Paleo meatloaf can be a great way to avoid wasting the leftover meat from a roasted chicken. If you don’t have any leftover meat you can always use ground beef or pork for this recipe. This is also a great way to sneak some veggies into your dinner. It’s very hearty and filling – enjoy!
16 Notes on Paleo Meatloaf
- What can I use in meatloaf instead of breadcrumbs? Meatloaf can be made with oats, dried vegetables, pork rinds, boxed stuffing, rice, dried soup mix, nuts, pretzels, crackers, non- sweetened cereals, crushed almonds, cracker crumbs, matzo meal, pulverized melba toast, and more; if you’d like to avoid breadcrumbs.
- Breadcrumbs are the ideal filling for keeping your meatloaf from falling apart, along with egg yolks and some milk.
- Almond flour is the second best substitute for breadcrumbs due to a similar texture and flavor as breadcrumbs. It is the ideal filling if you’re like to serve a gluten-free meal.
- If you’re on a low carb diet, or keto diet, you can add pork rinds, pulverized nuts, psyllium husk, or the new keto breadcrumbs. We do not use cornstarch as it is high in carbohydrates.
- Many people like to pair meatloaf with foods such as mashed potatoes, peas, macaroni and cheese, and the roasted cruciferous vegetables- brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower.
- If you’d like a meatier flavor and different mouth feel and texture, you can use less eggs (or eliminate the eggs).
- Pro-Tip: avoid using too much breadcrumbs in your meatloaf, as it will crumble due to having a weak structure.
- Some people like to avoid dairy products, so no milk in the meatloaf. Instead of milk, to add moisture, you can add beef or chicken stock or other non-dairy milk substitute such as almond milk.
- Texture is part of what makes your meatloaf delicious, so make adjustments to be sure to get your breadcrumbs and milk ratio right.
- Cooking your meatloaf with aluminum foil covering it keeps the loaf moist. Pro Tip: During the last 15 minutes of cooking, take the aluminum foil off to get that nice crispy coating.
- Ketchup is of course the most popular meatloaf condiment, but if you’d like to make it interesting, you can add mustard, garlic tapenade, paprika, olive oil, and ground pork.
- Depending on what you add into your meatloaf recipe, it can be good for your diet (if you add less calories), or bad for your diet (if you add in extra fat).
- If you have leftovers, you can freeze meatloaf, and use it as smaller meals for the next week. I like to slice the meatloaf first, and then wrap the slices in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
- I like to cook my meatloaf at 350 for 1.5 hours, and to check if it is done without a thermometer– push a fork through the meatloaf. If the texture is soft and allows you to pull out easily, it is ready.
- When you’re baking a premade meatloaf, you’ll want to thaw it out first overnight. Cooking a frozen meatloaf typically does not lend itself to taste and texture.
- My meatloaf tends to taste great when cold, but you can heat it up if you like to eat hot food.
Paleo Meatloaf Without Almond Flour
Can you make Paleo Meatloaf Without Almond Flour? The quick answer is YES!
The long answer is YES! You can make Paleo Meatloaf without almond flour in several ways. What you select may be influenced by what ingredients you have on hand, how many people are eating, and what type of cooking vessel you use (frying pan versus oven).
There are three (3) basic options for Paleo Meatloaf without almond flour:
1. Omit the almond flour entirely – This is not a very good option, but if you have nothing else it may get the job done. It will be crumbly and fall apart easily. It may even taste okay depending on what spices you use, how it is cooked, etc.
The “crumble” factor from all of the omitting will probably be an issue.
2. Use another nut or seed meal as a substitute – You can use coconut flour , sunflower seed meal, flaxseed meal, pumpkin seed meal … just to name a few options. Each may have its own taste, so this option will need more experimentation on your part. Your desire is for it to have the same “bready” consistency as if you were using almond flour.
This option may be the best tasting, but may not work in all situations because of calorie content and/or taste preference.
3. Use an egg as a substitute – This is the best option for Paleo Meatloaf without almond flour. It works because it provides the moisture, binding, and structure that the almond flour does.
You can use either whole eggs or egg whites (if you keep your meatloaf lean) but whole eggs are better.
Paleo Meatloaf With Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon (uncooked and cut into small pieces)
- 1/2 medium onion (diced); 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic (grated or minced)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 ounces beef bacon (or pork bacon if you can’t find beef) (cooked and cut into small pieces);
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large skillet until it starts to brown but not be too crispy. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into small pieces and setting aside.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan with leftover bacon grease, sauteing until they start to become translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
4. In a large bowl combine your cooled bacon, cooked onion & garlic, raw ground beef, eggs, almond meal, garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Mix until everything is well combined (I like to use my hands).
If the mixture still seems a little wet add in some more almond meal (you can never have too much almond meal in meatloaf, right?).
5. With your hands, spread the meat evenly onto your lined baking sheet into whatever size and shape you want. You can make it any size but mine was about 1/2 inch thick and roughly 4 inches by 8 inches wide – cook time will vary depending on what shape you make it so keep an eye on it!
6. Once your loaf is shaped sprinkle evenly with grated or minced garlic then top with small pieces of cooked beef bacon (or pork if that’s what you have).
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes in the oven, checking at 30 minutes to see if it’s done in the middle (cooking times will vary depending on your loaf shape and thickness).
8. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving!