This is the ultimate keto meatloaf recipe! Super juicy and flavorful, it comes out perfectly every time. And making it in your crockpot means clean up is a snap.
Have you ever made keto meatloaf in a slow cooker? Trust me, once you try it, you may never make it any other way again. It’s so tender and juicy, it almost melts in your mouth.
Paired with some creamy mashed cauliflower, it’s a hearty and healthy comfort food meal. And slathering it in a little Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce doesn’t hurt either.
My family adores this keto meatloaf recipe, so I turn to it frequently. It’s nice to have one of those sure-fire hits in your dinner repertoire. Happy tummies and no complaining make it one of our favorite easy keto dinners.
Fans love it too! I first published this recipe in 2015, and decided it needed a bit of an update. I didn’t change the fantastic flavor, but now it’s even lower in carbs.
Why you must try this recipe
Cooking meatloaf in a slow cooker has several distinct advantages. Slow cookers produce a gentle, moist heat, ensuring that your keto meatloaf doesn’t dry out.
You can also time your meal to be ready when you are. Simply program your crockpot for a delayed start, or let the finished meatloaf stay warm in the pot after cooking. Either way, it’s ready when you get home from work.
And clean up is easy too! Just pour out the juices and soak your crockpot insert in soapy water.
Reader Testimonials
“This was the best keto meatloaf we’ve tried. The texture was excellent, very flavorful and you couldn’t tell it was low carb. EXCELLENT!!!” — Jill
“Super love this meatloaf! This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!” — Allyssa
“This is one of my favorite weeknight meals. Not too dry, but very moist. My family loves this!” — Sandy
Ingredients you need
- Ground meat: I like to use a combination of ground beef and ground pork for more moisture and flavor, but you can use ground beef alone.
- Onion: Finely chop or grate your onions so the meatloaf holds its shape better and the flavor will be mixed in evenly.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds more flavor, but you can also use garlic powder.
- Cracker crumbs: The keto-friendly cracker crumbs from RealPhat Foods make the perfect filler for recipes like keto meatloaf. I also use them in my keto meatball recipe. But you can also substitute with regular almond flour or crushed pork rinds.
- Eggs: Meatloaf holds together best when you use eggs as the binder.
- BBQ Sauce: I always use my easy Keto BBQ Sauce for this meatloaf. You can use store-bought sugar free bbq sauce, but many are made with aspartame or sucralose, which I find unpalatable. A few good choices are Yo Mama’s No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce and Keto Primo.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Step by Step Directions
This recipe is so easy and results in perfectly juicy keto meatloaf every time!
1. Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, onion, cracker crumbs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper. Add in the eggs and mix well with your hands until fully combined.
2. Prepare the slow cooker: Set a trivet into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Take a large piece of tinfoil and poke a few holes in it with a kitchen skewer (this allows the fat and liquids to drain away from the meatloaf).
3. Form the loaf: Shape the mixture into a loaf roughly 5 x 9 inches on the foil. Lift the foil by edges and place on the trivet, then place the lid on the slow cooker.
4. Cook: Cook the meatloaf on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. In the last half hour of cooking, brush the top and sides with about ⅓ cup barbecue sauce. Use two serving forks to lift the meatloaf out of the slow cooker and onto a serving platter. Slice and serve with remaining barbecue sauce.
Expert tips
Preparing your crockpot: Placing a trivet in the slow cooker keeps the meatloaf off the bottom so that it cooks more evenly. It also allows some of the fat and juices to drain off. Poking holes in the foil also allows the fat and juices to fall to the bottom.
Cook on low or high: Depending on when you need it, you can cook this meatloaf on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Because it contains ground pork, you want the loaf to reach at least 160ºF in the center.
Brush with sauce: I like to brush it with some sauce in the last half hour of cooking, so that it bakes on. Then I serve the rest at the table so that people can add more as they like.
Oven-baked method: Transfer meat mixture on a baking sheet with parchment paper and form into a loaf about 5 by 9 inches. Bake 40 to 50 minutes at 350F, until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cracker crumbs from Real Phat Foods work really well as a binder for keto recipes. They are harder than almond flour or crushed pork rinds, so they soak in the moisture of the meat and eggs a little more during cooking. But any of these options work well and result in juicy keto meatloaf.
This keto meatloaf recipe has 4.4g of carbs and 1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.4g net carbs per serving.
Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the finished, cooked meatloaf. Wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn and freeze for up to two months.
What to serve with keto meatloaf
Besides the aforementioned mashed cauliflower, try one of these delicious sides:
Slow Cooker Keto Meatloaf Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork (or another pound beef)
- ¼ cup onion chopped fine
- ½ cup keto cracker crumbs (or almond flour)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 recipe Easy Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, onion, cracker crumbs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper. Add in the eggs and mix well with your hands until fully combined.
- Set a trivet into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Take a large piece of tinfoil and poke a few holes in it with a kitchen skewer (this allows the fat and liquids to drain away from the meatloaf).
- Shape the mixture into a loaf roughly 5 x 9 inches on the foil. Lift the foil by edges and place on the trivet, then place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. In the last half hour of cooking, brush the top and sides with about ⅓ cup barbecue sauce.
- Use two serving forks to lift the meatloaf out of the slow cooker and onto a serving platter. Slice and serve with remaining barbecue sauce.
Andrea Morse says
We had this tonight. It was good. I think I’ll try the bbq sauce you suggest on it next time. I made another one from your cookbook that was a little warm (if you know what I mean). The meatloaf was good, next time I will probably not put the Italian seasoning in it. I like meatloaf with sage and Worcestershire sauce in it. I like that I have so much left over. There are just 2 of us eating, so some will go in the freezer for later use.
Thank you as always for such good recipes.
Andrea says
What flavor crackers do YOU use to make cracker crumbs from RealPhat? There are several
Thanks
Andrea
Carolyn says
Everything but the cinnamon ones work! 🙂
Andrea Morse says
Thank you.
S says
Carolyn, I made this last week and it was so good! Perfect quick recipe that the adults and kids all liked.
i used 99 percent lean ground turkey (personal preference), which isn’t known for resulting in moist or tender meatloaf, so I added half a cup of mayo. Ground turkey is also pretty bland so I added a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a little Asian fish sauce to up the umami component. This recipe was rather spur of the moment and I had ordered the crackers you suggested but they didn’t arrive in time so I used crushed pork rinds. The BBQ sauce (so easy!) I followed the directions for. know that’s a lot of changes but the base recipe is the same and I’m sure the original is even tastier.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe! I use my Instant Pot often with the slow cook function and am going to get the air fryer lid for recipes like this so I can get the sauce topping caramelized after it’s done cooking. Honestly, I probably won’t bake meatloaf in the oven anymore because this is more efficient.
Julie Miller says
Love this recipe! Rave reviews from my church crowd once every month we gather! I use one pound ground lamb and 2 pounds ground turkey. The lamb provides the fat for added taste and I also do love the Primal ketchup recipe for bbq sauce..fantastic! I also add organic mushrooms and sometimes uncured turkey bacon to the mix. I have used the bake setting on my Foodi crock for 50 minutes or 160 degrees and it comes out great that way. Carolyn, thank you, it’s the greatest every time!
Lisa says
Wow! So easy and so juicy and tasty! Much better recipe than another keto meatloaf recipe I tried so this one’s a keeper for sure. Thank you!
Ginger R, says
Love this meatloaf recipe! So easy. It’s moist and full of flavor. Great leftovers to make meatloaf sandwiches. The BBQ sauce recipe goes well with it. We’ve also simply used Sugar Free Ketchup.
Cherie Curtis says
This is not only the BEST Keto meatloaf, it is the BEST meatloaf, PERIOD!
Carolyn says
Wow, thanks!
John says
This is like my 5th or 6th time making. Never gets old👍 It’s 38 here in PHoenix metro this morning so this is going to taste soooo good!
Karla says
Amazing!! This came out so well, and that BBQ sauce is KILLER!
Kathy McBride says
Any suggestions for what to use as a trivet if my crockpot didn’t come with one? My crockpot is oval
Tia says
I’m getting ready to make this, possibly tomorrow. Where can I find keto friendly crackers? I’m kinda new to keto and definitely new here. Food around my house is becoming blah to say the least. Almost every night it is the same thing because it’s all I know how to make. These recipes look amazing and sound even better. Now just to find the ingredients….
Carolyn says
Hi Tia… I think in terms of timing, you will have better luck just using straight almond flour right now. The crackers I love are online order only.
CAROLE FUSSELL says
Best meatloaf I’ve ever made! I’ve used both the slow cooker and the oven. Slow cooker is by far our favorite.
Wendy Elman says
I’m going to try this recipe tomorrow. I looked at the Real Phat . Foods website for cracker crumbs. They did not have plain crumbs. What flavor did you use? I am a big fan of your recipes! The Monster cookies, Chocolate chip zucchini bread and Sausage breakfast casserole were fantastic!
Carolyn says
The Italian is perfect for this!
Nancy says
Try putting ground chicken in your meatloaf as well as the ground sausage, delicious.
Leslie Jackson Holland says
This is one of my favorite keto meals. Even though I am a single widow, I make this, with the gravy, and freeze pieces individually. Everyone should have comfort food in the freezer for rough days! I think my absolute favorite meal is Carolyn’s Italian Sausage Soup. I make double batches of the Italian Sausage soup and freeze it, too! Carolyn makes keto so simple for me! I’ve lost close to 75 pounds so far.
Carolyn says
That’s a great idea!
Barbara says
This is a terrific recipe. To save time, I coursely chop my onion and any other veggies then place them in a food processor until finely chopped but not a paste.
While not in this recipe, I like to add celery, carrots, green pepper and/or mushrooms. These keep the meatloaf moist and add even more flavor to an already wonderful taste.
Ciggy says
Just a heads up – On Print Recipe page, changing the servings changes the quantity of ingredients – *brilliant* – but NOT the words in parenthesis.
So 10 servings says
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork (or another pound beef)
but 4 servings says
0.8 lbs ground beef
0.4 lb ground pork (or another pound beef)
Carolyn says
Not much I can do about that…
Ciggy says
Possibly:
Or substitute with this quantity of beef