After years of recipe testing, this is the BEST keto bacon-wrapped meatloaf recipe ever! It's easy to make, uses common low-carb ingredients, is wrapped in bacon, has a simple glaze, and tastes just as good, if not better, than the original!
This keto bacon-wrapped meatloaf took me two years to perfect and is sure to be a hit with everyone, carb-eaters or not!
This recipe uses coconut flour instead of breadcrumbs to create a perfect, tender loaf. However, the coconut taste is 100% undetectable!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Low-Carb Meatloaf Recipe: 1) It's wrapped in bacon 🥓 2) Uses common ingredients 3) Is family-friendly 4) Is quick & easy to prepare 5) has a moist and tender texture 6) and is gluten-free with only three net carbs per serving!
The bacon adds saltiness and a crispy top. Then it's coated with a sugar-free ketchup gravy that will knock your socks off!
If you think you don't like meatloaf, give this one a try. I think you just might change your mind 😀
And if you're looking for more easy, family-friendly ground beef recipes, I think you'll love these Keto Sloppy Joes, Whole30 Low-Carb Lasagna Soup, and Keto Taco Meat recipes.
Or this Keto Steak Marinade from Kicking Carbs and these Bacon-Wrapped Pickle Bites from Real Balanced look amazing, too!
Ingredients
Are the simple ingredients you will need:
- Ground Beef - 80% lean beef works best. Feel free to replace some of the beef with ground pork or veal.
- Sea Salt, Ground Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Parsley - Seasonings.
- Coconut Flour - Keto breadcrumb replacement - no coconut flavor detected! Not all coconut flours are the same; some are much more absorbent than others! I recommend Besti, Arrowhead Mills, and Bob's Red Mill because I know these will work well in this recipe. If buying another brand, I can't guarantee the results, but look for one that is soft and not grainy.
- Parmesan Cheese - Use the finely grated/powdered variety.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I always use unsweetened, non-dairy milk because traditional milk has more carbs.
- Large Eggs - Binder and added moisture.
- Sugar-Free Bacon - Thin bacon works best, so it gets nice and crispy!
And here are the meatloaf glaze ingredients:
- Sugar-Free Ketchup - I used to recommend Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup but recently noticed that it is sweetened with sucralose, an artificial sweetener I do not recommend. I now recommend Primal Kitchen Ketchup and Primal Kitchen Slightly Sweetened Ketchup, each having two carbs per Tablespoon. They contain no artificial sweeteners and are keto, paleo, and whole30-friendly. 👍 Or if you're looking for a homemade sugar-free ketchup, this Keto Sugar-Free Ketchup from Wholesome Yum looks delicious!
- Prepared Yellow Mustard - Add a subtle tartness.
- Keto Brown Sweetener - Optional, use any low-carb brown sweetener you prefer!
🔪 Easy instructions
Step #1: Add all of the meatloaf ingredients, except the bacon, to a large mixing bowl. Mix until incorporated but do not over-mix.
Step #2: Form the beef mixture into a loaf on a greased broiler pan so the fat from the bacon drains off. I like to line the bottom of the pan with foil for easy cleanup.
💭Tip: If you don't have a broiler pan, place a greased cooling rack inside of a large baking sheet.
Step #3: Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking the edges under the meatloaf.
Step #4: Bake for 1 hour. Then, add some of the ketchup glaze and bake another 15 minutes or until cooked through.
💭Tip: Try not to overlap the bacon so it gets nice and crispy!
How to serve
Allow the bacon-wrapped meatloaf to rest for at least 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil, before slicing. This locks in the juices to keep it from becoming dry and makes it easier to slice.
Also, during this time, the temperature will rise to 165 degrees.
This meatloaf is very tender, so slice with a serrated knife and not a chef's knife for cleaner slices.
Here are some sides that would be great with this low-carb meatloaf:
Storage
- Store: In the fridge, keep leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
- Make Ahead: Cover the meatloaf with bacon tightly with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 1 day. Then, bake as directed.
- Freeze: After baking, allow it to cool completely. Then, slice them into individual servings and wrap them in plastic wrap. Store wrapped slices in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or in a 350-degree oven until heated through. If it is frozen, allow it to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
80% lean ground beef is best because leaner meats tend to dry out. You can also add some ground pork or veal to give you a tender and flavorful meatloaf.
Traditional meatloaf is not keto-friendly, having anywhere from 15 to 20 net carbs per slice. This is due to the breadcrumbs and the sugar in the ketchup. However, this recipe uses coconut flour instead of breadcrumbs and sugar-free ketchup, coming in at only 3 net carbs per slice!
Substitutions and variations
This easy keto meatloaf recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, keto, and low-carb. However, here are some other variations to make it fit more diets:
- Egg Free: To replace the four eggs, I've found the best egg replacement is a combination of 2 flax eggs and ½ cup of applesauce. However, the applesauce will slightly increase the carb count. Combine 3 tablespoon of ground flax seeds for the flax eggs with 6 tablespoon of hot water. Set aside for 3 to 5 minutes before using it.
- Dairy-Free: Replace the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is found in the spice aisle of most health food stores.
- Paleo: Use the dairy-free option above, replace the keto sweetener with coconut palm sugar, and use compliant bacon and ketchup. I love Primal Kitchen ketchup.
- Whole30: Use the dairy-free option above, omit the sweetener, and use compliant, sugar-free bacon and compliant ketchup, such as Primal Kitchen.
Other binder and breadcrumb options
This recipe uses coconut flour for the keto breadcrumbs and binder. There are a few other options, though, if you are willing to experiment.
- Almond Flour - Almond flour would make a great binder. I would guess that you would need anywhere from ½ cup to 1 cup.
- Crushed Pork Rinds - Crushed pork rinds are a great go-to breadcrumb replacement. As with the almond flour, I would guess that you would need anywhere from ½ to 1 cup. When crushing the pork rinds, be sure to crush them very finely; I prefer to use a food processor.
- Parmesan Cheese - While technically you could add more parmesan cheese for binding, it may make the loaf dense.
💭 Top tips
- The broiler pan is a must because the fat from the bacon needs to drain. If you don't have a broiler pan, place a folded cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.
- Don't make the meatloaf too thick, or it will take forever to cook through. 2 to 2 ½ inches is about right.
- Be sure not to overmix the meat. Otherwise, the consistency may be tougher and less flavorful.
- If you want to taste-test the meatloaf before you bake the entire loaf, you can cook a small piece of the meat mixture in a skillet on the stove or pop it in the microwave. Then, taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
If you’ve tried this Keto Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Low-Carb Keto Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef - preferably 80% lean
- 1 ½ teaspoons Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Pepper - to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Grated/Powdered Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ Cup Flat-Leaf Parsley - minced
- 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 4 Large Eggs
- 6 to 8 Slices Thin-Sliced Bacon
Ketchup Glaze:
- ¾ Cup Low-Carb Ketchup - this ketchup same the same number of carbs as the unsweetened variety
- ½ Tbsp. Prepared Yellow Mustard
- 3 Tbsp. Keto Brown Sweetener - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom part of a broiler pan with foil (for easy cleanup) and grease the top with oil, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, coconut flour, parmesan cheese, parsley, non-dairy milk, and eggs.
- Mix to combine with clean hands or a wooden spoon. Try not to overmix.
- Form the meat mixture into a loaf on the greased broiler pan, making it about 2 to 2 ½ inches thick so it doesn't take too long to cook through. Be careful not to pack the meat too firmly.
- Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking the ends under the meatloaf. Try not to overlap the bacon so it gets nice and crispy!
- Bake for 1 hour.
- In a clean bowl, mix together all of the sauce ingredients.
- Pour ⅓ of the sauce over the meatloaf and spread with a spoon.
- Bake an additional 15 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through (time will vary based on the thickness of the loaf). The meatloaf is done when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Loosely cover with foil and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Slice with a serrated knife, not a chefs knife.
- Serve with remaining sauce.
Add Your Own Notes
Notes
- The broiler pan is a must because the fat from the bacon needs to drain. If you don't have a broiler pan, place a folded cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.
- Don't make the meatloaf too thick or it will take forever to cook through. 2 to 2 ½ inches is about right.
- If you want to taste-test the meatloaf before you bake the entire loaf, you can cook a small piece of the meat mixture in a skillet on the stove or pop it in the microwave. Then, taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- For paleo, dairy-free, egg-free, & whole30, see the post above.
- For storage, freezing, and make-ahead instructions, see the post above.
- Not all coconut flours are the same, some are much more absorbent than others! I recommend Besti, Arrowhead Mills, and Bob's Red Mill because I know these will work well in this recipe. If buying another brand, I can't guarantee the results, but look for one that is soft and not grainy.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber - Allulose - Xylitol
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols, xylitol, and allulose are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
Robert says
Caution: Nutritional Yeast is NOT gluten free!
Cassidy Stauffer says
Hi Robert, I have never known nutritional yeast to contain gluten. Every package I've ever bought has had "gluten-free" written on it. Maybe you're confusing nutritional yeast with Brewer's yeast, as it usually contains gluten. Nutritional yeast is produced by culturing a yeast in a nutrient medium for several days. The primary ingredient in the growth medium is glucose, often from either sugarcane or beet molasses. When the yeast is ready, it is deactivated with heat and then harvested, washed, dried, packaged, and is gluten-free.
Hope this helps!
-Cassidy
Crystal says
It says egg free but shows eggs in the recipe?????
Cassidy Stauffer says
Hi Crystal!
I have instructions to make this recipe egg-free in the post and in the notes of the recipe card. However, I can see how it's confusing!!! I'll update the recipe card to make this more clear 🙂 Thanks for pointing it out to me.
Have a great day,
Cassidy
Athleta says
Loved this recipe. I made it exactly as written, next time I may add little bit more seasoning, cumin or oregano? Not sure but we loved it and will be adding to the "regular" recipes!
Hannah says
This was very good too!
June says
Cassidy, we love your meatloaf recipe!
I have been struggling for a while to make a good grain free and egg free meatloaf...not easy! I had almost given up, but decided to give yours a try...it has great texture, is delicious and holds together beautifully!
Thank you for sharing!
Cassidy says
Thank you so much June, I'm happy you liked it!!
XO,
Cassidy
Linda says
Cassidy, I am sure my family would love this. In fact, I don't know why I never thought to do it before. I'm highlight it for this week's carnival.
Cassidy says
O thanks Linda!!!
XO,
Cassidy
Barbara Bianchi says
Yep, my husband loves meatloaf too. And I've been wanting to try a grain free recipe. How could you go wrong wrapping it in bacon. I'll have to give this a try. Thanks. Pinned.
Cassidy says
Thanks Barbara, I hope you like it as much as we do! ...and I agree, how can you go wrong if it's wrapped in bacon, really?