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Every mom needs a good meatloaf recipe up her sleeve because who doesn’t like meatloaf? So here’s mine — a Whole30-approved Classic Meatloaf!
My kids absolutely love it when I make this Whole30 Classic Meatloaf and serve it with my Whole30 Mashed Potatoes. Everyone leaves the table full and happy, and nobody would ever know that it’s Whole30 compliant! WIN!
If you like this Whole30 Classic Meatloaf, try my Mini BBQ Meatloaves for a simple, easy dinner!
Whole30 Classic Meatloaf
A delicious, gluten-free Meat Loaf recipe that the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf:
- 2 cups finely diced yellow onion (from about 1 large onion)
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon. coconut aminos
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup almond flour
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and thyme and saute until tender, about 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the tomato paste and coconut aminos. Set aside to let cool.
- When cool, place ground beef, almond flour, 2 beaten eggs, and plenty of salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl. Pour the onion mixture on top and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense.
- Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients until well combined.
- Spread the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf reads 155°F. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Make thick slices to serve.
Notes
Freezer Tips:
- To freeze the meatloaf, allow it to cool completely, then slice it or leave it whole depending on your preference. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil and additionally store it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label and date the containers before placing in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, place the meatloaf in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Remove the plastic wrap and foil then reheay in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through, or microwave individual slices until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 175mg, Sodium: 790mg, Potassium: 630mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
This meatloaf is one of my favorites!!! I’ve made it twice and it’s been delicious both times. We buy our ground beef from Costco, where it’s sold in 1.5lb portions. So I use 1 container of ground beef, and add 0.5lb of ground pork to make up the 2lb this recipe calls for. Next time, I will double the sauce, and pour the other half over the loaf a few minutes before I pull it out of the oven. I just personally think it needs more sauce than what the recipe calls for. Absolutely YUM! Thank you Alex !
Thank you for this recipe, it is so good, I’ve made it quite a few times. A couple times, the meatloaf didn’t slice as well, but was just as tasty. I follow the recipe every time, do you have an idea what might cause it to chunk, instead of slice? I always let it rest before attempting to slice, & use Butcher Box 80/20. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words about the recipe! I’m thrilled to hear you’ve made it several times and enjoyed it. As for the slicing issue, there are a few factors that could contribute to the meatloaf being more “chunky” rather than slicing cleanly, even if you’re following the recipe:
– Mixing: Overmixing the meat mixture can sometimes lead to a denser texture, while undermixing may cause it to fall apart more easily. Aim to mix until the ingredients are just combined.
-Meat Temperature: If the ground beef is overly cold or too warm when mixed, it might affect the structure. Letting the meat come closer to room temperature before mixing can help. I know that butcher box is great quality but sometimes meat from frozen can lend to a different texture so just bring it to room temperature!
– Fat Content: 80/20 is a great choice for flavor and juiciness, but sometimes the fat renders more during cooking, which can slightly loosen the structure. You might experiment with a slightly leaner ground beef (85/15) or gently press the loaf together more firmly before baking.
I hope these notes help!
So easy, and so delicious! I had a Wahlburger meatloaf trio (ground beef, pork, and veal) already in the fridge and it worked perfectly with this recipe. Served with mashed potatoes and broccoli! Will definitely be making this again and again
What kind of beef do you recommend 80/20?
i like 90/10!
Hello,
Can I use 1 lbs pork and 1 lbs beef? Thanks!
You could- but pork definitely has more fat in it, so it might be more crumbly/oily with this recipe
But how much S&P?! 😅 I love this recipe but if we could please get salt and pepper measurements updated please.
I’d recommend 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper for the meatloaf! For the sauce, you can just season to taste!
this is my go to recipe!!!
OMG – this was amazing! My new favorite meatloaf recipe (even when not on a Whole30)!
so glad you loved it, Laurie.
This was so delicious! I unfortunately didn’t have any onion but it still turned out amazing without it. I did add onion powder but only because I didn’t have the onion. Thank you!
I was looking for a good Whole30 meatloaf recipe and I luckily found this one! The 5 stars caught my attention. Made it last night for hubby and I and it is delicious. I did add minced carrot, yellow pepper and celery along with the minced onion to total the 2 cups needed (only because I had them sitting on the counter from a previous recipe I was making). Since it’s just the 2 of us I made the recipe and then halved into 2 loafs and froze one. Will be putting this into the weekly rotation.
What would you recommend as an alternative to almond flour? Would a gluten free flour blend be sufficient?
I recommend a GF breadcrumb or panko!
Do you think I could use a mix of ground flaxseed and quick oats? Would I need to increase the milk if I did?
What tomato sauce do you recommend? Also, could you use Rao’s marina or pizza sauce?
for this- you want just classic canned tomato sauce (not a marinara). It would be next to the canned tomatoes/tomato paste at the store.