Meatloaf is a classic dish that everyone loves! This post will show you how to make my Healthy Meatloaf recipe. It’s also GREAT for meal prep!

Meatloaf is a classic dish that everyone loves! This Healthy Meatloaf is clean eating and easy to make. Bonus: It’s great for meal prep!

I’ll tell you right off the bat.

You are going to love this Healthy Meatloaf! It's the kind of recipe that you'll come back to again and again.

The ingredients are simple, meaning this is a clean-eating recipe. Plus it’s a breeze to make – you simply mix the ingredients together and put the mixture in a meatloaf pan.

Pop it into the oven and let the flavors blend into a juicy and tender dish that is fabulous any night of the week. After 45-50 minutes, the oven has done the work.

Voila! Dinner is prepared and pairs well with yummy Low-Carb Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes or Baked Carrot Fries.

Getting hungry? Let’s make this Healthy Meatloaf!

Close up view of a package of ground beef,85% lean and 15% fat, uncooked.

Ingredient Notes

Here are the ingredients for this easy-to-make dish:

Ground beef: I use 85/15, which means 85% lean and 15% fat. You could go leaner and use a 93/7 but the flavor will not be quite as good, since you'll have less fat. You could also do a mix of 50% 85/15, and 50% 93/7.
Almond meal: This is a great way to help the meatloaf retain moisture and to add more bulk without adding refined breadcrumbs.
Chopped Italian parsley: The flavor boost is amazing
Freshly grated parmesan cheese: I love to add the cheese, but you can omit it if you want a dairy-free recipe
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
1 egg as a binder

For the glaze (it’s divine!), you’ll need tomato sauce (I make my own to avoid hidden sugar), coconut sugar and dry mustard. That is it – so delicious.

Overhead view of ingredients ready to be mixed for the Healthy Meatloaf, including ground beef, almond meal, sea salt, pepper, and parsley.

How To Make It

Now that you’ve seen the ingredients, you’ll want to make this recipe tonight!

This is how you do it.

1. Preheat your oven. The temperature required to make this tasty meatloaf is 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Sort: In a large bowl, place all of the ingredients. You’ll need beef, almond meal, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg.

3. Combine: Mix the ingredients with a fork until mixed, but do not overmix.

4. Get Your Glaze Ready: In a small bowl add the glaze ingredients, which are tomato sauce, coconut sugar and dry mustard.

5. Meat To Pan: Put the meat mixture into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

6. Glaze: Spread the glaze over the top.

7. Bake: Usually 45-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F

8. Try To Wait! Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Overhead image of meatloaf in a meatloaf pan, with glaze being spooned on the top.

What Is The Secret To Moist Meatloaf?

To make a moist meatloaf, I use 85% lean ground beef and 15% fat. This fat ratio ensures that the dish is moist. I don’t recommend a higher ratio of fat (because there is the chance that your meatloaf will become greasy instead of moist).

Here's some other factors:

I use almond meal. It helps to retain the moisture as opposed to it draining away. I like to use almond meal instead of breadcrumbs to make the meatloaf gluten-free. But breadcrumbs work as well.
Don’t over mix the ingredients either. Doing so can result in a dryer, tougher meatloaf. Just mix until the ingredients are combined. When adding the ingredients to the pan, don’t compress the meat too much because it may take longer to cook. This risks a dryer meatloaf, too.
Lastly, let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. If you slice it right away, you’ll see the juices flowing out. Letting it rest and reach a lower temperature ensures the juices remain.

Close up view of an instant-read thermometer reading 160 F being inserted into cooked meatloaf.

Should Meatloaf Be Covered While Baking?

I don’t cover the meatloaf. If you bake the recipe at a low temperature, your meatloaf will cook evenly and will not dry out. Some people cover with foil to keep the top of the meatloaf from drying out. But when the dish is cooked at a low temperature with a glaze on top, you do not have that issue.

As mentioned, use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness. This way you do not dry out the meatloaf by overcooking. Having an uncovered meatloaf makes this easy to do, also!

What To Put On Top Of Meatloaf Instead Of Ketchup

I make a delicious glaze. Tomato sauce, coconut sugar, and dry mustard are all you need to make this appetizing glaze. You can also use barbecue sauce, creamy balsamic mushroom sauce, or even leave it plain.

Close up side image of a meatloaf, cut in half on a parchment paper lined sheet. pan.

What Goes Well With Meatloaf?

The first thing that comes to mind to pair with healthy meatloaf is Butternut Squash Healthy Mac and Cheese. Talk about comfort food! If you’d like to go lighter, Healthy Green Bean Casserole or Garlic Parmesan Green Beans goes well. You get the idea, right?

These recipes are all healthy! Here are more ideas for what goes well with meatloaf:

How To Store

Store this healthy meatloaf in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to wrap it in a reusable storage bag and then put it in an airtight container.

To freeze, wrap the meatloaf and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months.

To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat.

Side view of a white plate with meatloaf, broccoli and potatoes.

More Healthy Entrées

Are you ready to try more good-for-you recipes? I’ve got a ton of them on the blog. These are just a few!

This post contains affiliate links to products I use regularly and highly recommend.

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