My keto meatloaf is extra juicy and tender on the inside, with a sweet and tangy glaze. This is an easy and flavorful low carb dinner you'll come back to over and over again. Only 2.9g net carbs per generous slice.
Many people shy away from large meat dishes because they think it's too difficult. But, the exact opposite is true. The bigger, the easier.
This ketogenic meatloaf recipe is the best example:
EASY. It contains basic, everyday ingredients. Meatloaf requires 10 minutes of prep, no special equipment and then it bakes in the oven for 1 hour. That's it, job done. It is so simple.
But it gets even better than that.
TASTY. This meatlof tastes exceptional. It is moist and juicy and packed with flavor. With my simple tips the texture turns out super fluffy and tender.
Last but not least, the recipe is such a great all-rounder.
VERSATILE. It is family-friendly, whether your crowd is low carb or not. It's great for meal prep, freezes well and tastes delicious hot and cold.
Seriously, you HAVE to make it.
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How I Made It Keto
When I point out that this is a keto meatloaf recipe, you might wonder - Every meatloaf is made with ground meat. How can it be NOT keto?
Well, traditional recipes make meatloaf fluffy by adding panko breadcrumbs or oats. Also, the classic American version of meatloaf has a sugary ketchup glaze. Not low carb at all.
In this recipe, I used a version of my keto bread crumbs and my sugar free ketchup . And I'll say it right here: They are EXACTLY the reason why my low carb meatloaf tastes so good!
Ingredients
You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info about the ingredients right here:
- Ground beef - I recommend 15% fat content. Fat makes the meatloaf juicy and flavorful. You can even use 80 / 20 beef mince. Also, pick finely ground beef over coarsely ground.
- Onion & Garlic - Mince the onion finely! Large onion pieces make the meatloaf unstable and cause it to crumble. Option to use ¼ teaspoon garlic powder instead of fresh.
- Eggs - 2 eggs to hold everything together.
- Seasoning - Fresh parsley, Worcestershire sauce for umami flavor and double contentrated tomato paste.
- Keto Breadcrumbs - This is a mixture of almond flour, ground golden flaxseed, grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and herbs.
- Sugar free ketchup - You could use shop-bought, but I highly recommend making the recipe from my website. It's very delicious. You can make it ahead and use it straight from the fridge or prepare it while the meatloaf is in the oven.
Instructions
Let me show you how to make the best keto meatloaf. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
Preparations
Before we begin, preheat the oven and oil the inside of the pan of your choice (loaf pan or casserole dish). Also, mix together the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
STEP 1
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute the onions and then add the garlic until softened and fragrant.
STEP 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with the keto breadcrumbs, onions and garlic, eggs, tomato paste, chopped parsley, and Worcestershire sauce.
I used a spatula and then kneaded the mixture with my hands.
STEP 3
Press the beef mixture into a loaf pan or casserole dish and flatten the top.
STEP 4
Bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven until the top is browned.
Option to tip out excess fat.
STEP 5
Spread the sugar free ketchup over the top of the meatloaf like a glaze.
Return the meatloaf pan to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Don't over-mix! As soon as you have a coherent mixture, you're good to form it.
#2 Drain some fat. I poured out some of the pan juices before spreading over the glaze. Especially in a loaf pan, the fat starts to bubble up the sides. You can save it for making delicious scrambled eggs or pan-fried veggies the next day.
#3 Glossy topping: For a glossy sheen, add ¼ teaspoon of olive oil to the ketchup. See the difference in the image at the top of the post (ketchup + olive oil, square meatloaf) and the image of the casserole baked meatloaf at the end of the post (only ketchup, no oil, rounded loaf). The taste is just as delicious, by the way.
#4 Let it rest. Let the meatloaf sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This way, the juices settle and don't run out. It means more flavor, a moist, juicy loaf plus the slices won't fall apart.
Loaf Pan Vs Casserole Dish
I tested this meatloaf in both a full sized rectangular loaf pan (images above) and a 9 x 5 inch casserole dish (images below).
Both versions work well.
The benefit of using a casserole is that you shape a rounded loaf rather than a square one, which then browns on the sides as well. Also, you can spread the sugar free ketchup glaze down the sides, which is not possible in a loaf pan.
The benefit of using a rectangular loaf pan is that it is easier to press the meat mixture into the pan. No shaping skills needed!
In the images below you can see how the meatloaf looks in a casserole. See how it has shrunk after baking? That's because of the fat.
Tip: I had a bit of white protein fluff settle around the loaf, which I simply spooned out.
Variations
- Change the meat: Sub in 50% pork! The 50/50 ratio of beef and pork works well, as seen in my keto swedish meatballs.
- Tweak the keto breadcrumbs: Use pork rinds instead of almond flour.
- Dairy-free: Use 1.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan cheese.
- Shop-bought tomato ketchup: Hunter & Gather makes a decent keto friendly ketchup. You could jazz it up with a little mustard. I still think mine tastes better though!
- Not a fan of ketchup? Wrap the meatloaf in bacon slices. Or, top it with my keto marinara sauce. You could also serve it with keto bechamel sauce.
- Keto meatloaf muffins: Bake the mixture in a muffin pan for individual servings!
Serving Suggestion
Keep it keto by serving meatloaf with my creamy cauliflower mash, turnip fries or air fryer radishes as a potato alternative. Keto mac and cheese is also a great pairing.
Other sides that match well are steamed green beans, my keto broccoli salad, keto coleslaw or cauliflower "potato" salad.
Keto meatloaf also tastes great cold. Serve leftovers like a sandwich with lettuce, tomato slices and a bit of mustard or ketchup. I ate a slice for lunch yesterday wrapped in a coconut flour tortilla, which was delicious. Or, eat it with my 90 second keto bread.
Recipe FAQs
You can prepare the meatloaf mixture up to a day ahead. Store it covered in the fridge. Just bring it to room temperaure before putting it in the oven so the baking time remains the same.
The internal temperature of meatloaf should be no higher than 165F / 74C. You can test this by sticking a meat thermometer into the middle of the loaf. Since the meatloaf continues to cook while it rests after baking, some people prefer to take it out a little earlier, when the loaf measures 160F / 71C.
No, you'd have to change the seasonings as well. For example, Worcestershire sauce does not taste good with white meat. Use my chicken meatballs recipe as a guide to make a keto chicken or turkey meatloaf.
Yes you can. But, I recommend that you use a loaf pan over a casserole dish so the meatloaf does not dry out.
I don't recommend it. My keto breadcrumbs make the meatloaf fluffy, tender and add flavor. The ground flaxseed in the crumb mix soaks up moisture, keeping the loaf nice and juicy.
Storage
Leftover low carb meatloaf stays fresh in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 6 months. Store it in an airtight container or cover the pan with clingfilm (for refrigerator storage) so it does not dry out.
Meal Prep Tip: I freeze individual slices by wrapping them separately. This way you can defrost them one by one, if you only need a single serving.
Reheating: When reheating the entire loaf in the oven, add a splash of water and cover the loaf pan with aluminium foil. Gently warm single meatloaf slices in the microwave. Or, heat slices in a frying pan over low heat with a little oil and a splash of water or broth.
More Ground Beef Recipes
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Recipe
The BEST Keto Meatloaf
Equipment
- 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or casserole dish
Ingredients
Prepare Breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup almond flour 25g
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed 25g
- ¼ cup parmesan grated finely, 25g (or use 1.5 tablespoon nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt or to taste, I used Maldon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
Fry Onions & Garlic
- 2 teaspoon olive oil for frying
- 1 small onion diced (70g)
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced
Meatloaf Mixture
- 2 pounds ground beef 15% fat, 900g
- 2 eggs large
- ¼ cup tomato puree 60g
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Glaze
- ½ cup sugar free ketchup 120g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Oil the inside of a 9x5 inch baking pan.
Make Keto Breadcrumbs
- Stir together the keto breadcrumb mixture in a bowl - almond flour, ground flaxseed, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Fry Onions and Garlic
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Saute the diced onion over low heat for 4 minutes to soften. Then, add the garlic for 1 further minute.
Combine And Form Loaf
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with the onion and garlic, egg, parsley, keto breadcrumbs, tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce. I used a spatula first and then kneaded with my hands.
- Shape the mixture into a loaf and place into a loaf tin or into a casserole dish. In a loaf tin, you can flatten the top. For a casserole dish, shape into a rounded meatloaf.
Bake
- Bake the meatloaf for 45 minutes until the top is browned. Option to drain some of the fat.
Add Glaze
- Spread the sugar free ketchup over the top of the loaf. Cover the sides too if using a casserole.
- Return the meatloaf to the oven for 15 more minutes.
- After baking, let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes to firm up, then slice and serve.
Melanie Jonas
I've made this at least 10xs by now. Its the best meatloaf I've ever had & it doesnt break my diet. 5 stars isn't enough
Katrin Nürnberger
Thank you so much!
Allison Done
A favourite with those of us eating low carb and those not. Absolutely delicious.
Candida Brand
So easy to make and utterly delicious. I used half pork, half beef. I served it with garlic green beans and radish fries. Makes enough for the two of us for two generous meals so I have frozen half of it. I made double quantity of the tomato sauce and put in a kilner jar in the fridge.
Katrin Nürnberger
So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
gjeanieg
Both hubby and I thought this was the best meatloaf I've ever made, which is saying something since we've been married for almost 40 years! I made some simple changes, based on our taste preferences and to make the process easier. THANK YOU, Katrin!
Holly
Do you have a suggestion for no tomato? I am doing no nightshades for arthritis.
Katrin Nürnberger
I would replace the tomato paste in the meat mixture with another wet ingredient. That could be 1-2 tablespoons of beef broth, almond milk or perhaps a tablespoon of coconut aminos. As for the topping, I have idease for that in the variations.
Laura Steinhart
Hello. This sounds soo delicious . But can’t eat tomatoes.. any ideas for a substitute? Big thanks.
Katrin Nürnberger
I have ideas for different toppings in the variations section. As for the tomato paste in the meat mixture, you could replace that with one more tablespon of Worcestershire sauce or Coconut Aminos.