This Whole30 and Paleo meatloaf is packed with classic flavors and topped with Whole30 ketchup sweetened with dates! It’s the ultimate cozy comfort food that everyone will love. Gluten free grain free, dairy free, no added sugar. 
I’ve been holding onto this recipe entirely too long! I was waiting for the stars to align, and then force me to make dinner at 9am, you know, to take the pictures for the recipe. There is just something about making a meatloaf at 9am that, most days, just doesn’t seem as appealing as making cookies, muffins, or lemon curd tartlets.
Anyway, along came a day when I found my motivation (AKA had zero time to make dinner in the evening), and so, here we are, talking Whole30 Paleo Meatloaf! I hope you’re excited, because despite my procrastination, this is a DANG good recipe. Not that I’m partial, it just happens to be a fact.
I discovered my own version of Whole30 friendly ketchup during the January Whole30 that Adam and i completed. He actually isn’t much of a ketchup fan, but, I have to admit, I like to dip almost anything in it. Not ashamed at all, it’s delicious!
Way way back, I made a low FODMAP chipotle ketchup with maple syrup, and, to not make myself think TOO hard, I simply tweaked that recipe to include dates as the sweetener instead of maple, added a bit of onion and garlic powder and omitted the chipotle pepper to get an authentic tasting ketchup that you wouldn’t guess contains no added sugar! By the way, if you like spice in your life, by all means add that chipotle – I’ve done it, it’s good. Just not so kid friendly 🙂
The meatloaf itself is very straightforward, and, what I would consider to be a “classic” style meatloaf. I know from reading the internet that there are about 10,000 versions of “classic” anything, so all I can say is this is my personal classic.
The recipe is in our weekly rotation (okay fine, bi-weekly, only because it takes an hour to bake!) and my kids somehow, by some miracle of meal creation, do not complain about the onions or garlic “pieces.” All I can make of it is that the meatloaf is good enough for them to overlook the serious matter of the invasion of chopped onions. How many recipes can we really say that for, mommas?!
Don’t worry though, I picked the parsley off before serving it to them, heaven forbid we have onions plus green leaves hanging around for no good reason…
One more highly desirable quality of this paleo meatloaf? It’s perfect for leftovers! Heck, you can even make & bake the entire thing the day before (or at 9am if you’re like me) and it reheats just fine. No dryness, possibly thanks to those yummy onions and garlic which you’ll sauté in ghee to get them extra flavorful. The 85% lean ground beef definitely doesn’t hurt either! I get mine from U.S. Wellness Meats, but you can typically find 80-85% lean grass fed ground beef now at most grocery stores.
It’s time to make this meatloaf – are you with me? I hope you and your family love this one as much as we do! Let’s cook!
Whole30 Paleo Meatloaf {With Whole30 Ketchup!}
Whole30 Paleo Meatloaf {with Whole30 Ketchup!}
Ingredients
For the Ketchup:
- 1/3 cup medjool dates pitted, soaked in hot water to soften, and drained (use 1/4 cup if you want it less sweet)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 3 tbsp water in addition to soaking the dates
- 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Optional 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper for spice
For the Meatloaf:
- 2 lbs 85% lean grass fed ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 3 Tbsp Whole30 ketchup see recipe above
- 1 small onion or half medium one minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tbsp ghee for cooking onion and garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp mustard check label for Whole30 compliance
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4-1/3 cups Whole30 ketchup for top of the loaf
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Ketchup First {this can be done ahead of time}
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In a food processor or high speed blender, process/blend all ingredients on high speed until pureed, scraping the sides to incorporate all ingredients evenly. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator until ready to use, leftovers can be refrigerated for 1-2 weeks.
Prepare the Meatloaf:
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Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
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In a medium skillet, sauté the onions in the 2 Tbsp ghee (or other cooking fat) until soft, add the garlic, sprinkle with a tiny bit of sea salt and continue to cook, stirring, for about one minute, then remove from heat.
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In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, almond flour, 3 Tbsp ketchup, cooked onion and garlic with ghee, salt, mustard, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Mix with your hands until well incorporated but try not to over-mix, since this will toughen the meat.
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Transfer the meat mixture to a 9 x 5 loaf pan (or 8.5 x 4.5) and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove and spread 1/4-1/3 cup of the ketchup over the top of the loaf, return to oven and continue to bake for 40-45 more minutes until center is cooked (an internal temp of 160 degrees F)
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Allow the loaf to rest for 10 minutes or so, then slice and serve, garnished with chopped parsley if desired. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Products I Recommend to Make My Whole30 Paleo Meatloaf (and ketchup!)
Want more Whole30 & Paleo dinner ideas? Try one of these!
Slow Cooker Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Ranch Chicken Meatloaf
Tell Me!
What’s your favorite Paleo friendly comfort food/meal?
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Hmmm… I’m not sure it’s Paleo friendly, but my favorite comfort food is probably mashed potatoes. 🙂 I also really love . . . roast and veggies or roast chicken and veggies.
This meatloaf is so pretty; I love how you photographed it. It sounds really delicious.
You can make ’em paleo friendly for sure 🙂 Thanks Emily!
so…my mom would always top meat loaf with bacon….THAT would still be Paleo friendly, right? ( not Whole 30, i guess)
looks a lot like hers….maybe that is coming up this week for us…
I always buy Whole30 friendly bacon so yes that would still work out! A little bacon wouldn’t hurt 🙂
Can you believe I have never had meet loaf? Not part of my family tradition I guess. I’m pretty sure I would like it though and it would be perfect to bring to work. Comfort food? crispy sweet potato slices topped with spicy taco meet, avocado and salsa! Mium!
Thank you, Michelle!! My kiddos are in love!! And the ketchup, they think is fabulous!!
A wonderful go to recipe!
Blessings,
Renee
Is the ketchup really whole30 since the tomato paste you recommend has sugar in it? I’m only on day 2 of my whole30 and want to stay compliant. Thanks!
The ingredients in the tomato paste are just tomato paste and citric acid. Which brand are you looking at? In any case the tomato paste you choose should not contain added sugar to be compliant. The dates will sweeten the ketchup to keep it Whole30. Hope this helps!
Ooh also if you haven’t seen this already it’s a great Whole30 resource: https://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/
Just made the meatloaf tonight and it was fabulous and so was the ketchup.
I have mine in the oven right now! So happy you have a whole30 recipe section. I did the whole30 starting Feb 3 after the birth of my daughter and lost 50 lbs. After going off and seeing how food affects my stomach I’m back on and looking for some new food ideas!
Thank you for this one!
My meatloaf is in the oven right now- I substituted beef for ground turkey. The ketchup was amazing! I’ll never use the other stuff again. Thanks for sharing this recipe. My kitchen smells wonderful-can’t wait to eat the meatloaf! I have no doubt it’s going to be delicious.
Do you have to use almond flour or can you substitute a gluten free baking flour?
Can you use one pound beef and 1 pound ground pork?
Yup that would be great 🙂
We really enjoyed the meatloaf! My husband eats Paleo and I’ve been looking for new dinner inspiration. We’re going to try your sausage pizza sweet potatoes this week, too! Thanks!
Yay! So glad you liked them, I bet you’ll love the sweet potatoes too 🙂
Can this be frozen?
Haven’t tried it so not sure how it would taste reheated.
Pro-tip…pack your meatloaf mixture into muffin tins and cut baking time in half or less!
Love it!
This meatloaf is out of this world! Thank you so much for all of your life saving recipes! 🙂
So happy you liked it – woohoo!
I have never been one to leave reviews for recipes and I have been an avid home cook for years. After starting my Whole30, I really feel an urge to let others know when recipes are great, because it’s normally a hit or miss. This was SO good. Easy to make, filling and delicious! Definitely adding to my rotation of recipes.
So happy you liked it, yay!
The only flour I can find in my store is a blend of almond, arrowroot starch, coconut flour and tapioca flour. Can I still make this meatloaf with that?
I’m sure you could, however you’d probably need a different amount based on the proportions in the blend. Try adding 1 or 2 tbsp less and see how it goes to avoid an overly dry loaf.
My son has nut allergy. So I was wondering if I could substitute almond flout with coconut flour?
Coconut flour is much more dense so the same amount would really dry it out. Cassava or arrowroot might be better options, when in doubt add less.
Ok, I thought the bacon wrapped tenderloin was mind blowing but after making this I’m torn. This is the first time I’ve ever written a review but I just had to let you know how much I love this meatloaf and Whole30 compliant ketchup. Thank you for your amazing recipes. Your recipes have made my Whole30 journey really enjoyable. Kinda sad there’s only 12 days left!!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes! Definitely no need to give them up after Whole30 🙂
How long do you soak the dates in hot water for?
Just until they’re soft enough to blend, a couple of minutes usually.
Made this last week and now we can’t wait to make it again. My favorite meatloaf recipe to date. I exchanged 1/2 pound of beef for pork and being out of Italian seasoning I made some minus the marjoram which I didn’t have. It was SOOOO good. My husband starting telling the family about it, and he grew up hating meatloaf. 🙂 Thank you for an amazing recipe.
That sounds great – I’m thrilled you guys liked it!
I made this meatloaf tonight. It was delicious, but completely fell apart. Any suggestions? It was 170 degrees when it came out of the oven, and rested 10 minutes. The Whole30 ketchup is wonderful and makes the meatloaf.
Not sure why it fell apart! Maybe the almond flour? Not sure. Glad you enjoyed the flavor and the ketchup though!
Is the mustard in the recipe dry or prepared?
Prepared mustard, just make sure it’s Whole30 compliant if you need it to be.
thank you for speedy response! I really look forward to making this meatloaf
I made this for dinner tonight with cauliflower mashed potatoes and spinach with mushrooms. All I can tell you is MAKE THIS!!! It was fantastic! The combination of flavors was the best meatloaf I have ever had. It is worth the effort for the ketchup.
Out of this world! I haven’t had meatloaf since I started Paleo a couple years ago. Love your site and started my search here for a recipe. No need to try anything else! Perfection! Thank you for your great recipes 🙂
So happy you liked it!!
This turned out so good! The ketchup was the perfect balance of sweet & savory. I used ground turkey instead and it came out great. Thanks!
So happy you liked it!
This was a wonderful meatloaf recipe! It got rave reviews from a potluck I took it to. I added Whole30 bacon and used Whole30 approved ketchup I had bought. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
That sounds great! So happy everyone liked it 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Moist, flavorful, and healthy. My family loved it!
I forgot to mention I doubled the eggs and used “Tessemae’s” organic ketchup (Whole30 compliant), as it was already in the fridge.
Hi. I made this and it was great! My question is that I need a new blender. Mine would not purée the dates. I looked at your link for a high speed blender, but that’s way too pricy. Can you recommend a good but more affordable blender or something else that would work. Thanks! Katie
I use a kitchen aid food processor typically to puree dates, it’s under 200. Most food processors can handle dates pretty well 🙂
Ok. Thanks. I was looking for something under 100. ? thanks anyway.
This is one of my new fav’s. Even my picky kids and hubby loved it. This one is going to be a regular in our lineup.
So happy you liked it!
Tasty recipe. My non-healthy eating husband really liked it too.
That’s great 🙂
Great meatloaf and I also used some leftover to make freezer meatballs. My non-Whole 30 husband liked it too; yea! I love the Whole 30 ketchup! Excellent ketchup flavor that I’ve missed having given up ketchup years ago due to sugar content. Thanks. About to make this for second time.
So thrilled you liked it!
Hi,
Just wondering if you have tried to make this in the instant pot.
Thanks
I made this for whole 30 and it’s incredible! It’s so moist and flavorful. Loved the katchup.
So thrilled you enjoyed it!
SO GOOD!
I’m not doing whole30 so I just used an organic ketchup with very little sugar, and did 1 lb beef/1 lb pork. Omg it’s delicious! I ate a piece almost straight out of the oven and burned my mouth – waited 2 minutes and tried again haha.
Wow! we do not care for meatloaf in our house, but this was a HUGE HIT! I’m honestly shocked and how delicious it is. It will definitely be a regular in our W30 rotation!
Oh awesome to hear that!
Can you sub coconut flour for almond flour? What would the measurement be?
Typically you only need about 1/4-1/3 of the amount of coconut flour when subbing for almond. It’s so much more dense and absorptive. If you want to use arrowroot or tapioca those will sub in more easily, just 1 Tbsp less I’d say.
This is delicious. My whole family loved it! I ended up adding at least 1/4 cup of water to the ketchup to get it thin enough to blend the dates in. We will definitely make this again and again!
so delish! I did a few alterations after trying the original and thought I would share:
Added 1/3 cup roasted bell peppers
Did a 1/2 cup of almond flour instead
Subbed herbs de Provence for the Italian seasoning
It was amazing! The original is good but the alterations added a little more depth and my boyfriend gave me the ultimate compliment: it was better than his mom’s!
Delish! Moist and flavorful . Home run. I used 1lb grass fed beef and 1lb good ground pork. Loved the homemade ketchup too! You always have the best recipes. Thank you.
This is a great recipe! So yummy! I used cashew flour instead of almond flour because someone joining us had an almond allergy.
Just tried it. Wow. I love the Ketchup recipe and cooking the onions in the ghee. Delicious. Definitely best I have tasted so far.
I’m so happy I found this recipe! I made it tonight (I used Primal Kitchen’s unsweetened ketchup since I had it on hand) and it was SO. GOOD. My kids devoured it. It definitely made enough for two dinners (there are three of us) and my kids are excited they get to eat it again this week! Thank you for being awesome!
Turned out sooooo good! I used a little less than 1/3 cup of cassava flour instead of almond flour and tried one other commenter’s suggestion of cooking the meatloaf in muffin tins. Seriously, this felt so delicious and decadent it was hard to remember that it was actually good for me! Thanks so much for the bomb recipe!