BEST Paleo Meatloaf Recipe - Whole30 compliant (2024)

FAQs

What is a healthy substitute for breadcrumbs in meatloaf? ›

Ground Nuts: For an added touch of texture when substituting bread crumbs, consider ground nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans as an alternative. After finely chopping, swap the bread crumbs with an equal amount of ground nuts in your recipe. The result is a meatloaf boasting even richer flavors.

To help your meatloaf stay together add things such as eggs, bread, crushed croutons, oatmeal, crackers, and breadcrumbs, these are all key ingredients that help meat stick together. I hope that this helps to answer your question. What are the secrets to a firm, sliceable meatloaf that slices and won't fall apart?

If you don't have any bread, you can substitute it for breadcrumbs, crackers, cereal grains, oatmeal, instant rice, instant barley, or even potato flakes!

A chef's secret trick to making an amazing meatloaf is to use a mixture of ground beef, pork, and veal for a more flavorful and moist texture. Another trick is to use a combination of fresh and dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, and parsley, to enhance the overall taste.

Oats are the perfect substitutes for breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf. While they aren't ideal for a crispy coating, they add the right amount of texture to bind meat, eggs and flavorings together into a delicious Italian-inspired feast.

Almond flour has a nutty taste and a course texture, which makes it an easy sub for bread crumbs. It's also gluten-free, so if you have a sensitivity or diet need, this is a great option. "It's used in a lot of keto recipes as a sub for breadcrumbs," Xie said, adding that it'll work as a binder or a topping.

Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

Grind flaxseeds in a spice grinder or use pre-ground flaxseed meal to substitute breadcrumbs in recipes. The nutty flavour and binding properties of ground flaxseeds make them a great option for meatloaf, meatballs, or as a coating for tofu.

Can you use a flax egg in meatloaf? ›

How do I use a flax egg? Flax eggs can be used as a 1:1 replacement for an egg in many baked goods (as well as dishes such as meatballs or meatloaf where the eggs act as a binder to hold the other ingredients together). However, flax eggs are best limited to recipes using one or two eggs at most.

The Basic Meatloaf Formula

All recipes for meatloaf start with the same basic formula: 2 pounds of ground meat and a “panade” made of bread or crackers soaked in milk. Along with a few eggs, this panade helps to hold the ground meat together and adds some essential moisture to the mix.

When choosing a baking pan, avoid a small loaf pan or baking dish. A tight fit means that the loaf will steam — think school cafeteria meatloaf. Instead, use a sheet pan or a large baking dish and leave some breathing room so the edges will caramelize nicely.

Use Extra Egg: Eggs act as binders and provide moisture. Add one or two eggs per pound of meat for a moist texture. Make Use of Milk: Soak breadcrumbs in milk before adding them to your mixture. This will keep your meatloaf moist during baking.

Coconut flour is high in fibre and healthy fats, making it a nutritious substitute for breadcrumbs. It can be used to bread chicken, shrimp, or vegetables, and then bake or air fry them for a crispy and delicious meal.

Any bread crumbs are only as healthy as the bread used to make them. Plain Jane breadcrumbs from the store are usually "white breadcrumbs" - equivalent to white bread. Not so healthy. Keep healthy, 100% whole grain bread on hand, and use this recipe to make breadcrumbs.

Nuts Or Seeds

Sunflower seeds, almonds, and sesame seeds are all great breadcrumb alternatives. Chop larger nuts finely in a food processor. Seeds like sesame are already small enough and can be used as is. Use a variety of nuts as a coating for chicken, fish, or pork; just pulse them finely so they will stick.