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Insanely Awesome Paleo Meatloaf (Keto & Gluten Free)

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Paleo Meatloaf

This Paleo meatloaf is so insanely delicious. It’s made with ground pork, filled with mushrooms and onions, and then topped with tomato sauce. It will make your kids beg for meatloaf.

Beyond Bacon is Stacy Toth & Matthew McCarry’s (the duo behind the blog, Paleo Parents) latest book. 

The cookbook covers recipes for every part of the hog including how to render lard, cure your own bacon and make pork-inspired dishes. 

When you receive your copy (which I hope you will order) you will be surprised by a hardcover (not a softcover like most cookbooks). 

When you open the package to look at the book the cover will grab you instantly. 

Slices of paleo meatloaf on a platter.
Insanely Awesome Meatloaf

I have been awwing over this cover design since it was released. The cover and the whole book evoke a vintage feel that I love. 

The pictures are dark and moody. Little details are throughout, like quotes on the sides of pages, tips for how to change up the recipe, and stories behind every recipe.

Beyond Bacon cookbook open to the meatloaf recipe.
Beyond Bacon

Even before I received my copy of the cookbook I was eyeing this meatloaf recipe I saw in one of the teaser pictures. 

To understand why I would be interested in a meatloaf recipe you have to dive into my childhood, a childhood plagued by tasteless meatloaf made with dried out flavorless pork. 

I grew up not knowing what pulled pork was, that is cruel. 

Don’t do that to your children. 

As one survivor of the bland, dried-out pork era to another please, please cook your pork the Beyond Bacon way. Brighten their childhood memories with this meatloaf recipe (and this book). 

A look inside the Beyond Bacon cookbook.
I can’t wait to make this recipe for, Caramel Praline Lard Fudge, next.

I made Insanely Awesome Meatloaf for my parents as proof that meatloaf can taste fantastic (and it makes a budget-friendly weeknight meal). 

There were lots of questions I had to dodge like, “why are there veggies in the meatloaf?” 

For you see, the meatloaf I was tortured with growing up, only had onions in it and not even real onions, gasp…onion flakes… I know…so sad. 

That meatloaf was covered, more like drenched, and drowning in cream of mushroom soup from the can. 

It was a disaster. 

I slowly introduced my parents to meatloaf which was insanely awesome. 

I encouraged them to take a bite; just a little bite, and see for themselves that there was hope for meatloaf. Then a miracle happened, a curve of their lip, a maneuver of their hand, and the curve turned into a smile and then another bite and another bite. 

Dinner time was saved. My childhood memories haunted by bad, very bad food was erased and replaced by Insanely Awesome Paleo Meatloaf from Beyond Bacon.

Slices of paleo meatloaf on a platter.
Insanely Awesome Meatloaf

Paleo Meatloaf Ingredients

I know the ingredient list looks long, but it’s worth it!

  • some lard (or use refined coconut oil, or olive oil)
  • yellow onions
  • fresh mushrooms
  • celery
  • carrots
  • ground pork
  • pound ground pork liver or pork kidney (optional)
  • a few eggs
  • some almond flour
  • fresh oregano
  • fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
  • sweet Hungarian paprika
  • salt and black pepper
  • tomato sauce (for the top)

How to Make Paleo Meatloaf

In a large skillet, melt the lard over medium-high heat.

Saute the onions, mushrooms, celery, and carrots for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. (Dicing the veggies small and keeping them a uniform size will help them cook quickly and evenly.)

Remove the skillet from the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats eggs, almond flour, oregano, Italian parsley, Hungarian paprika, salt, black pepper, and cooked vegetables with your hands (your best kitchen utensil).

Press the mixture into a 4 x 9-inch loaf pan.

Smooth the top, and spread the tomato sauce over it with a spatula. If you do not want or like tomatoes, try topping with a few strips of bacon instead!

Bake the meatloaf at 350 degrees F. for 60-70 minutes or until it is cooked through.

Make meatloaf ahead of time

You can make this meatloaf ahead and freeze it for up to 3 months. You can cook it from frozen but allow more time for it to cook.

Can I make meatloaf with ground beef?

Yes, you can make meatloaf with ground beef instead of pork. You can also use ground chicken or turkey. I enjoy mixing ground beef and ground pork to make meatloaf.

More Easy Weeknight Paleo Dinners

Try some more easy dinner recipes. Here’s my whole collection of gluten free dinner recipes.

Paleo Meatloaf Recipe

Yield: Serves 4-6

Insanely Awesome Paleo Meatloaf

Insanely Awesome Meatloaf

This Paleo meatloaf is so insanely delicious. It's made with ground pork, filled with mushrooms and onions, and then topped with tomato sauce. It will make your kids beg for meatloaf.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp lard
  • ½ cup yellow onions, diced into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup mushrooms, diced into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup celery, diced into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup carrots, diced into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 pounds ground pork
  • ½ pound ground pork liver or pork kidney (optional)
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup blanched almond flour
  • 2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup tomato sauce (for the top)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, melt the lard over medium-high heat.
  2. Saute the onions, mushrooms, celery, and carrots for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. (Dicing the veggies small and keeping them a uniform size will help them cook quickly and evenly.) Remove the skillet from the heat.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats eggs, almond flour, oregano, Italian parsley, Hungarian paprika, salt, black pepper, and cooked vegetables with your hands (your best kitchen utensil).
  4. Press the mixture into a 4 x 9-inch loaf pan. Smooth the top, and spread the tomato sauce over it with a spatula. If you do not want or like tomatoes, try topping with a few strips of bacon instead!
  5. Bake the meatloaf at 350 degrees F. for 60-70 minutes or until it is cooked through.

Notes

Also makes great "meatloaf" burgers!

This recipe was reprinted with permission from Stacy Toth & Matthew McCarry, authors of, Beyond Bacon.

Did you make this recipe?

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This recipe was reprinted with permission from Stacy Toth & Matthew McCarry from their book, Beyond Bacon.

DISCLOSURE: Not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. Use of recommendations is at the choice and risk of the reader. Ditch the Wheat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I only endorse products that I believe in.

Gluten Free Resources

Do you need help with gluten free meals?
I recommend this meal-planning app. It makes cooking gluten free dinners extremely easy and family-friendly.
What gluten free snacks can I eat?
Lots! I have a ton of practical gluten free snack recipes in my cookbook.
How can I eat dessert on a gluten free diet?
You can 100% eat dessert while eating gluten free. Try my dessert cookbook for easy gluten free dessert recipes.
How do I know what is gluten free and what isn’t?
I have a whole section is it gluten free?
How do I make substitutions?
If you need substitution advice I created a ton of resources here.

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