Freezer Friendly Meatloaf with Zucchini and Caramelized Onions

A cozy make ahead meatloaf packed with caramelized onions, oats, and zucchini. Freeze it flat, thaw it fast, and bake fresh for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family loves.

This meatloaf is one of my quiet freezer heroes. It is simple, cozy, and packed with little upgrades that make it feel like more than just a busy night dinner. I make a double batch, flatten it in bags, and tuck it into the freezer.

I like using a blend of ground beef and ground pork for extra flavor, plus caramelized onions, oats, and shredded zucchini. The veggies disappear into the mix, which means my kids happily eat it without even noticing. The oats keep it tender without needing a lot of breadcrumbs. This is exactly the kind of meal I love to have waiting in the freezer after a long day.

How I Make It

The process is still really easy, even with the extra flavor from the veggies and onions. I start by cooking the onions low and slow until they turn soft, golden, and sweet (this is the cookware set that I use). This takes a little patience, but it is the secret to giving the meatloaf so much depth. While the onions cool, I shred the zucchini and squeeze out a bit of the liquid.

Once the onions are ready, I stir them into the meat along with the oats, zucchini, tomato paste, parsley, salt, and pepper. I mix it gently with my hands until everything is combined without packing it tight.

Then I divide the mixture into two freezer bags and press each one flat so they freeze quickly and thaw evenly. When I am ready to bake, I pull one from the freezer, let it thaw, shape it into a loaf into a 9×5 loaf pan. Then I spread the simple glaze on top, and bake until it is tender and glossy. It feels like a very comforting dinner that took almost no effort on the day I serve it.

Serving and freezer notes

• I like to serve this with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or a simple rice and veggie side.
• Leftover meatloaf slices reheat really well and also make great sandwiches.
• The flat frozen bags usually thaw overnight in the fridge. If you forget, you can place it on the counter for a few hours until it’s soft enough to transfer to a loaf pan. Some people say not to thaw on your counter, but I do it all the time. As long as you don’t forget about it and leave it out too long, you should be ok!

👇🏻 View the full walkthrough of the recipe below on my YouTube channel

Freezer Friendly Meatloaf with Zucchini and Caramelized Onions

A cozy make ahead meatloaf packed with caramelized onions, oats, and zucchini. Freeze it flat, thaw it fast, and bake fresh for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family loves.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2 Meatloaves

Course: budget dinners, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

  

Caramelized onions

• 4 large yellow onions diced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• Pinch of salt

Meatloaf mixture

• 4 pounds ground beef and pork blend or only ground beef
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 shredded zucchini squeezed gently to remove excess moisture
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• All of the caramelized onions from above cooled.
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 4 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 4 eggs
• 4 tsp italian seasoning
• 4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tbsp dried
• 2.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Simple meatloaf glaze

• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

Method

 

Make the caramelized onions

1. Add the diced onions to a large skillet with the oil or butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
2. Cook over low to medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden and caramelized. This can take 20 to 45 minutes.
3. Set the onions aside to cool completely before adding them to the meat mixture.

Mix the meatloaf

1. In a large bowl, add the ground beef and pork, oats, cooled caramelized onions, and all the rest of the meatloaf ingredients.
2. Use clean hands to gently mix everything together until it is just combined. Try not to overmix so the meatloaf stays tender.

Freeze for later

1. Divide the meat mixture into two equal portions.
2. Add each portion to a gallon size zip top bag.
3. Press the meat flat in each bag so it fills the corners and forms a thin, even slab. This helps it freeze and thaw much faster.
4. Label the bags with the name and date, lay them flat, and freeze until solid.

Baking after freezing

1. When you are ready to bake, transfer one bag of meatloaf from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw completely.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. Once thawed, snip the bag open, place the meat in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and gently shape it into an even loaf.

Add the glaze and bake

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.
2. Bake the meatloaf for about 30 minutes, then spoon the glaze over the top and spread it in an even layer.
3. Continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
4. Carefully pour off any excess grease into a jar. You can spoon a little back over slices if the meatloaf looks dry, or save it to add flavor to another dish.
5. Let the meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

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