This is the BEST meatloaf recipe I've ever had, spicy or otherwise! I base my recipe on Paul Prudhomme's Spicy Cajun Meatloaf recipe, and I've been making it for years.
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Let me just say right off that my husband is in love with this Spicy Cajun Meatloaf, and I love it too. Been making it for years.
Why this Cajun Meatloaf Recipe works
Yes, it's a cajun-spicy kind of dish, but not so spicy that the heat overpowers the rest of the flavors. You'll definitely taste the cajun-style seasonings.
Of course it calls for the holy trinity of cajun and creole cuisine - onion, celery and green bell pepper. Then we add some ingredients that are typical of meatloaf, and some that aren't. I base my recipe on Chef Paul Prudhomme's meatloaf recipe, but I've changed it up a few ways over the years. One of my changes is ditching the salt and replacing it with Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base, so it tastes even richer and beefier...a little lagniappe!
My BEST Meatloaf Recipe
This is my best meatloaf recipe, and it's fool-proof moist and chock full of flavor. It's not difficult, but a bit of extra time is needed to cook the sauce that's going to be incorporated with the meat (about 15 minutes tops).
Top it off with my spicy meatloaf glaze, then give it a minute under the broiler, and you'll think you're dining down on the bayou.
How to make this Spicy Meatloaf Recipe
Gather and Prep Ingredients
Spice Mix
- Bay leaves
- Cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- White pepper
- Cumin
- Nutmeg
Meatloaf
- Unsalted butter
- Diced onion, celery and green bell pepper
- Green onions (scallions)
- Garlic
- Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- Tabasco sauce
- Worchestershire sauce
- Evaporated milk
- Ketchup
- Ground pork
- Ground beef
- Eggs
- Panko bread crumbs run through a blender briefly before measuring OR 1 cup unseasoned very fine dry bread crumbs
Meatloaf Glaze
- Yellow or Dijon mustard
- Ketchup
- Worchestershire sauce
- Prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce)
- Tabasco sauce
- Dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Spice Mix and set aside. Prep all the veggies and measure out all the ingredients.
- Saute the vegetables along with the Spice Mix and other seasonings in butter, then add the milk and ketchup. Cool for a few minutes.
- Mix together the pork, beef and cooled veggie mixture on a baking sheet/pan and add the veggie mixture, eggs and bread crumbs.
- Shape the mixture into a loaf and bake 25 minutes.
- Raise the oven temperature to 400° and bake until the internal temperature is 160° (this thermometer is my absolute favorite). Remove from the oven.
- While the meatloaf is baking, make the glaze.
- Set your oven to broil. Top the meatloaf with the glaze, and broil just long enough to get a few spots of char on the glaze. Watch it closely, remember there's sugar in the glaze.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven, let it rest for 5-10 minutes, and serve.
More Southern Recipes...
- Mississippi Chicken is an easy, mouth-watering slow cooker dish
- Need a classic snack or side dish? Southern Fried Okra will satisfy, for sure!
- Mom's Southern Salmon Patties make a great appetizer or main dish
📖 Recipe
Spicy Cajun Meatloaf
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- 2 whole dried bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Meat Loaf
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup diced onion ¼ inch
- ½ cup diced celery ¼ inch
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper ¼ inch
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions (scallions)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1½ pound ground beef no more than 85% lean
- 2 eggs beaten lightly
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs run through a blender briefly before measuring OR 1 cup unseasoned very fine dry bread crumbs
Meatloaf Glaze
- 1 teaspoon mustard yellow or dijon
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce)
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients of the Spice Mix and set aside. Prep all the veggies and measure out the beef base, tabasco, Worchestershire, evaporated milk and catsup and have them ready to go.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the Spice Mix and all the ingredients as listed from the onion through the beef base. Saute about 8 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up any bits that stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the milk and ketchup and simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take it off the heat and let it cool just enough so that it can be handled.
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a rimmed baking sheet or 9 x 13 baking pan with foil (for easy cleanup).
- Place the pork and beef in the sheet/pan and add the veggie mixture (remove the bay leaves and discard), the eggs and the bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly by hand.
- Shape the mixture into a loaf that's about 12 inches long, 6 inches wide and 1½-2 inches high. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
- Raise the oven temperature to 400° and bake until the internal temperature is 160° - depending on your oven and how high you shaped your loaf, this will be 20-35 minutes. Use an instant-read meat thermometer (this thermometer is my absolute favorite) to check the internal temperature in the middle of the loaf. Remove from the oven once it's reach 160°.
- While the meatloaf is baking, in a small non-stick saucepan, combine all the glaze ingredients and on medium-low heat, cook for about 8 minutes (so the sugar is melted thoroughly), and set aside until you remove the meatloaf from the oven.
- Set your oven to broil. Using a rubber spatula or large spoon, spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf. Depending on the height of your top rack, broil just long enough to get a few spots of char on the glaze. Watch it closely, remember there's sugar in the glaze.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Phil Andrus says
You omitted the tablespoon of salt from the original recipe for the spice mix. We searched out our Prudhomme Cajun cookbook to verify.
Becky Thames-Simmons says
Good eye, Phil, on comparing the two. But if you read my recipe, you'll see I swap out the salt and use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base instead - it adds extra beef flavor and takes care of the salting as well.