This homestyle, classic, REAL FOOD, Low Carb Keto Veggie-Packed Meatloaf is absolutely delicious, succulent and total comfort food. It’s jam-packed with vegetables, healthy fats and absolutely no flour.
Meatloaf is total comfort food.
It’s a family favorite in my home. My husband LOVES meatloaf and my Tiny Love devours it. It’s one of those meals that is super comforting at the end of a long day.
It’s a humble meal, certainly not elegant, but still delicious and gives you that cozy feeling.
Meatloaf makes me think of my childhood and my mom.
It was a staple in our home and my mom made it at least once a month. Her meatloaf wasn’t anything fancy, just a classic, basic meatloaf with lots of ketchup on top. Always LOTS of ketchup.
My mom loved ketchup on many foods because it was something that got her by as a child. She had told me that her mother wasn’t the best cook (even though she adored her mom), so ketchup helped make the food more palatable.
When it came to my mom’s meatloaf, there was always that beautiful layer of ketchup on the top. That was my favorite part and still is!
We almost always had mashed potatoes and buttered peas to go with our meatloaf. AND … more ketchup on the side to dip it in of course.
Homestyle Real Food Meatloaf with Quality Whole Food Ingredients
Now don’t get me wrong, I loved my mom’s meatloaf as a young girl, but my palate has expanded since then. I make my version similar to my mom’s good ole recipe, but I’ve real foodified it a bit.
I love to pack some nourishing, good stuff into the meatloaf. For me this always means adding in some vegetables and herbs. I love to pack it full with carrots, onion, garlic, thyme and zucchini {or sometimes spinach or kale}. Don’t worry, the flavor of the carrots and zucchini does not stand out.
Keep it simple with healthy fats and no grains!
To help keep the meatloaf super soft and succulent, I add cultured sour cream. And last, but not least, I always top the meatloaf with ketchup … because it’s nostalgic and fun, and my family loves it that way.
The great thing about this low carb keto veggie-packed meatloaf is that it’s nourishing, full of protein, veggies and healthy fats, plus it doesn’t have any grains!
Low Carb Keto Veggie-Packed Meatloaf
Low Carb Keto Veggie-Packed Meatloaf
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 8-10 slices
This homestyle, classic, REAL FOOD, Low Carb Keto Veggie-Packed Meatloaf is absolutely delicious, succulent and total comfort food. It's jam-packed with vegetables, healthy fats and absolutely no flour.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp healthy fat of choice like grass-fed butter, ghee, avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5-6 fresh garlic cloves, roughly chopped or minced
- 3 medium organic carrots, finely grated
- 1 zucchini, finely grated
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
- 1 pastured or organic egg
- 3/4 cup sour cream {I use Nancy's brand}
- 1/2 cup shredded organic or grass-fed cheese
- 1/2 cup homemade ketchup or organic sugar-free ketchup {check ingredients!}
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat fat of choice in medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions stirring occasionally until translucent, but not brown, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add garlic and allow to cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add grated carrots, zucchini, thyme, and sea salt. Stir occasionally just until vegetables are soft, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, egg, sour cream, cheese and slightly cooled vegetables. Use a fork or clean hands to mix well.
- Place meat mixture into a loaf pan, a shallow 7x11 pan or shape into a rectangle loaf on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.
- Spread ketchup over the top of the meatloaf mixture.
- Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat is cooked through. [Note: A 7x11 shallow pan will cook in about 1 hour, a loaf pan will take closer to 1 1/2 hours.]
- Let the meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
YOU WILL NEED: Cutting Board, Grater, Large Mixing Bowl, Sauté Pan, Loaf Pan or Shallow 7x11 Pan
- Spinach or Dino kale can be substituted for the zucchini. If using kale, use about 5 large Dino kale leaves, stems removed and chiffonade cut. If using spinach, use about 2 cups fresh spinach as spinach really shrinks when cooked. Add spinach or kale to the cooking process during Step #4.
- If you need to omit the egg, use a total of 1 cup/8 ounces sour cream instead of 3/4 cup sour cream.
- For Keto and Low Carb - make sure to use a cheese that is appropriate like aged cheddar, mozzarella, Colby or Monterey jack.
Serving Suggestions: Serve as is or with mashed potatoes, potato salad, celery root mash, green peas or green beans, roasted broccoli, sautéed greens or a simple salad.
Are you on Pinterest? I pin lots of yummy real food recipes + more there.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY
Healthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole {Grain Free}
One Pan Broccoli Cashew Chicken {15 Minute Meal}
Loaded Scalloped Potatoes {Grain Free}
Garlic Rosemary Roasted Cabbage Steaks {with Chimichurri}
Hydrolyzed Collagen, Desiccated Liver, Coconut Oil, Liver Detox Support, Ancient Minerals + more!
I would have never have thought to put kale in my meatloaf. Love it! It’s a great way to sneak in veggies and my kids wouldn’t even know!
Thank you,
Chrystal
Yes! It’s so yummy, I love hiding veggies in meatloaf 🙂
My son can’t do beef and I miss it so much. This sounds amazing, especially by sneaking in so many veggies. Enjoy it for me!!
Allergies and sensitivities can be so challenging. I can relate for sure.
I add spinach to our meatloaf, kale would work.
I love spinach too 🙂
My husband would flip for this!
🙂 my husband always goes back for a second plate when I make it
We love meatloaf! I always double so I can add in some ground liver without it tasting too strong.
That’s a great idea!
You had me at cultured sour cream! No, but really, meatloaf is the bomb dot com. Always ugly, but always amazingly delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
LOL so true!!! It’s just really not a pretty food 🙂
I love how this looks; and I love the sour cream and cassava you used! Must make!
Thank you! xo
I’ve got to try this! My husband would love it.
🙂 it’s my husband’s favorite
Looks so good! My kids would love this! 🙂
Thank you 🙂
I want some of that with a side of cauli-tatoes!
That sounds so good! 🙂
This is a very healthy meatloaf. I’ve been wanting to make meatloaf, so now I have a recipe that has one of my favorite greens, Kale and I know I will like this. Looks so yummy and beautiful!
Thank you Evelyn, I love kale too 🙂
Craving MeatLoaf.
Will make your recipe! It brings back so many childhood memories and this is very close to the one I grew up with!
THANK you!!
I am sure it will be delicious!
I love that meatloaf brings up childhood memories for so many people 🙂
I love to sneak organ meat into my meatloaf. Makes it REALLY nourishing!
Sneaking liver in is a great way to add some nutrients.
You said it right, “Meatloaf is total comfort food.” It was a staple when I was growing up too, with ketchup on top of course!! I can no longer tolerate tomatoes 🙁 so these days I top it with homemade dark cherry or black currant BBQ sauce, and all is well again!
Oh wow, that sounds AMAZING Andrea!!! I want that!
MMM!! Love the combo here…sour cream!! A new one for me in a meatloaf, and I love all the healthy veggie options!
I love veggies in my meatloaf, and that glaze looks so scrumptious! My mom always put carrots, celery and zucchini in meatloaf growing up, so I didn’t know any different that meatloaf wasn’t usually veggie packed! 🙂