Pat Nixon’s White House meatloaf recipe survives in the National Archives. This smaller home version keeps the family-dinner idea, adding a simple glaze and clear baking instructions.
The president & the table
Nixon’s cottage cheese and pineapple was more than a food anecdote: photographs preserve that lunch at the White House on 8 August 1974. His family’s other well-known contribution is Pat Nixon’s White House meatloaf, whose recipe survives in the National Archives.
Behind this story
Nixon Library photographs and recollections; National Archives, Pat Nixon’s White House meatloaf.
APRON ON. HISTORY CAN WAIT.
Make it at home.
Our home adaptation · Serves 6 · Not yet kitchen-tested
What you’ll need
Let’s make it
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Soften onion in oil for 5 minutes and cool slightly. Soak breadcrumbs in milk.
Mix beef, onion, soaked crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper gently. Form a loaf on a lined baking tray.
Mix ketchup, sugar and mustard and spread over the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes until the centre reaches 71°C / 160°F.
Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
About this home version
A modern home recipe with practical ingredients and measured quantities.
Metric and US measures are approximate equivalents. For baking, use weights when you can.
