Meatloaf is always a go-to when I need a feel-good meal! If you’ve ever heard people talk about how dry a meatloaf is, you might be scared to make it. Meatloaf is notorious for coming out dry and just, kind of, bland. I’m here to tell you, that is not the case with the meatloaf my mom always made! This paleo version of it does NOT disappoint in any category! It still has all of the comforting flavors that my mom’s meatloaf has, minus the typical breadcrumbs. If you aren’t paleo or gluten free, feel free to sub breadcrumbs in for the almond flour and flax meal. It will still turn out delicious!

Don’t be afraid to give meatloaf a try! This recipe is plenty moist and still holds up nicely when sliced. Hopefully, you have some leftovers too…because the slices make great sandwiches the next day!

Print Recipe

Traditional Meatloaf

Course

Main Dishes

Cuisine

Comfort Food

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 3 Eggs beaten
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Onion powder
• 2 tsp Dried Thyme Leaves sub Italian herbs or
• 1 tsp Ground mustard
• 1/2 cup Almond milk original - unsweetened (sub any milk if you tolerate diary)
• 1/2 cup Almond Flour sub breadcrumbs if you're not gluten/grain free
• 1/4 cup Flax Meal sub more almond flour/breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cups Ketchup Natural and Paleo-friendly - Truemade Foods Ketchup or Sir Kensington are both great!
• 1 Onion - medium-sized chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp Ghee for sautéing onions
• 3 tbsp Worcestshire sauce optional

Course Main Dishes Cuisine Comfort Food Servings Ingredients 1 lb Ground Beef 3 Eggs beaten 2 tsp Salt 1 tsp Black pepper 1 tbsp Garlic powder 1 tbsp Onion powder 2 tsp Dried Thyme Leaves sub Italian herbs or 1 tsp Ground mustard 1/2 cup Almond milk original - unsweetened (sub any milk if you tolerate diary) 1/2 cup Almond Flour sub breadcrumbs if you're not gluten/grain free 1/4 cup Flax Meal sub more almond flour/breadcrumbs 1/2 cups Ketchup Natural and Paleo-friendly - Truemade Foods Ketchup or Sir Kensington are both great! 1 Onion - medium-sized chopped (optional) 1 tbsp Ghee for sautéing onions 3 tbsp Worcestshire sauce optional

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. If you're choosing to omit the onions skip this step. (I'll try not to judge you...even though, I, too, HATED onions growing up) Add the ghee or oil along with the chopped onions to a saucepan. Cook them over medium heat for approximately 5 min or until they start to turn brown around the edges.
3. While the onions are sautéing, combine* the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. *Make sure you REALLY mix everything up. You shouldn't be able to see where the meat ends and the egg or flour begins. That won't make for the best meatloaf.
4. I like to test the seasoning level as I go. Now's a great time to do that! Grab a little bit of the meat mixture and sauté it in a pan. It will cook up fast...barely a minute for each side. If it's not salty enough, add some more salt!
5. Once you've got the mixture salted to your liking, add your sautéed onions. Mix to combine.
6. Pour your mixture into a large baking dish. I'm using a 13X9. This is important so the fat and juices have room to cook out a little bit...and your meatloaf isn't just sitting in a pond of all that. I like to shape mine on the flatter side. It helps it cook up faster.
7. Bake the meatloaf for 25 min. After that time, remove the meatloaf and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. While your oven is heating up, remove the fat that has cooked out of your meatloaf...looks super appetizing, eh?
8. Once the oven has reached 450 degrees, cook your meatloaf for another 10-12 minutes (or until an internal temp of 160 degrees has been reached.) During this time, even more fat will cook out. You might start to smell some of it burning towards the end of its cooking time. However, this time is key. You want a nice crust to form on the top of your meatloaf!
9. Remove your meatloaf from the oven. Trim the excess fat away, once again, and transfer the meatloaf to another dish. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes. This will help you to slice it much easier for serving.*
10. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

*Personally, I love to slice it and pan-sear it for a minute or two on each side. It adds a smoky, grilled flavor to the meatloaf that I can't get enough of.I place a couple slices in a non-stick pan that I've sprayed with some coconut/avocado oil. The oil helps it to crisp up fast. Searing your slices is ESPECIALLY good when you're using them in leftover meatloaf sandwiches!