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 make keto meatloaf in the crockpot?
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.
Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Ground pork (or more ground beef)
- Chopped onion
- Keto cracker crumbs (can sub almond flour or crushed pork rinds)
- Garlic
- Seasoning
- Eggs
- Keto BBQ Sauce
If you’ve made this recipe in the past, you will notice the change of filler from almond flour to crushed keto crackers. You can still do almond flour or pork rinds, but I adore the crackers and crumbs from Real Phat Foods.
The crumbs work really well as a binder, because they are harder than unbaked almond flour and so they soak in the moisture of the meat and eggs a little more. And you can use FOODDREAMER for 10% off all Real Phat products.
How to make slow cooker keto meatloaf
This recipe is so easy and results in perfectly juicy meatloaf every time!
- Set a trivet in the slow cooker: This keeps the meatloaf off the bottom, so it cooks more evenly. It also allows some of the fat and juices to drain off.
- Poke holes in the foil: I found in the past that the fat and juices pooled around the bottom of the loaf. Poking some holes helps drain some of this away so it’s not as messy when you remove it from the pot.
- Combine the meatloaf ingredients: Mix everything except for the BBQ sauce in a large bowl. Use your hands to make sure everything gets well mixed.
- Shape the meatloaf: 9 inches by 5 inches seems to fit well inside most standard crockpots.
- 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 160F in the center.
- Brush with the 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can get your hands on them, I really do recommend them! But you can also use ½ cup almond flour or ½ cup crushed pork rinds.
Absolutely, if you can find a good sugar-free sauce. 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.
You bet. Follow the directions and timing for my Keto French Onion Meatloaf and it should turn out well.
Yes, you can do that too, but you may want to cut down on the size of the loaf. Instant Pots are taller and more narrow than slow cookers, so I would suggest doing ⅓ of this recipe. For the eggs, you can do 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk.
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:
- Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
- Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash
- Easy Zucchini Casserole
- Cauliflower Fritters
- Spanish Cauliflower Rice
- Simple Roasted Radishes
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.
April says
I love meatloaf. Never made it in the slow cooker before – what a game changer! This tasted just like the meatloaf my mom used to make, I loved it.
Erin says
An easy recipe that has great flavor. I am going to freeze half for an easy meal later. Thanks!
Allyssa says
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!
Beryl says
This meatloaf is delicious. I’ll never make a meatloaf without the crockpot again.
DD says
There’s an ingredient missing in recipe… it says “½ cup (or almond flour)”
Carolyn says
I don’t know why you are not seeing it, but it’s actually there. I can see it on both desktop and mobile. It says keto cracker crumbs.
Margaret says
I don’t use aluminum foil with heat. Can I just put it in the slow cooker or will it come out more dry that way
Carolyn says
It won’t hold together properly so use parchment instead…
Tiffany Fletcher says
Can’t wait to try this! Which variety of Phat crumbs/crackers do you use in your version?
Carolyn says
The Italian was what I had on hand this time.
Patti Potthoff says
Can you use a different kind of meat…ground turkey or chicken?
Thanks
Thelma C Chase says
Love your recipes! I am 82 and trying to lose weight from years of eating all the wrong things. I bought a couple of your cookbooks. One of my daughters told me about your recipes and I am glad she did!
Thank you,
Thelma
Carolyn says
Thank you and great job taking charge of your health!
Shannon says
Can you prep this recipe in advance and freeze it? I’m looking to be able to pull it straight from the freezer and place into the crockpot. Thank you.
Carolyn says
I really haven’t tried, sorry!
Corinne says
If I were to substitute crushed pork rinds for the almond flour, would it be a 1:1 ratio?
Carolyn says
Yes it’s about the same.
Tracy says
Do you use the same cook time if you cut the recipe in half?
Carolyn says
I honestly can’t say, I’ve not tried. I think it would probably take a little less time but I can’t say how much.
Kim Borders says
Best meatloaf I’ve made.