My Low Sodium Meatloaf recipe has all the comforting flavor of classic meatloaf with much less salt. Made with ground beef, fresh breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and flavorful no-salt seasonings, it is tender, savory, and satisfying.
If you love meatloaf but want to reduce sodium, this easy main dish recipe delivers familiar comfort-food flavor without sacrificing taste. It's budget-friendly, simple to make, and perfect for weeknight dinners or Sunday suppers.
Plus, the leftovers make delicious meatloaf sandwiches for lunch the next day!
🔍 Quick Look: Low Sodium Meatloaf
Ready in: Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 75 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 344 kcal
Main Ingredients: Ground beef, bread, eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, no salt seasonings, and ketchup
A great meatloaf starts with breadcrumbs. They lighten the texture, creating a tender loaf that slices easily instead of becoming dense and heavy. This recipe follows the classic meatloaf rule of one slice of bread and one egg per pound of meat for reliable texture and flavor.
To keep sodium lower without sacrificing taste, this meatloaf uses Worcestershire sauce, oregano, black pepper, and Mrs. Dash seasoning for savory, umami-rich flavor. A little milk softens the breadcrumbs for an even more tender loaf.
Finished with a simple ketchup glaze, low-sodium barbecue sauce, or a small spoonful of your favorite barbecue sauce, this comforting meatloaf tastes classic while fitting better into a lower-sodium lifestyle, including the DASH diet.
Ingredient Notes
Here's everything you'll need to make my Low Sodium Meatloaf. Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Sliced Bread - Fresh breadcrumbs made from sliced sandwich bread are best. They lighten the texture of the meatloaf, making it tender and easy to slice.
Eggs- Help bind the meatloaf together so it slices neatly.
Whole Milk - Moistens the breadcrumbs for a tender loaf. I prefer whole milk, but 2% milk also works.
Worcestershire Sauce - Adds rich umami flavor with less sodium than many other seasonings.
Ground Beef - Use 85% lean or 90% lean ground beef to keep the meatloaf moist and flavorful.
Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning - Adds plenty of flavor without adding salt.
Black Pepper - A small amount of freshly ground black pepper adds gentle spice.
Ketchup - Makes a quick, easy glaze. Use low-sodium ketchup to reduce the sodium even more.
Substitutions& Variations
Use tomato sauce instead of ketchup for a simple, less-sweet topping.
Use barbecue sauce instead of ketchup for a smoky-sweet glaze. Choose low-sodium barbecue sauce when possible.
Use another ground meat by replacing part of the beef with ground pork, ground turkey, or a combination of beef, pork, and turkey.
Use Italian seasoning instead of oregano. Choose a no-salt-added Italian seasoning to keep the sodium lower.
Omit the glaze and serve the meatloaf plain. It will still be tender, savory, and delicious.
How to Make this Low-Sodium Meatloaf
♡ So, let's cook!
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 9" x 5" loaf pan on a baking sheet and set it aside.
Tear the bread into pieces and pulse in a small food processor until fine crumbs form. Set aside.
If you do not have a food processor, you can tear the bread into small bits with your fingers and rub the bread between your hands to make the crumbs.
In a small bowl beat together the eggs, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside for later.
Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the dried oregano, Mrs. Dash seasoning, and black pepper over the meat.
Add the breadcrumbs into the center of the meat and pour the egg mixture over the breadcrumbs. Let it stand until the breadcrumbs absorb most of the egg mixture, approximately 10 minutes.
Gently mix the beef, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and egg mixture until evenly combined. The meatloaf mixture should easily gather together.
Press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C in the center of the meatloaf.
Pour off any liquid from the meatloaf and spread the ketchup across the top of the meatloaf. Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes to set the ketchup glaze.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Use a large spatula to lift the meatloaf from the pan. Serve and enjoy!
My Top Tips
♡Let the breadcrumbs soak. Letting the breadcrumbs soak in the egg and milk rehydrates them and helps keep the meatloaf moist and tender. Skipping this step can make the meatloaf heavier and drier.
♡ Check the center for doneness. The outer edges cook faster than the center, so use an instant-read thermometer before glazing. The meatloaf is done when the center reaches 160°F.
What to Serve with Low Sodium Meatloaf
Serve this low sodium meatloaf with classic comfort-food sides like creamy mashed potatoes, tender carrots, fresh corn salad, simple green beans, or soft dinner rolls.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make-Ahead: You can mix the meatloaf and press it into the loaf pan up to 1 day before baking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Since the meatloaf will be cold, add up to 30 minutes to the baking time.
Storage: Wrap leftover meatloaf in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
More Comfort Food Favorites
If you love cozy, satisfying family dinners, here are a few more comfort food favorites to try next.
This easy Low Sodium Meatloaf is tender, savory, and full of classic comfort-food flavor. Made with ground beef, fresh breadcrumbs, no-salt seasoning, and a simple ketchup glaze.
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Ingredients
2SlicesWhite, Wheat, or Sourdough Bread
2Large Eggs
⅓CupWhole Milk
1TablespoonWorcestershire Sauce
2PoundsGround Beef, (85% Lean)
1TeaspoonDried Oregano
1TeaspoonMrs. Dash Original Seasoning
½TeaspoonBlack Pepper, Freshly Ground
½CupKetchup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 9" x 5" loaf pan on a baking sheet and set it aside.
Tear the bread into pieces and pulse in a small food processor until fine crumbs form. Set aside.
2 Slices White, Wheat, or Sourdough Bread
In a small bowl beat together the eggs, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside for later.
2 Large Eggs, ⅓ Cup Whole Milk, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the dried oregano, Mrs. Dash seasoning, and black pepper over the meat. Add the breadcrumbs into the center of the meat and pour the egg mixture over the breadcrumbs. Let it stand until the breadcrumbs absorb most of the egg mixture, approximately 10 minutes.
2 Pounds Ground Beef, 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano, 1 Teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning, ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Gently mix the beef, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and egg mixture until evenly combined. The meatloaf mixture should easily gather together.
Press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C in the center of the meatloaf.
Pour off any liquid from the meatloaf and spread the ketchup across the top of the meatloaf. Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes to set the ketchup glaze. Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Use a large spatula to lift the meatloaf from the pan. Serve and enjoy!
½ Cup Ketchup
Notes
My Top Tips♡Let the breadcrumbs soak. Letting the breadcrumbs soak in the egg and milk rehydrates them and helps keep the meatloaf moist and tender. Skipping this step can make the meatloaf heavier and drier.♡ Check the center for doneness. The outer edges cook faster than the center, so use an instant-read thermometer before glazing. The meatloaf is done when the center reaches 160°F.Make-Ahead & StorageMake-Ahead: You can mix the meatloaf and press it into the loaf pan up to 1 day before baking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Since the meatloaf will be cold, add up to 30 minutes to the baking time.Storage: Wrap leftover meatloaf in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
Jan is the creator and owner of Encharted Cook. Her cooking and baking journey began more than 50 years ago and she specializes in showing how recipes and ingredients can work together and why. At Encharted Cook you can rely on proven recipes and take your cooking and baking up to the next level.
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