Low Carb Meatloaf

6 servings
2 hr 20 min

This Low Carb Meatloaf is just as meatloaf should be— tender and moist, soft but never mushy, cuts easily with a fork, but can be picked up without breaking, oozing juices, but not greasy, meaty and savory– but, in a healthier low carb version! Can I get an AMEN?!

Meatloaf is such a classic comfort food. But when you’re watching your carbs, finding a substitute for the carb-laden ingredients like breadcrumbs and ketchup can be tricky.


But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!


Now you can enjoy all the goodness of classic meatloaf in low-carb fashion, and I promise, you won’t even miss the carbs.


Key Ingredients:


What I love about this simple recipe is that it’s made with just a handful of staple ingredients.

  • Lean ground beef– 80/20 or 90/10. I recommend 80/20 for meatloaf and burgers. You want the extra juices.
  • Almond flour– this is the best substitute for breadcrumbs in meatloaf. It helps bind it together, but still absorbs juices so it keeps the meat moist.
  • Onion– grating the onions is key for texture and flavor.
  • Eggs– also a binding agent to keep everything holding together.
  • Tomato sauce– some recipes use milk (high in carbs), I like a thicker liquid, it adds flavor, keeps the meat juicy and works well with the binding ingredients.
  • Salt– helps to tenderize, don’t be afraid to be generous here.
  • Italian seasoning, garlic, Worcestershire sauce– flavor flavor flavor! You can change this up to your preferences as well. This is very basic and traditional.
  • Sugar-free barbeque sauce or ketchup– I like the extra tang of barbecue sauce in this recipe, but either is fine. ( Rufus Teague is my favorite brand and uses stevia to sweeten.)


Instructions

STEP ONE: Mix the ingredients

  • Place the ground beef, almond flour, grated onion, pressed garlic, eggs, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and Italian seasoning in the bowl of a stand mixer. (No stand mixer? see the paddle attachment to mix the ingredients until everything is well combined.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, simply use your hands to work the ingredients until it’s mixed well.
  • Place the meat mixture into a standard size loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2) making sure it fills the pan from edge to edge.
  • Brush the sugar free BBQ sauce over the top of the meat.


AFMT TIP~ use a pastry brush, silicone brush, or the back of a spoon to gently spread the sauce over the meatloaf.


STEP TWO: Bake the Meatloaf


  • Place the meatloaf in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes, then remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread a second layer of BBQ sauce over the top. Return the meat to the oven to bake another 35 minutes.

STEP THREE: Rest for 10-15 minutes


When meat cooks, the heat extracts the juices and brings them to the surface.


Allowing the meat to “rest” gives those juices a chance to redistribute back into the meat ensuring it will be juicy and not dry.


Just before slicing and serving, you can add more barbecue sauce and garnish with parsley if desired.

Notes

  • The meat will shrink slightly as it bakes, so you may notice it has pulled away from the pan when you take it out of the oven.
  • If you notice a lot excess juice has developed in the bottom of the pan you can use a turkey baster to suck some of that liquid out.
  • Not looking for low carb? Just sub out the Almond flour for bread crumbs, and use regular ketchup or barbecue sauce.
  • Ground Turkey is also delicious in this recipe


For Storing, Make-ahead, and Freezing instructions hop over to the blog post!

What to serve with Low Carb Meatloaf


One of the great things about meatloaf is it goes with just about everything! Here are some suggestions for keeping your whole meal, low carb.


For additional information, tips, and more low-carb recipes, be sure to visit the blog post!




Recipe details
  • 6  servings
  • Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 130 Minutes Total time: 2 hr 20 min
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Ingredients

  • ▢ 2 pounds lean ground beef 80/20
  • ▢ 2 eggs
  • ▢ ½ cup tomato sauce
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ▢ 1 small onion grated
  • ▢ ½ cup almond flour
  • ▢ 5 cloves garlic pressed
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ▢ 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped, optional garnish
  • ▢ 1 cup Sugar free barbecue sauce or sugar free ketchup
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°
Place the ground beef, almond flour, onion, garlic, eggs, tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt and Italian seasoning in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer to ‘stir’ and mix until everything is well combined. NOTE: If you don’t have a stand mixer, use your hands to mix everything well.
Put the meat in a 9 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pan and press in a bit so it fills the pan.
Brush with barbecue sauce.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and add more sauce to the top, brushing is on evenly. Return to the oven for another 30-35 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with extra sauce and parsley if you desire.
Tips
  • The meat will shrink slightly as it bakes, so you may notice it has pulled away from the pan when you take it out of the oven.
  • If you notice a lot excess juice has developed in the bottom of the pan you can use a turkey baster to suck some of that liquid out.
  • Not looking for low carb? Just sub out the Almond flour for bread crumbs, and use regular ketchup or barbecue sauce.
  • Ground Turkey is also delicious in this recipe
Chellie | Art From My Table
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Comments
  • Caryn Caryn on Feb 25, 2021

    Your meatloaf recipe looks delicious! I’m always on the lookout for recipes using ground beef or turkey. I can’t wait to try your recipe! Thank you!

  • Cel Cel on Feb 25, 2023

    Is there something off with the nutritional calculations? 24 net carbs and 18 gms of sugar is not low carb! I plugged the recipe into MyFitnessPal and it came out with about half the net carbs and WAY less sugar and a LOT of difference in other macros as well (i.e. 18 gms fat vs 37)! Does the fault lie with Foodtalk's nutritional calculator?

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