to help prevent sticking. Then add the meat mixture into the pan, pressing firmly to fill the pan evenly.
    • Paint the top of the meatloaf mixture with the remaining glaze.
    • Place meatloaf in the oven for one hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
    • Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly, then slice and serve.

    Notes

    Any ground beef between 80-90% lean will work well. 80% will be moister from the fat. 90% will have fewer calories.
     
    If you do not have a bread loaf pan you can use a rimmed baking sheet instead and just free-form the meatloaf into a loaf shape.

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 918mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    Get My FREE eCookbook

    mailer

    Subscribe to FoxValleyFoodie.com and get each tantalizing new post sent directly to your inbox, along with my complementary eCookbook just for signing up!

    « BBQ Stuffed Peppers
    Baked Beans with Ground Beef »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer

      February 21, 2025 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      I made this and really liked it. I'm a little weird about the texture of onions so next time I might use onion flakes but will put on my list of good recipes. Thanks for posting this eggless recipe.

      Reply
    2. Shari Kerlikowske

      September 06, 2024 at 1:36 pm

      Can I use oatmeal in place of breadcrumbs? How about crushed Ritz crackers?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        September 10, 2024 at 8:11 am

        Yes, both would work great as substitutions.

        Reply
      • Denise

        March 13, 2025 at 9:08 am

        Looking forward to trying this recipe but I'm lactose intolerant. I use lactose free milk, but can I leave the cheese out? Do I need to adjust the breadcrumbs and/or milk? Thanks!

        Reply
    3. Kyra

      May 06, 2024 at 8:22 pm

      5 stars
      My whole house smells so good. My son hates everything and he came from his room asking what smelled so good. This is definitely going to be our go to recipe

      Reply
    4. Tonya

      January 03, 2024 at 9:07 am

      Can you use ground turkey instead of beef?

      Reply
    5. Lee Gordon

      June 15, 2023 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      I made this last night and it is the BEST meatloaf I ever made! Delicious, moist and stayed together fine without egg.

      Reply
    6. Luci

      May 22, 2023 at 11:21 pm

      This sounds amazing, I just used the last of my eggs in my son’s birthday cake, so I needed an eggless recipe.

      Reply
      • Stacey

        December 08, 2024 at 11:44 am

        What can you use if you dnt have honey dzion mustard

        Reply
        • Fox Valley Foodie

          December 10, 2024 at 8:22 am

          Use a brown mustard instead.

          Reply
          • Nicole

            March 01, 2025 at 3:00 pm

            My husband says it's the best he's ever had and meatloaf is his favorite. However, he married a woman allergic to eggs. The Parmesan works amazingly and I have used it in other recipes. Great binder with the breadcrumbs.

            Reply
    7. Denise

      March 05, 2023 at 3:02 pm

      Great Receipe!! easy to make.

      Reply
      • JBags411

        July 06, 2023 at 10:26 pm

        5 stars
        I just tried this recipe tonight, I didn't have all the ingredients but I decided to experiment with what I did have handy. Shredded 5 cheese blend instead of Parmesan, 1 tbsp of garlic powder instead of a clove of garlic, and sweet BBQ sauce in place of Worcestershire sauce and also as the glaze... Turned out beautifully and the recipe was right that you can't tell there aren't any eggs. Thanks!

        Reply
    8. Amanda

      January 31, 2023 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      No eggs last minute "what to do with pound an a half of ground beef moment" turned out great. Very tasty, loved the sauce! Thanks

      Reply
    9. Melissa Mairose

      January 23, 2023 at 7:24 am

      Excellent meatloaf I will make it again. I didn't have eggs on hand so my family & I tried this and fell in love. Thank You.

      Reply
    10. Debbie

      January 14, 2023 at 9:17 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Thank you, not sure how to subscribe!

      Reply
    11. Kelita Miles

      November 27, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      5 stars
      Turned out Amazing Thanks so much!Yumm

      Reply
    12. Walter Dixon

      November 14, 2022 at 3:16 pm

      5 stars
      Quick, easy and very tasty recipe. Thanks very much.

      Reply
    5 from 37 votes (29 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Subscribe

    15834

    Get each tantalizing new recipe

    sent directly to your inbox.

    AND GET MY eCOOKBOOK FREE!

    Search for your favorite post!

    Popular Recipes

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs - Bone In

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)

    Fried chicken gizzards recipe.

    Fried Chicken Gizzards

    Close up Sloppy Joes

    Homemade Manwich (Sloppy Joes)

    Homemade mozzarella sticks with string cheese

    Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese

    How to make paprika

    How to Make Paprika

    Big Mac Sauce Copycat Recipe

    McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf with Secret Ingredient

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf - With a Secret Ingredient

    Venison Meatloaf Recipe

    Venison Meatloaf

    As featured in yahoo, buzzfeed, oprah, msn and more!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Fox Valley Foodie, LLC

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.