Low Carb Meatloaf & Sweet Tea
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Let me introduce you to the best-tasting low carb meatloaf you’ll ever have. Serve with a side of sweet tea for the ultimate tasty Southern comfort food.
This past weekend I taught a low carb cooking class and a sweet lady named Susan emailed me ahead of time and promised a sampling of the best meatloaf I’ve ever had in my life, as well as the recipe. She was right, as this low carb meatloaf recipe makes the tastiest meatloaf I’ve ever eaten. I have since made it twice and forced everyone I come into contact with to try it and they have admitted the same thing.
Folks, your life has been missing something and it is this meatloaf. The flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and beauty of it are the stuff of legends. Plus, it’s both a low carb and keto meatloaf recipe, so no guilt necessary! So if you want a no-fail, easy to make, comforting dinner that’s packed full of flavor, look no further. Now let’s stop lallygagging and hightail it into the kitchen folks because there is no time to waste when you have something as delicious as this meatloaf waiting on ya!
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground turkey or chicken
- Ground beef
- Eggs
- Pork rinds (plain) or parmesan cheese
- Onion soup mix
- Reduced sugar or sugar-free ketchup
- Water
How to Make Low Carb Meatloaf
First, crush your pork rinds or sub with parmesan cheese. I just put them in this bag and rolled a can of something or another over them. A rolling pin works, too.
Then mix all meatloaf ingredients together using your hands in a large bowl. Mix, mix, mix until it is really well blended. I guess you could use a stand mixer to mix this if you like but I’ve always seen it mixed with hands so I just keep with old habits. If it ain’t broke…
Susan’s recipe calls for taking the end pieces of a loaf of bread and placing them up against each other in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. I love that this uses up the part of the bread that sometimes gets discarded. I decided to use my little baking dish that I use for these glorious rolls. It worked out okay but I recommend going with Susan’s suggestion. Use a 9×13 because a 9×13 is going to give you plenty of room for any grease or liquid to accumulate. Mine almost overflowed the pan a bit because I used a shallow dish.
Turns out, there is something to be said for following a recipe!
Using your hands, form the meat mixture into a loaf on top of the bread in your baking dish. Press it together a bit as you do so. Squiggle a little additional ketchup on top again if you like (this is additional to what the recipe calls for).
Bake this at 350 degrees for an hour.
Allow it to sit for ten minutes before cutting. After ten minutes, it cuts beautifully.
To make this meal complete, check out Southern Breeze Sweet Tea
While the low carb meatloaf is cooking is the perfect time to brew up some Southern Breeze Sweet Tea. This is the sugar-free, zero-carb sweet tea that is as simple to make as pouring hot water over the bags and letting them steep for a few minutes. This stuff is the real deal, made in Marietta, Georgia. Let me show you how easy it is to make! I actually brew mine right in the pitcher.
- I pour about an inch of cool water in the bottom of a 2-quart pitcher (one that can handle heat). This is an old habit of mine, you can skip it if you like.
- Bring some water to a boil in my electric kettle (click here to see the one I have), toss two family size tea bags in the pitcher, and pour the boiling water over.
- Let it sit for 3-5 minutes, then remove my bags and fill the pitcher up the rest of the way with water for perfectly sweetened Southern iced tea every time. This photo is just before removing the bags and adding more water.
These three simple steps will yield perfectly sweetened Southern iced tea every time, which is great with my low-carb eating. Be sure you visit their website for a coupon to use when you go out hunting for it later on today (click here and then choose Sweet Deals at the top of their page). They also have a tool that will tell you what stores in your area carry their tea.
A glass of Southern Breeze Original Sweet Tea makes this meal complete.
Storage
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- You can also freeze slices of meatloaf for up to three months. Just make sure every slice is tightly wrapped or sealed to avoid freezer burn.
Recipe Notes
- I was surprised by the turkey/chicken in this recipe. Really surprised. This beefy-tasting meatloaf doesn’t give away that half of the meat is poultry but it sure does add a tender texture to it. Note that the original recipe called for chicken, but I didn’t see ground chicken at my grocery so I used ground turkey and it tasted the same to me.
- If you don’t want to use pork rinds, I’ve found parmesan cheese to be a great substitute that adds flavor and acts as a binder.
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with meatloaf?
This meatloaf goes perfectly with a side of mashed potatoes and fresh green beans or brussels sprouts. Other options include mashed cauliflower, mac and cheese, or a simple side salad.
Can this meatloaf be made gluten-free?
Yes, you can adapt this recipe to make a gluten-free meatloaf. You’ll just have to use gluten-free bread crusts and gluten-free onion soup mix, which you can easily make at home.
Ingredients
- 1 onion soup mix
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup pork rinds crush, then measure * or use 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Using clean hands, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl until well blended.1 onion soup mix, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup water, 1/3 cup ketchup, 3/4 cup pork rinds, 1 lb. ground beef, 1 lb. ground chicken
- Place two ends from a loaf of bread, end to end, onto the surface of a 9’x13’ baking dish.
- Form the meat mixture into a loaf on top of the bread slices.
- Squeeze a little more ketchup on top of the meatloaf.
- Bake for one hour.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing
Notes
To take this meatloaf over the moon, heat each slice on a sizzling hot cast iron griddle skillet, putting a crusty sear on both sides!
Peel off the bread, from the bottom of each slice of meatloaf, and give it to your 4-legged children. Tails will wag, and they will love you forever!!!
*We no longer eat pork but I've parmesan cheese to be a great substitute that adds flavor and acts as a binder. I add about 1/2 cup.
Nutrition
The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course.
~Billy Graham
Special thanks to Southern Breeze Sweet Tea for sponsoring this post and helping me bring this wonderful recipe to you!
I grew up on meatloaf made with “meatloaf mix” freshly ground from the butcher – it was 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground lamb, and 1/3 ground veal. I don’t know if this was a local thing or what back in the 60’s but it made amazing meatloaf. I think the ground chicken would mimic at least the ground veal part. Can’t wait to try this!!!!
MY
Mom made the same recipe and after she passed, I missed everything she cooked- that was in 1994 ( My Daddy passed 6 maths before she did) so, one day 2002 I decided to TRY to make her Meatloaf. She always used Ground round- Ground Pork- ground Veal- My parents were Italian so really this recipe was like making her delicious Meatballs, except for a couple of variations. We mix all the meat together ( depending on the amt I was making) I used a few eggs, Parseley flakes, garlic ( very little) and my Mom would always used day old bread & she would “patiently” pick small pieces of bread ( I have little patience, but I wanted to have my Mom there in spirit & wouldn’t dare divert her recipe, which I didn’t. Almost forgot! in egg mixture add liberal amt of grated cheese, beating the egg mixture & adding this bread to meat mixture and folding everything together, then added egg mixture and continued to ” fold gently & mix well, but don’ t overwork the entire mixture. ( My Mom’s words) last step was 1 can of Hunts sauce ( small) pour 1/2 can in meat mixture, reserving 1/2 can. Make into loaf and make a small dip with hands ( like. Crease) on top. Pour remaining tomato sauce over crease- put a few raw onions on top and put in 350* pre- heated oven. OM MY DEAR LORD! It came out like my Mom was in my body, it tasted exactly like my Moms! Excited, I called my children, her grandchildren told them I had a surprise for them & don’t eat! Well, I had mashed potatoes, green beans ( with the butter like you made it, Chrissy, and we always had a salad w/ vinegar & olive oil- S & P. My kids ( adults w/ they adored their Nana & Grandad & never kissed or disliked anything she made, we’re all hesitant to see if it tasted like Nana’s– WELL, IT DID!! I was so proud, they were thrilled, and I just smiled and said, well Nana help me- she showed up when I was cooking and she was as proud as I was! ( my kids thought I was nuts) I just proudly smiled & Thanked God for letting my Mom come help me! ❤️
I have used many of your recipes and they are tasty as as you describe.
I have a question about the meatloaf recipe you have recently shared . My husband is a celiac (food allergy to wheat gluten) and we have not had meatloaf in years . Come to think of it, I don’t think either of my sons have ever eaten meatloaf!
I have adapted some of your recipes so they become gluten free , but. I am hoping you could give me a suggestion as to what to substitute for the pork rinds. I am from Ohio, so I am not familiar with this item. Is it fried with flour? That is a no no for celiacs. I can locate gluten free bread for the recipe, though the bread is much like dry cardboard. Would I need to use bread slices?
I would appreciate any suggestions because I miss meatloaf and I would like my husband to be able to enjoy it as well.
Pork Rinds are usually located in the “Chip” aisle. They come in a bag like chips do. The ones I’ve always seen are pure pork, so you shouldn’t have any problems like with flour. Hope you enjoy!
Pork rinds are just skins fried, no flour, sometimes salt is added, but that is it. This recipe should be good to go for celiacs right now. I hope you get to try it soon! 🙂 You can skip the bread, no prob, there will just a bit more grease in the pan itself.
Don’t use the onion soup mix because it’s loaded with wheat. Instead I would use some dried minced onions and maybe some beef bullion if you can find a celiac compliant one.
I use corn flakes when our gluten free friends come over for meatloaf, but I suppose in this recipe you would lose some of the pork flavor with that substitution. In my meatloaf recipe I usually use crushed ritz crackers and can hardly tell the difference when I switch to crushed corn flakes. I hope this helps for gluten free meatloaf adventures in the future!!
I lived in Ohio for 12 years and found pork rinds everywhere. Walmart, gas stations just about any place you find chips. 🙂
You should try 1lb breakfast sausage plus 2 lbs ground chuck, green pepper, 2 eggs, onion, ketchup and bread crumbs. Bacon on top. Best ever!
Now that would make it a completely different recipe, wouldn’t it?
I must try this. I won’t tell right away what’s in it!
Wow this sounds super interesting with the pork rinds and chicken. I will have to try this! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this recipe :). Yay to another low carb friendly recipe to add to the collection. Clay and I too both enjoyed your cooking class. Thank you Christy
I never would have thought of using beef AND chicken. This sounds so amazing that I can hardly wait to try it. And I know my dog will love the bread too. Now, if only my ground beef will hurry and thaw so I can get started.