Meatloaf with brown gravy is comfort food at its very best! This meatloaf is incredibly moist and loaded with flavor from ground chuck, fresh thyme, garlic, and onion, and is topped with a brown mushroom gravy that just takes it over the top. Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans, and use the leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches the next day.
Growing up, my mom and grandma would make meatloaf all the time.
They’d usually make Italian-style meatloaf with tomato sauce which is equally delicious, but sometimes a change is good.
This meatloaf with brown mushroom gravy reminds me of one you’d get in an Irish pub and is absolutely fantastic.
The flavors from the fresh thyme, mushrooms, and white wine in the gravy are just perfect with the meatloaf.
I’ll usually serve this brown gravy meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes or creamy stovetop mac and cheese. A side of garlic green beans or roasted carrots works well too.
If you enjoy the mushroom gravy and ground beef combo, check out my recipe for Salisbury Steak – these are basically mini meatloafs!
So simple but so good!
Table of Contents
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat your oven to 400f and set the rack to the middle level. Mince one medium onion and grate 2 cloves of garlic. Mince a 1/4 cup worth of parsley and slice 1 pound of mushrooms. Remove the leaves from thyme sprigs dividing 2 teaspoons for use in the meatloaf, and 1 teaspoon for the gravy.
- In a large bowl add 2 1/2 pounds of ground chuck, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 2 large beaten eggs, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 cup of milk, and the onion, garlic, parsley and the 2 teaspoons of thyme. Mix using your hands to form a 9-inch long by 5-inch wide loaf.
- Move the loaf to a baking dish and bake for 60-70 minutes.
- Check your meatloaf for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the deepest part of the loaf. The meatloaf will be done when it reaches 160f. Once it’s done, remove it from the oven and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes before slicing into it.
- While the meatloaf is resting, make the gravy. Heat a large pan to medium heat and sear the mushrooms in 6 tablespoons of the meatloaf pan drippings. Note: For beef chuck, there will most likely be more than 6 tablespoons of pan drippings. For leaner beef or turkey, add butter to make up the difference.
- Cook the mushrooms until they release their water and it evaporates then add a 1/2 cup of dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until it reduces by half.
- Turn the heat back down to medium and add 6 tablespoons of flour and cook for 2 minutes or until the flour turns golden (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add 3 cups of low-sodium beef stock and bring to a boil while whisking to incorporate all of the flour. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the remaining thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the gravy is too thick, add some more water or stock. If it’s too thin, raise the heat to high and reduce until it reaches the desired consistency. Slice your meatloaf and top it with the gravy. Enjoy!
Top tips
- The meat. I used 80/20 ground chuck for this meatloaf. Since there is a higher fat content, it helps prevent the meatloaf from drying out. While I do recommend using 80/20 chuck, if you wanted to use leaner ground beef or turkey, you can do so.
- Mixing the meatloaf. Don’t overmix the meatloaf but just mix it until it’s well incorporated. If while you’re mixing you find the meatloaf is too wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs to the mix.
- Let it rest. When the meatloaf comes out of the oven, let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. This will prevent your meatloaf from falling apart and it will retain all of the moisture. During resting, you will have the perfect amount of time to make the brown mushroom gravy.
- The gravy. I added a 1/2 cup of dry white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc, to the gravy because it adds so much flavor. You can omit the wine entirely to make it alcohol-free. If you’ve used a stovetop-safe pan to cook your meatloaf, you can transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board to rest and make the gravy directly in the same pan. Just be sure to remove any extra drippings (you only need 6 tablespoons for the gravy).
More comforting meals you’ll love
Meatloaf with mushroom gravy is at the top of the list of comfort foods along with these other classics!
- Italian beef stew – chuck beef braised with carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a red wine sauce.
- Beef Stroganoff – seared steak and mushrooms in a tangy cream sauce with buttery egg noodles.
- Shepherd’s pie – the classic made with ground lamb, carrots, and peas in a Guinness sauce topped with creamy, crispy mashed potatoes.
- Baked chicken and potatoes – chicken pieces and potatoes roasted with garlic, onion, parsley, and oregano.
- Sloppy Joes – tangy ground beef sandwiches that are messy but worth it!
- Chicken fricassee – hearty stew with chicken braised in a white wine cream sauce with carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms.
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Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
Meatloaf with brown gravy is a comforting meal made with ground chuck, fresh thyme, garlic, onion, and parsley. It's topped with mushroom brown gravy and is perfect with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Ingredients
For the meatloaf
- 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck
- 4-5 slices day old bread turned into 1 cup of breadcrumbs, see notes
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves only
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 medium onion minced
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the brown mushroom gravy
- 6 tablespoons pan drippings
- 1 pound mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine optional
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups low sodium beef stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves only
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400f and set the rack to the middle level.
- Gently mix all of the meatloaf ingredients together in a large bowl. Form an approximately 9-inch long by 5-inch wide loaf and place it into a baking dish.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until meatloaf reaches 160f with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the loaf.
- Once the meatloaf has achieved the 160f internal temp, remove it from the oven and wait 15-20 minutes before cutting so that the meatloaf stays together. During the resting time, prepare the brown mushroom gravy below.
For the brown mushroom gravy
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and sear the mushrooms in 6 tablespoons of the meatloaf's pan drippings.
- Cook the mushrooms until they release their water and it evaporates. Add a 1/2 cup of dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes on medium-high heat until it reduces by about half. Turn heat back down to medium and add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes (or until all of the flour turns golden brown).
- Add the beef stock and thyme and bring to a boil while whisking to incorporate all of the flour. Once boiling lower the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the gravy is too thick, add a bit more stock or water. If too thin just raise the heat to high and reduce until satisfied. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pulse stale bread in a food processor to make breadcrumbs or use a clean coffee grinder. Store-bought plain breadcrumbs (1 to 1 1/4 cups) can also be used.
- If the meatloaf mix is too wet, just add a bit more breadcrumbs to the mix.
- Make sure to let the meatloaf sit for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting into it so that it stays together. While the meatloaf is resting, use that time to make the gravy.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in the oven at 350f until warm or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.8g | Protein: 42.6g | Fat: 42.3g | Saturated Fat: 16.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1310mg | Potassium: 974mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 5.4g | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made this tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it..nice change from tomato based meatloaf. I thought the gravy a little bland so I added few tablespoons of A1 sauce.
Good recipe. It just needed some more seasoning. Also, I added some beef broth and celery. i didn’t make the gravy so I won’t comment on that.
Looks really good. Thank you sharing this. Did you ever make a meatloaf with bread stuffing in the middle. My mom use to make it all the time when i was growing up.
This is the best thing I’ve been able to do. It’s so easy and sooooooo good
Can I use gluten free bread?
Hi Amy, yes, you can use gluten free bread.
This was amazing my husband and I really enjoyed and it will become a staple dinner I served with mashed potatoes and green beans the recipe was simple to follow and the only thing I didn’t use was the wine besides that five stars and have left overs too
Hi Chris, we’re so happy you enjoyed and really appreciate the comment!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic. I do not eat beef so I used ground pork instead. It was fantastic. The change in meat did not yield so much pan drippings so I ended up using mosty butter. I might try a different type of fat to use in place of half the butter. Loved it, I will just tweak it to our particular taste. I have been missing meatloaf. This hit the spot on this cold rainy night. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Erika, we’re so happy you enjoyed and thanks for sharing your substitution. Thanks for the comment!
Can I use oatmeal bread? I have enjoyed all your recipes that I have tried. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Evelyn, you can use any breadcrumbs you’d like for this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Made this again last night, this time for my parents as I’m visiting them currently. They both loved it, and it was lots of fun cooking this meal with my mom! Went perfect with mashed potatoes and peas.
Hi James, we’re so happy you enjoyed this one and really appreciate your comment!
Hi Jim, while fresh thyme is preferred it’s not always attainable. Have you tried making it with dried and if so, how much? I’m a meatloaf junkie so I’d love to add your recipe to my arsenal. Love your Italian style one! Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Judy, you can definitely use dried time. Since dried herbs are more potent than fresh, we recommend using 1/3-1/2 of the fresh (so ~1 teaspoon of dried for the meatloaf and ~1/2 teaspoon for the gravy) . Hope you enjoy!
This was delicious but my husband doesn’t always like wine in food!!! Next time would I substitute with extra beef stock?
Hi Gina, the wine is optional and you can omit it entirely. See Jim’s comments under the Top Tips section on gravy. Glad you enjoyed!
I just made this for my fussy husband and myself. I had to grate the onion because he doesn’t like them but that is the only change I made. It was WONDERFUL! Thank you for finally giving me the meatloaf recipe that I always wanted!
Hi Dee, I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed the meatloaf! Thanks for the comment!
The meat loaf came out amazing. My family loved it.
Hi Jeanette, we’re so happy you and your family enjoyed the meatloaf! Thanks for the comment!
Hi again:
Just wanted to say that I appreciate your suggestions for accompanying dishes. I often use these.
This was so good that I needed a moment alone to compose myself after wolfing it down. Ha ha.
Hi Drew, haha, so happy you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for the comment!
Hi James: I love your Italian meatloaf so I wanted to give your meatloaf with brown gravy a try. I agree that pulling the leaves of thyme sprigs can be a pain. I see that in the video you put whole sprigs into the sauce. About how many sprigs would you say is equivalent to 2 teaspoons?
Hi Drew, you can throw 2-3 sprigs in if you’d like. You don’t need to be super exact here. Hope you enjoy!
I always use ketchup in my meatloaf! Would you recommend adding ketchup to this recipe?? Love your videos and I am not even Italian!
Hi Sue, I don’t think this recipe needs ketchup, but if you’d like to add it you can definitely give it a try and see how it turns out.
Hey Jim! Both my daughters have been begging me to make meatloaf! The one I usually make isn’t healthy so I searched for a gravy based one! Less sugar and discovered yours! I can’t wait to make it! What brand of white wine would you recommend or is it ok as long as it’s a dry wine? I can’t wait to try this! It looks delicious!
Hi Jennifer, I hope you enjoy the meatloaf! My go-to for a Sauvignon Blanc is Matua which is a New Zealand wine. It’s great and is budget friendly (usually around $12-14). You could also use a Pinot Grigo but I don’t really have a go-to brand for that.
Jim, I made this delicious meatloaf and the mushroom gravy for my husband for Father’s Day. It was fantastic and will now be one of our favorite versions of meatloaf! I practically inhaled mine much like your son did in the video. Thank you for such a simple yet flavorful recipe.
Hi Linda, I’m thrilled to hear you all enjoyed this meatloaf for Father’s Day! Thanks so much for the comment.
This is the meatloaf recipe I’ve been looking for all my life! I can’t tell you how many meatloaf recipes I’ve tried over the years, looking for a keeper. Jim is spot on, as always. Since I’ve discovered this website, I always check here for recipes first. They are all delicious!
Hi Amy, what a great comment, thank you so much. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes and you trust us to check here first!
Absolutely delicious and easy! I didn’t use mushrooms but sautéed some onions and it worked out fine. Definitely a keeper.
Hi Eric, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe!