Introduction

The best way to cook meatloaf is to bake it for about 40 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This yields a moist loaf with a crispy top and crusty edges. If you’re cooking other dishes in the oven, it’s best to make sure they’re done first before baking meatloaf because the grease from meatloaf can drip on other food and make it soggy.

Cook meatloaf in a conventional oven

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the meatloaf on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until cooked through (internal temperature reaches 160 degrees).

Cook meatloaf in a convection oven

Cooking meatloaf in a convection oven is similar to cooking it in a regular oven, but there are some important differences.

First, set the oven to 400 degrees (or about 200 degrees Celsius). Preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes before placing your loaf inside so that it can warm up and begin cooking. Place your loaf in the center of the rack and leave it alone for 30 minutes while it cooks through. This will ensure even browning on all sides of your loaf–and if you’re using an aluminum foil pan like we did here at Food52 HQ, then you won’t have any burnt edges!

Cook meatloaf in a toaster oven

If you want to try cooking meatloaf in a toaster oven, keep in mind that it’s a great way to save energy. A typical oven uses more than four times as much energy than an average toaster does and can take up space in your kitchen for large roasts or turkeys if you don’t have room for both appliances. However, if you already have one and want an easy way of making smaller portions of food without taking up valuable countertop real estate (or don’t want all of those extra watts), then this option may be right for you!

If possible, choose an electric model over gas–electric ones are easier on the environment because they don’t produce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide when they run. And although we recommend using those nice new eco-friendly pans from last year’s holiday gift exchange with friends? Save them for another day: They might not withstand temperatures high enough for baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit!

The best way to cook meatloaf is to bake it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

The best way to cook meatloaf is to bake it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This will ensure that your meatloaf cooks through and doesn’t dry out, while not cooking the outside so much that it becomes tough or hard. If you are using a convection oven, reduce your cooking time by about 10 minutes; if you are using a toaster oven, increase your cooking time by about 10 minutes.

Conclusion

So, how long does it take to cook meatloaf in a conventional oven? The answer is that it depends on the size of the meatloaf. If you’re using a small loaf pan, then 30 minutes should be enough. If you’re using a large pan or baking dish with sides that are about an inch tall, then 45 minutes may be needed for an average-sized loaf. And if you have no idea what size pan is being used, just bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until done!