{"id":47512,"date":"2026-03-13T13:41:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T13:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/i-tried-meatloaf-recipes-from-ina-garten-ree-drummond-and-rachael-ray-and-the-best-one-beat-the-barefoot-contessas\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T13:41:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T13:41:15","slug":"i-tried-meatloaf-recipes-from-ina-garten-ree-drummond-and-rachael-ray-and-the-best-one-beat-the-barefoot-contessas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/i-tried-meatloaf-recipes-from-ina-garten-ree-drummond-and-rachael-ray-and-the-best-one-beat-the-barefoot-contessas\/","title":{"rendered":"I tried meatloaf recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray, and the best one beat the Barefoot Contessa&#8217;s"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d6e568f1d46f52aed3f4?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Three different meat-loaf dishes.\"\/><figcaption>I decided to compare meatloaf recipes from three celebrity chefs.<\/p>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>I tried meatloaf recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray to see which was best.<\/li>\n<li>Garten&#039;s meatloaf was simple and easy to make, but Drummond&#039;s dish was a bit overwhelming.<\/li>\n<li>Ray&#039;s recipe was the best because it tasted like a Thanksgiving dish with my favorite fall flavors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I love family-sized meals that provide enough leftovers for my husband and me \u2014 but somehow, I&#039;d never made meatloaf before.<\/p>\n<p>To find the best way to make this popular comfort dish, I turned to the celebrity chefs.<\/p>\n<p>I tested out recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray to find the best version of the classic dish.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#039;s how the recipes stacked up.<\/p>\n<p>The ingredient list for Garten&#039;s recipe was simple.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526cf0055f52b01b35ca9a7?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Ingredients for Ina Garten&#039;s meatloaf recipe laid on a marble surface.\"\/><figcaption>I had most of Ina Garten&#039;s meat-loaf ingredients in my kitchen already.<\/p>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Garten&#039;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.<\/p>\n<p>She also recommended using ground chuck, a ground-beef blend that&#039;s usually 80% lean and 20% fat. <\/p>\n<p>Garten&#039;s recipe required I fire up the stove.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526cfe655f52b01b35caae3?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Saut\u00e9ed onions on a stove.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I saut\u00e9ed chopped onions, thyme, salt, and pepper in a pan until the onions were translucent.<\/p>\n<p>Then, I removed the pan from the heat and added Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste.<\/p>\n<p>I combined the ingredients in a bowl before shaping and baking the loaf.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d07355f52b01b35cac12?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Ground meat in a bowl.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I placed the onion mixture, ground chuck, breadcrumbs, and eggs in a large bowl.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>I shaped the meat and topped it with ketchup.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d0f355f52b01b35cad0f?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Shaped meat loaf with ketchup on top.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After reading some tips in the comments under Garten&#039;s recipe, I lined a sheet pan with two layers of parchment paper, then placed the meat mixture on top.<\/p>\n<p>I shaped everything into a loaf, coated it with ketchup, and put it in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. <\/p>\n<p>The cooked meatloaf was surrounded by grease and slightly cracked, but I didn&#039;t mind.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d0b66561dd877e77b7b1?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat loaf in a pan surrounded by grease.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The full recipe called for about an hour of baking, but I halved it, so it was done after 45 minutes. <\/p>\n<p>I noticed the finished product was soaked in grease, but I easily removed it with a spoon.<\/p>\n<p>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&#039;t a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>Garten&#039;s meatloaf was classic and comforting.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d13855f52b01b35cad78?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Results of Ina Garten&#039;s meat-loaf recipe.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Garten&#039;s meatloaf had a short ingredient list, was easy to make, and tasted comforting.<\/p>\n<p>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&#039;d want in a classic meatloaf dish.<\/p>\n<p>Next, I tried Drummond&#039;s meatloaf recipe.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d2136561dd877e77ba36?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meatloaf ingredients on a marble surface.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Drummond&#039;s recipe was a bit of a departure from Garten&#039;s classic meatloaf. She included ingredients such as white bread, milk, Parmesan, parsley, and bacon.<\/p>\n<p>Like Garten&#039;s recipe, all of Drummond&#039;s ingredients were combined in a bowl.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/652702a86561dd877e78144b?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat, bread, and other ingredients mixed in a glass bowl.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Drummond recommended soaking slices of bread in milk before combining them with ground beef, Parmesan, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, parsley, and eggs.<\/p>\n<p>After putting all of the ingredients in a bowl, I gently mixed them by hand.<\/p>\n<p>The recipe said to use a foil-lined broiler pan to catch the fat, but I didn&#039;t have one, so I improvised.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d32a68f1d46f52aecb32?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat loaf on a grated sheet.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Since I don&#039;t have a broiler pan, I placed my meatloaf on a cooling rack set on a foil-lined sheet pan.<\/p>\n<p>Drummond called for wrapping the meatloaf in bacon and topping it with a homemade sauce.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d41055f52b01b35cb3a9?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat loaf covered in bacon and barbecue sauce.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I topped the meatloaf with bacon and Drummond&#039;s sauce, which I made with ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire.<\/p>\n<p>I put about 1\/3 of the sauce mixture on the meat before baking it at 350 degrees.<\/p>\n<p>Toward the end of the baking time, I added more of the sauce and saved the rest for the finished loaf. <\/p>\n<p>Using the cooling rack prevented grease buildup.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/652804b255f52b01b35de150?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat loaf wrapped in bacon.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Drummond&#039;s meatloaf was more interesting than Garten&#039;s, but I don&#039;t see myself making it again.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d4396561dd877e77be2f?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat  loaf, per Ree Drummond&#039;s recipe.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Drummond&#039;s meatloaf was moist, and I enjoyed the parsley garnish, which paired well with the sweetness of the tomato sauce. <\/p>\n<p>I didn&#039;t love the chunks of white bread at first, but the texture grew on me. However, the bacon wasn&#039;t as crunchy as I usually prefer it, so I&#039;d skip it if I made this recipe again.<\/p>\n<p>Although this version was more flavorful than Garten&#039;s, I didn&#039;t return for seconds.<\/p>\n<p>Ray&#039;s meatloaf recipe had the longest ingredient list.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d5a855f52b01b35cb669?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Ingredients for meat loaf, per Rachael Ray&#039;s recipe.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ray&#039;s meatloaf recipe had an extensive list of ingredients, including chicken broth and apples.<\/p>\n<p>She also recommended using ground turkey instead of ground beef as a base, which was different from the previous recipes.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to Garten&#039;s recipe, I started by saut\u00e9ing some ingredients.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526fb8d55f52b01b35cf627?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Saut\u00e9ed vegetables and spices on a stove.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ray recommended saut\u00e9ing thyme, celery, apples, onions, salt, and pepper in a pan to start.<\/p>\n<p>I also rehydrated breadcrumbs with chicken stock and softened dried cranberries with hot water.<\/p>\n<p>Like the other recipes, I combined the ingredients in a bowl.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d54c55f52b01b35cb5ba?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat-loaf ingredients in a bowl.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>I halved the recipe and cooked it for 40 minutes.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d6716561dd877e77c549?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat loaf on a baking sheet.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>It was my first time making gravy, and Ray&#039;s recipe was so easy to follow.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d45868f1d46f52aecd47?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Ingredients for homemade apple-cider gravy, per Rachael Ray&#039;s recipe.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To make Ray&#039;s homemade apple-cider gravy, I started by whisking together warm butter and flour.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>I found the process to be surprisingly easy, and I&#039;d definitely make it again for other dishes.<\/p>\n<p>Ray&#039;s meatloaf dish tasted like Thanksgiving, and I loved it.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d6b56561dd877e77c5e7?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Meat-loaf dish, per Rachel Ray&#039;s recipe.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Since Ray called for a ground-turkey base, it wasn&#039;t as moist as the previous recipes. Even so, the gravy prevented it from being dry while adding a sweet flavor.<\/p>\n<p>I also enjoyed the addition of cranberries and the slight crunch of the apples.<\/p>\n<p>The dish tasted like a combination of my favorite fall flavors and reminded me of Thanksgiving leftovers.<\/p>\n<p>All three meatloaf recipes were good, but Ray&#039;s was my favorite.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6526d6e568f1d46f52aed3f4?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Three different meat-loaf dishes.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Abigail Abesamis Demarest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ray&#039;s meatloaf recipe tasted like Thanksgiving \u2014 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.<\/p>\n<p>I can&#039;t see myself making Drummond&#039;s meatloaf again, even if it was tasty.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you&#039;re looking for a classic recipe, you can&#039;t go wrong with Garten&#039;s. It&#039;s simple enough to whip up with some ground beef and kitchen staples.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Check out the other <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/the-best-recipes-from-celebrity-chefs-by-category-list-photos-review\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>celebrity-chef recipes<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> we&#039;ve put head-to-head so far.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>This story was originally published on October 15, 2023, and most recently updated on March 13, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Want to try out more recipies from these celebrity chefs? Check out some delicious dishes from their cookbooks:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Read the original article on Business Insider<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I decided to compare meatloaf recipes from three celebrity chefs. Abigail Abesamis Demarest I tried meatloaf recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray to see which was best. Garten&#039;s meatloaf was simple and easy to make, but Drummond&#039;s dish was a bit overwhelming. Ray&#039;s recipe was the best because it tasted like a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-47512","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-usa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47512"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47512\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}