Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a standard loaf pan or line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you prefer free-form meatloaf.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, dry onion soup mix, breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a tough meatloaf.

Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared loaf pan and gently shape it into a loaf. If you're baking it free-form on a baking sheet, shape it into an even loaf.

Spread an additional 2-3 tablespoons of ketchup evenly over the top of the meatloaf. You can also add a sprinkle of paprika or brown sugar to the ketchup topping if desired.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) on a meat thermometer and the juices run clear. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the meatloaf with aluminum foil.

Once baked, let the meatloaf rest in the pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a moister meatloaf.