Zesty Paleo Meatloaf Recipe

I made this zesty little paleo turkey meatloaf last night for dinner. I’ve never been a big meatloaf person, just because they’re all pretty much a hunk of meat on a plate – kinda boring…

whole30 compliant recipe markI’m guessing most of us grew up with mom’s meatloaf. I can still remember mine grabbing the oven mitts and proudly bringing hers to the table all hot and bubbly and smelling so good. Home-cooked comfort food for sure.

Well I decided to make a true paleo meatloaf, and kick mom’s version up a notch or two.

I chose ground turkey for mine, but you can also use ground beef.

Then I added more veggies and spices because that’s what paleo peeps do, right?

This one has spinach, sautéed onions, garlic, some bell peppers, and extra seasonings…and it’s smothered in my Tangy Paleo BBQ Sauce. (You can use whatever BBQ sauce you prefer, or just cover it with ketchup.) [av_sidebar widget_area=’Lockerdome’ av_uid=’av-1u8ce0′]

This, my paleo friends, is a meatloaf!

Lots of flavor and good stuff inside…it’s not just a hunk of meat now! I have officially become a lover of meatloaf!

Hey, why not invite mom over and let her try it! Maybe she’ll like it better than her own. Yeah OK, maybe that’s a stretch….

This is such a great famly meal, so easy and nutritious. Just add a yummy side dish and you’re all set.

The best part is you’ll probably have leftovers…and that equals a quick paleo lunch the next day. That makes us happy, right?

Try this one…I know you’ll love it, and so will your family. :)

Happy paleo cooking!

Paleo Turkey or Beef Meatloaf Recipe

Paleo Turkey or Beef Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of ground beef –OR– 2 lbs of ground turkey
  • 3 eggs, whisked
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 onion, chopped small
  • 1 (10 oz) package of frozen spinach, thawed and water drained
  • 1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped small
  • 1/2 cup of my Tangy Paleo BBQ Sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce, or just use ketchup)
  • 1 tsp of chili powder
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 tsp of oregano
  • 1 tsp of thyme
  • 1/2 tsp of cayenne
  • 2 tbs of olive oil (to sauté vegetables)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F
  2. Sauté onions and peppers over medium heat in a saucepan with 2 tbs of olive oil just until tender
  3. Add spinach, garlic, and spices to the sautéed vegetables in the pan, stir gently
  4. Remove saucepan with vegetables from heat, set aside
  5. Put uncooked ground beef (or) ground turkey in a large bowl
  6. Pour the whisked eggs and almond flour and mix into the ground meat with your hands - no need to overdo it
  7. Now take veggies from the saucepan and pour into bowl
  8. Once again, mix the vegetables into the meat with your hands
  9. Now form mixture into a loaf shape and center in a loaf pan or meatloaf pan – it should be a little smaller than the size of the pan
  10. Finally, pour over the BBQ sauce or ketchup to cover top and sides of the meatloaf
  11. Cook about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes. Oven cooking times may vary. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the meatloaf should reach 155º F. Avoid overcooking!
  12. Remove from oven and allow to set for about 10 minutes before slicing
  13. Add extra BBQ or your own sauce as desired
  14. Serve hot and enjoy!
https://www.paleonewbie.com/not-your-ordinary-meatloaf/


 

Join the Conversation

  1. I made this recipe exactly as you stated and it is delicious! I even made the BBQ sauce, but replaced the honey with applesauce (whole30) and it was perfect. Thank you so much for this :))

  2. This was awesome. It’s so hard to give turkey meatloaf flavor! I made minis in a muffin tin and used chopped up fresh spinach & some local BBQ sauce I had in the fridge. Definitely a keeper!!

    1. Great ideas! Thank you so much! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe!

  3. Delish! Love the spice! I’m not a fan of bell pepper so opted for grated carrots (3) and also chose to heap most of my spices. I divided mine into muffin tins to help with portion control and reducing baking time. Baked at 400 degrees x 25 minutes…haven’t tried the BBQ sauce… but it’s still yummy without! Thank you!

    1. Joy, that sounds awesome! I love grated carrots in this recipe too! :)

  4. Deborah Langton says:

    I was skeptical that i would enjoy this as much as i do my mothers meat loaf. I read the reviews and decided to chance it. I told my 6 yr old that it was like a big hamburger, and since she likes spinach it worked. She does not like regular meatloaf. Everyone loved it! Thank you so much for such a great recipe! I might even like it better than my moms…

    1. Wow Deborah, what a wonderful comment…I’m so thrilled you and your family liked it…really appreciate you taking the time to comment!!! :)

  5. Made it tonight! Didn’t change a thing and it was delish!

    1. Thank you Hallie! :)

  6. I made it for today’s lunch and we really loved it ! Thanks for this recipe…

    1. Frederique, Thank you! It’s still my favorite meatloaf recipe. I’m so happy you enjoyed it! :)

  7. Larry Abrahamson says:

    Made this last Friday night and it was devoured! even my five year old loved it. I paired it with a red potato mash.

    1. Sounds awesome Larry…thrilled the little one liked it too! Thanks so much for your nice comment! :)

  8. Can I use chicken instead?

    1. Sure Annette, ground chicken will work great. Also you can mix your meats together if you like. :)

  9. I tried this recipe tonight and we all really enjoyed the flavor. Here is my recipe review: http://www.rosecolleran.com/recipe-review-paleo-turkey-or-beef-meatloaf/

    1. Awesome Rose…thanks so much for trying and the nice review! :)

  10. Great recipe by the way I’m probably going to give this a try next week when I get home and I love your site.

  11. I have it in oven now! Does it need to be covered to keep moist?

    1. Hi Elaine, I’m sorry for the delay and hopefully your meatloaf came out great!. I did not cover mine and it was awesome!

  12. Oooh, I can’t wait to make this recipe! Can we make muffins with this, instead of a loaf? Would it change anything besides the pan you use?

  13. Anonymous says:

    I made your recipe and it was a hit with my family.. I’m going to have to make this again..

    1. Yay! :)

  14. I love your recipes and I’m looking forward to making this! Would it be possible to make this and then freeze a portion of it? If so, how long do you think it would be good in the freezer?

    1. Yes Sarah! Wrap it well and it should hold up fine for a couple of months. :)

  15. So good! I didn’t change anything in this recipe! How many does this serve?

    1. Hi Leah, It depends on the appetite, but I would say 7-8 slices.

  16. Did this without onions and used white flour. It was outstanding. Leave out or cut back on the oregano, and it would be perfect!! Way too much oregano, imo.

    1. Thanks for your comment! I personally love the oregano, but I’m happy you liked the recipe! The spices can be easily adapted to each persons liking. :)

  17. Hi there,

    I’m sensitive to both almonds and coconut. Would it turn out if I omit the flour?

    Thanks :)

    Stephanie

    1. Yes Stephanie, it should be just fine! :)

  18. Do you think flax eggs would work in place of eggs?

  19. Love your site. I am trying this recipe tonight and excited to also try the paleo bbq sauce. I have been living paleo for awhile now and have never felt better. I am constantly surprised how I never feel like I am sacraficing anything. The food is delicious and the benefits pay back big time.

    1. Hi Tracy! Wow, I couldn’t have said it better myself! I totally agree with you. I wish everyone would just try it for a month. It’s so awesome to have your body feel so great!:) Thanks for taking the time to comment!

  20. Adrienne Grant says:

    Today I plan on making this meatloaf with shaved broccoli and kale/spinach/chard power mix of greens I picked up from costco! I will keep you posted on how it turns out!! Thank you for reminding us we can add veggies to our meatloaf! -Adrienne

    1. Adrienne, Great idea! Hope it turns out well for you!

  21. I hate mushy meatloaf. Is this one nice and firm or mushy? Also, could one leave out the spinach? I like it but my hubby doesn’t. Thanks Claudia

    1. It’s moist but does not fall apart. It has wonderful flavors. if you want to leave out the spinach you can, but it’s awesome with it!

  22. Mmm this is baking in my over now and smells delicious! Can’t wait for some good guilt free comfort food! I had some leftover dripping sauce from yesterday’s ‘Well Fed’ paleo ribs so I used that mixed with a dash of BBQ to keep it zippy and I can’t wait to taste it!

    1. Elizabeth, I hope you liked it. It’s a favorite in our house. :)

  23. I have been craving meatloaf for days. This sounds perfect for meal prep on Monday. What serving size does this recipe yield?

    1. Krystal, it’s a good size meat loaf. It will serve about 8 big slices or you can make mini meat loafs and freeze for later. :)

  24. Anonymous says:

    I don’t have almond flour, is there an alternative I can use?

    1. You can use coconut flour. Maybe a couple tablespoons? I haven’t made it that way but it should be fine. Or I have had some people just skip it and said it turned out great!

  25. This was the easiest, tasty meatloaf! I turned it up to 400 degrees and baked for 1hr since I was a little pressed for time. I didn’t have all the seasonings so I improvised with what I had and it turned out fantastic. My 6yr old loved it so much she asked if she can bring it to school for lunch the next day! This is definitely a keeper and going to be a staple in my house. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Heidi, thank you so much for your commet! I am never more happy than when I hear kids give a recipe thumbs up, that’s when I know it’s a winner! I hope you find more recipes your family will enjoy. :)

  26. I made this per the directions and it really just tasted like a big piece of hamburger with spices mixed in. I made it for the 2nd time today but I added tomato paste. I cooked it on my Big Green Egg grill and it was delicious. Tomato paste made it taste like an actual meatloaf. My wife even went back for seconds!

    1. Hey Justin! I’m so glad you tried the meatloaf! We top ours with my zippy tangy BBQ sauce which is why I didn’t add tomato to the meatloaf, but I will say, your idea rocks! I’m so glad you made it and just as important, that your wife liked it enough for seconds! That’s awesome! :)

    2. I read, with interest, that you put in some tomato paste into the Paleo Turkey or Beef Meatloaf Recipe. How much paste would you recommend for the turkey version

      1. Josie, it’s the same with the turkey as the beef. :)

  27. Can you use fresh spinach with this recipe?

    1. Reyna, sure you can. You would just cook it down with the veggies. :)

  28. Quite possibly the BEST EVER meat loaf!! Made it with ground turkey and even 3 days later for lunch, it was moist and some of the best flavor ever. Made a simple ketchup and dijon topping with extra for dipping bites in.

    1. Marilynn, thank you so much! This recipe has recently become popular because people like you give it a try! I’m so glad you like it, you just made my day! :)

  29. Tonight I’ll be making this meatloaf for the second time. It is delicious!

    1. Felicia, thank you! I like this recipe a lot too. My hubby was just asking me when I was making it again. I’m glad you enjoy it as well!

  30. Tried this meatloaf. It is OUTSTANDING to say the least. Not one person at the table left anything. Truly the best meatloaf I have had.

    1. That is the best compliment I have received all day! I’ll take it! :) thank you so much for commenting and I’m so glad everyone liked it!

  31. I made this today and it was amazing!!! I am a foodie, and a Paleo devotee. My problem I am the worst cook on the planet! I came across your website and jumped for joy. I have made your BBQ wings fabulous next up will be that lasagna the one thing I miss most!!! Thank you for getting those of us who love Paleo but want food that taste good and does not require we spend all day locating crazy ingredients and another day to put it together. You young lady can cook! Let me know when you put your creations into a cookbook!

    Keep them coming!

    1. Hey Trish! Can I start off by saying you just made my day? Thank you so much for the compliment. And you nailed the reason I started this site. I’m not an elaborate cook, but I want great tasting food without a lot of work. I’m glad you like the recipes, people like you are the reason I do it! Thanks again! :)

  32. “: Not your momma’s meatloaf! Not Your Ordinary Meatloaf – http://t.co/ZYPeR3PGnX – #Paleomeatloaf http://t.co/gOz24aETID”

    Yum!

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