Skip The Onion Soup Mix — Add A Packet Of This To Meatloaf For Even Better Flavor

If you make meatloaf with any kind of regularity, you're going to find yourself one day searching for ways to introduce some novel flavor to the classic comfort dish. And meatloaf upgrades do, fortunately, abound. The workhorse packet of onion soup mix that's been known to dress up similar protein preparations like burgers has also long been used in meatloaf, for example. But that's not the only seasoning packet that can make for a tastier dinner. A couple of tablespoons from a packet of ranch seasoning mix is also an excellent way to improve your loaf with hardly any effort at all. And all you really need to do is add it to your beef, turkey, or your own signature combination before baking to enjoy the ranch's zesty effect.

Individual brands can vary, but a standard ranch seasoning mix will typically include salt, garlic, onion, a bit of the dehydrated buttermilk that gives the dressing you might be more familiar with its notable tang, and sometimes even MSG to enhance it all. Your regular meatloaf recipe is highly likely to include the first few of those anyway, and the latter two are a large part of what will give your ranch-bolstered dish its subtle spin. Now, we're not saying that it's going to taste like the creamy dressing on a garden salad, but it will be just enough of a departure from the norm to shake up your usual routine — and the best part? You can use any leftover ranch seasoning to upgrade everything from crispy onion rings to a homemade batch of Chex Mix and more.

Using a couple of tablespoons of ranch seasoning is a great jumping-off point for seasoning three-quarters of a pound of beef without overwhelming it. However, some folks like to use the entire 1-ounce packet, which increases the total amount by about 50%. Real ranch fans will surely prefer that bolder punch, and because it's mixed into so much protein, even ranch agnostics might enjoy the flavor. You should, however, consider going easy on any extra salt or MSG, which are already present in many commercial blends. You can review your packet's ingredient list to be sure.

You also want to make sure that the ranch seasoning is distributed evenly throughout the meat without overmixing, which can quickly toughen ground meat. Add the ranch to your protein base as soon as you get it out of the refrigerator and into a bowl to avoid having to scramble to incorporate the seasoning later and risk overworking the whole thing. Combining it with ingredients like a meatloaf's typical egg and breadcrumbs right away and all at once is your best chance at achieving even ranch seasoning distribution without unnecessary stirring. You'll taste the unique effect once your meatloaf is cooked through, which can take around 40 minutes or longer in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven, depending on its size.