Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo Meatloaf Recipe (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.

Rolled Oats

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.

In meatloaf, this is most commonly the eggs and breadcrumbs. Your binding ingredient is only second to the meat itself in your recipe and the reason why meatloaf crumbles. When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs.

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.

¼ cup Pork Panko , or crushed up pork rinds – if you don't have this or don't want to use it, just use another 1/4 cup almond flour in it's place.

Almond Meal or Almond Flour: Ground almonds, often referred to as almond meal or almond flour, can add a pleasant nutty flavor and a bit of crunch to your dishes. They work well as a coating for fried or baked foods. Coconut Flour: Coconut flour is another gluten-free option that can be used for breading.

Almond flour (sometimes sold as almond meal) has a coarse texture and a nutty flavor, making it a great gluten-free substitute for bread crumbs. You can use it in meatball or meatloaf mixture, but we especially like using it to dredge meats like pork chops to create a crispy exterior.

Rolled oats are the perfect gluten-free binding ingredient, replacing breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf and many more recipes when you need to bind meat and eggs. Rolled oats are best not used as a coating agent as they tend to go soggy.

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.

The most traditional meatloaf binder is probably torn up bread soaked in milk, but you can also use bread crumbs, Panko, dehydrated potato (instant mashed potatoes), or just about any other grain.

What happens if you put too many eggs in meatloaf? ›

For an average meat loaf, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh, soft bread crumbs to every pound of meat. When using fine, dry crumbs, use half as much. Other Ingredients: Eggs bind the mixture, add flavor and increase browning, but too much egg will make a meat loaf tough and rubbery.

If you pull your meatloaf out of the oven after an hour of baking and realize that it's basically a crumbly mess, you likely did one thing wrong — you didn't include enough of your binding ingredient. Right after your meat, your binder, Frugal Cooking attests, is your most important meatloaf ingredient.

Adding more to your mixture is always easier than taking some out. Another common reason meatloaf is mushy is too much filler, like breadcrumbs, bread, and oatmeal. Too much filler will stop it from baking correctly and becoming a fully formed meatloaf.

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.

Ground flaxseeds are an incredibly nutritious and high-fibre alternative to breadcrumbs. They are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fibre, which promote heart health and aid digestion. Grind flaxseeds in a spice grinder or use pre-ground flaxseed meal to substitute breadcrumbs in recipes.

**Whole Grain:** Opt for bread crumbs made from whole-grain bread rather than refined white bread. Whole grains retain more of their natural nutrients, including fiber and vitamins.