I tried meatloaf recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray, and the best one beat the Barefoot Contessa’s

Garten’s recipe had a short ingredient list and was very straightforward. It included common pantry items such as olive oil, onions, eggs, and chicken stock.

She also recommended using ground chuck, a ground-beef blend that’s usually 80% lean and 20% fat. 

I sautéed chopped onions, thyme, salt, and pepper in a pan until the onions were translucent.

Then, I removed the pan from the heat and added Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste.

I placed the onion mixture, ground chuck, breadcrumbs, and eggs in a large bowl.

The recipe recommended lightly mixing the ingredients with a fork to prevent the meatloaf from getting dense. I opted to wear food-prep gloves and gently combine everything by hand.

After reading some tips in the comments under Garten’s recipe, I lined a sheet pan with two layers of parchment paper, then placed the meat mixture on top.

I shaped everything into a loaf, coated it with ketchup, and put it in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The full recipe called for about an hour of baking, but I halved it, so it was done after 45 minutes. 

I noticed the finished product was soaked in grease, but I easily removed it with a spoon.

Garten recommended putting a pan of hot water in the oven to keep the meat from cracking. However, my meatloaf still cracked after following that step, and it wasn’t a big deal.

Garten’s meatloaf had a short ingredient list, was easy to make, and tasted comforting.

It was moist without being greasy, and I thought it had a good texture from the onions and a nice sweetness from the ketchup. It was basically everything I’d want in a classic meatloaf dish.

Drummond’s recipe was a bit of a departure from Garten’s classic meatloaf. She included ingredients such as white bread, milk, Parmesan, parsley, and bacon.

Drummond recommended soaking slices of bread in milk before combining them with ground beef, Parmesan, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, parsley, and eggs.

After putting all of the ingredients in a bowl, I gently mixed them by hand.

Since I don’t have a broiler pan, I placed my meatloaf on a cooling rack set on a foil-lined sheet pan.

I topped the meatloaf with bacon and Drummond’s sauce, which I made with ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire.

I put about 1/3 of the sauce mixture on the meat before baking it at 350 degrees.

Toward the end of the baking time, I added more of the sauce and saved the rest for the finished loaf. 

Using a cooling rack on top of a sheet pan was pretty successful. Only some of the meat fell to the bottom of the pan, and there was barely any grease when I took the meatloaf out of the oven.

Drummond’s meatloaf was moist, and I enjoyed the parsley garnish, which paired well with the sweetness of the tomato sauce. 

I didn’t love the chunks of white bread at first, but the texture grew on me. However, the bacon wasn’t as crunchy as I usually prefer it, so I’d skip it if I made this recipe again.

Although this version was more flavorful than Garten’s, I didn’t return for seconds.

Ray’s meatloaf recipe had an extensive list of ingredients, including chicken broth and apples.

She also recommended using ground turkey instead of ground beef as a base, which was different from the previous recipes.

Ray recommended sautéing thyme, celery, apples, onions, salt, and pepper in a pan to start.

I also rehydrated breadcrumbs with chicken stock and softened dried cranberries with hot water.

In a bowl, I gently mixed the ground turkey with salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, apple mixture, cranberries, extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, poultry seasoning, and an egg.

Since I halved the recipe, I put the meat in the oven at 400 degrees and baked it for 40 minutes instead of the recommended hour.

To make Ray’s homemade apple-cider gravy, I started by whisking together warm butter and flour.

Then I added chicken stock, apple cider, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, and simmered the mixture until it was thick enough to coat my spoon.

I found the process to be surprisingly easy, and I’d definitely make it again for other dishes.

Since Ray called for a ground-turkey base, it wasn’t as moist as the previous recipes. Even so, the gravy prevented it from being dry while adding a sweet flavor.

I also enjoyed the addition of cranberries and the slight crunch of the apples.

The dish tasted like a combination of my favorite fall flavors and reminded me of Thanksgiving leftovers.

Ray’s meatloaf recipe tasted like Thanksgiving — and came together much faster than roasting a bird and making sides. Even though I halved her recipe, there was still plenty to serve a crowd or save for leftovers.

I can’t see myself making Drummond’s meatloaf again, even if it was tasty.

However, if you’re looking for a classic recipe, you can’t go wrong with Garten’s. It’s simple enough to whip up with some ground beef and kitchen staples.

Check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we’ve put head-to-head so far.

This story was originally published on October 15, 2023, and most recently updated on March 13, 2026.