Simple Meatloaf Recipe-Oven and Crock Pot Method

The men at our place all love this meaty Low-​Carb, Dairy-​Free, Gluten-​Free, low sugar meatloaf.  I enjoy making a regular meat and potatoes dinner for them once in a while.

Tonight this easy meatloaf recipe is accompanied by garden fresh cooked carrots and baked, seasoned, red potatoes. Happy guys at this meal!

This easy healthy recipe is a cooks best friend when it’s time to whip up a filling meal in a hurry. Ten minutes prep and it’s in the oven. Throw a few sides together and dinner is easily served in under an hour.

Learn how to make meatloaf in the oven. Watch our video demonstration:

Now that school has started, and I’m taking care of my grandkids. There’s a bit of a scheduling crunch at dinner time around here. I’m coming home to a hungry, impatient household.

Yes, they can cook. Of course I made sure of that. They all know how to use the microwave and heat leftovers. My homemade cooking skills didn’t rub off on all of my family members 🙂

The crock pot and  instant pot recipes and fast meals like this oven method meatloaf, hamburger soup, Shepherds pie, and stuffed pasta  Bell Peppers will play a pretty big part on our dinner menus this fall.

How I learned to make meatloaf:

When I was a young teen, My mom worked a demanding job. As a single young widow, she needed a backup cook at home. That was me. I learned to make easy dinners early on.

This simple Meatloaf recipe was an old standby she taught me. I make it to this day. That’s a legacy for you. Thanks mom.

Mom didn’t make frilly meatloaf with lots of add ins and folderols for our weeknight dinners. She made it just like I’m making it for you. Plain and basic. That’s why it’s also healthy.

I can still remember Mom’s side dishes. The fresh cut carrot and celery sticks floating in a pan of water. A HUGE bowl of mashed potatoes. And Bread stacked on a plate.

All Perfectly served at our formal dining room table. We always had a home baked dessert of course. 🙂

Hamburger meat recipes like this one benefit from a plain Jane approach. Keep it simple.

The sides are where you can get fancy if you like. Our family likes meatloaf with steamed carrots and mashed potatoes. Pretty easy meal.

Back in the day it was appropriate to serve meatloaf at dinner parties (Invite the boss or pastor over kind of thing) all dressed up pretty.

It still is! Check out my Meatloaf for a dinner party. It’s easy to do (I make it in a springform pan) and ever popular. It’s so RETRO!

Make this a meatloaf crock pot recipe:

My mom never had a crock pot when she taught me to make her meatloaf recipe. Nowadays meatloaf in the crockpot or ANY slow cooker makes this recipe even simpler!

No oven required. I am going to give you the oven method just so you have it. However, making this simple low carb meatloaf will work just fine in your crockpot, instantpot (on slow cooker function) or whatever slow cooker you have.

Meatloaf is perfect for Junior Cooks:

This is a REALLY good beginner cook low carb dinner recipe if you have kids interested in cooking.

1. It’s a simple recipe with just a few basic ingredients.
2. Kids enjoy the messy process of mixing by hand.
3. They also love meatloaf so they want to make it.
4. Cooking meatloaf in the crock pot makes this an even better kids beginner recipe. No oven to worry about.

Meatloaf is a good low carb recipe for meal planning. Meatloaf makes great leftovers. And Meatloaf sandwiches are always a lunchbox winner.

My Italian Stuffed meatloaf Sandwich is especially pleasing to a large manly appetite. Lots of flavor and juiciness.

 Meatloaf Recipe-Oven Method:

Word of caution: 

Meatloaf is very dense. Depending on how much hamburger you use and how much fat it has the baking time may change.

If you have a slower oven or put closer to 2 lbs of hamburger in this recipe. REMEMBER TO ADD extra baking time. Up to 20 minutes.

You may also cover the meatloaf with tinfoil and raise your oven temperature to 375 degrees f.

Be SURE your meatloaf is perfectly baked through with NO pink in the middle. Hamburger requires thorough cooking every time so its safe for your family.

TIP: Use a thermometer to make sure the meatloaf is 165 Degrees in the middle of the loaf before you remove it from the oven.

We use very lean organic grass fed hamburger. So I DON’T drain our meatloaf. It’s not necessary if you start with a good quality lean hamburger. If you choose a high fat hamburger you will have to drain off the excess fat after cooking.

Meatloaf Crock Pot Recipe:

Crock pot method tips: Make sure your meatloaf holds together really well before you set it in the slow cooker. Otherwise your crockpot meatloaf may fall apart while slow cooking

1. You can Whir your oats in the blender or food processor to break them down so they will absorb the liquids better.
2. Adjust the wet ingredients so the loaf holds together well when you pick it up.
3. For any easy side: Set cut potatoes,onions and carrots around the outside of the meatloaf and cook them all together.
4. Set your slow cooker to high heat and cook it for four hours. If you need more time set the slow cooker to low for up to 8 hours.

Note for special dieters:

This recipe works well for many special diets in its original form. If you need to avoid gluten, are diabetic or a low carb dieter please be careful about your additions to this meatloaf recipe. With that in mind…

Feel free to change this versatile recipe with your favorite meatloaf add ins:

I have added in MANY extras over the years. We still prefer it just basic mostly.

I like this dinner quick and easy. Don’t overcomplicate meatloaf.  However, meatloaf is user friendly.

This is a ‘use what you have’ cooking experience. Find your humor, creativity and courage and head into the kitchen. Now get out your meat loaf pan. Enjoy!

Here are a few of the ingredients I have found that work well with meatloaf if you want to give them a try or need a substitution.

1. Brown sugar (a tablespoon or so if you like sweeter meatloaf)
2. Use barbeque sauce instead of ketchup as a topper after baking or in the last five minutes of baking.
3. Out of oatmeal? panko bread crumbs, crushed croutons or stale crumbled breads of all sorts including gluten free bread can replace the oats.
4. Dried seaweed (NOT kidding. It’s salty and kind of good… and very healthy.)
5. Worcestershire sauce. Add a teaspoon or two for a meaty cowboy flavor.
   1. People with Celiac disease want to read the labels. Certain brands do contain gluten. The original Lee & Perrin Worcestershire sauce is gluten free.

What do you like to add into your meatloaf? Share your favorite extras in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!

Low carb Meatloaf  is a big plus for a quick dinner choice. Whatever you have on hand can be put into this recipe and made to work. What’s in the fridge? 

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Recipe source: My mother:)