The Best Keto Meatloaf Recipes

Keto meatloaf is the ultimate healthy comfort food. And this is an epic collection of the best keto meatloaf recipes the internet has to offer. Let’s get cooking!

Titled Image of a classic keto meatloaf on a white plate with cauliflower and broccoli

Meatloaf is the workhorse of the comfort food world. It’s easy to make, and so satisfying, but it’s also often overlooked.

I don’t think I appreciated all of the healthy goodness this hearty meal offers until I became an adult. As a child, I rolled my eyes and turned up my nose at my mother’s delicious meatloaf. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I am pretty certain I left plenty of it on my plate whenever it was on offer.

But I’ve come to appreciate meatloaf as an adult, and even moreso as someone on a keto diet. It’s an ideal low carb meal and can easily be made completely grain-free.

And while we ate a classic meatloaf growing up, I’ve come to realize that the flavor possibilities are virtually endless!

How to make keto meatloaf

Before we embark on our meatloaf flavor journey, I think it’s important to discuss best practices. Done right, meatloaf can be rich and flavorful. Does badly, it can be dry and tasteless. So here are my best tips for making the best keto meatloaf:

Choose your meat: Meatloaf can be made out of any ground meat, from poultry to beef to venison. Keep in mind that some meats are more dry than others (especially chicken and turkey) and you may need to add in moisture and fat. For a classic meatloaf, I like a mixture of ground beef and ground pork.

Choose your filler: Conventional meatloaf usually uses bread or breadcrumbs to help the loaf retain moisture and reduce shrinkage. For keto meatloaf, you have a number of filler options: almond flour and crushed pork rinds are the most popular and the lowest in carbs.

For every 2 pounds of ground meat, you will need about ½ cup of the almond flour or pork rinds. Any ground seed or nut meal can also be subbed. I do not recommend coconut flour as a filler, as it can make the meatloaf quite dry.

Choose your vessel: You can cook keto meatloaf in a loaf pan, or you can form it by hand into a loaf on a baking pan. You can also cook meatloaf in a skillet or baking dish so that it’s round like a pie.

Choose your cooking method: Lots of options here! There is the classic oven-baked method, but you can also smoke or grill a meatloaf. And it’s great in the slow cooker or Instant Pot too. Be sure to read up on how best to cook meatloaf for each of these methods. I have a delicious keto Slow Cooker BBQ Meatloaf below.

Watch your temp: Oven baked or grilled meatloaf can dry out easily if over-cooked, so keep an instant read thermometer nearby to check the temperature. A beef or pork-based meatloaf should reach 160F and poultry should reach 165F. Don’t let it go too much longer or it may dry out.

Keep in mind that dense meat like this continues to cook for a little while outside of the oven.