This amazing, homemade gluten-free meatloaf is a family favorite! It’s full of flavor and made with pantry staples. It’s a comfort food crowd-pleaser – but nobody will guess it’s gluten-free!
My #1 tip for the best meatloaf is to broil the meatloaf BEFORE baking to make a nice crust. This will help make the sweet-tangy sauce stick to each slice! Check out this blog post for more tips!
Made with a mixture of ground beef and pork, this moist, hearty meatloaf has unbeatable flavor! It’s generously topped with a tangy, sweet, and savory glaze that will have you coming back for another helping.
Once you try this recipe, you’ll immediately see why this is one of my favorite comfort foods. Your whole family is sure to love this classic recipe. Who knows, they might even declare it the best meatloaf ever!
Why I love this recipe
- Classic comfort food – This classic comfort food is based on my Grandma’s long-time favorite meatloaf recipe — but with a few tricks to make it extra flavorful and gluten-free!
- Great winter meal – Pair this meatloaf with silky mashed potatoes and green beans, it’s a meal guaranteed to make you feel warm, cozy, and satisfied!
- Hearty and flavorful – This gluten-free meatloaf uses a combination of lean ground beef and pork for greater depth of flavor. The sweet, tangy glaze really takes things to the next level!
For more comfort food favorites, try these recipes for gluten-free pot roast, gluten-free chicken pot pie or gluten-free beef stroganoff.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make this gluten-free meatloaf.
- Hot sauce: A touch of hot sauce adds flavor that people won’t be able to put their finger on. It won’t be too spicy!
- Gluten-free bread crumbs: Although there are many substitutes for the breadcrumbs found in most traditional recipes, I find gluten-free breadcrumbs lend the best texture to gluten-free meatloaf. You can use regular or panko gluten-free breadcrumbs for this recipe. I like Ian’s Natural Foods panko breadcrumbs best!
- Ground beef and ground pork: You can use all beef, but I love the combination of beef and pork best! The combinations of ground meat are a not-so secret ingredient that makes this stand out from a traditional meatloaf recipe.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds great flavor to the meat mixture. But it isn’t always gluten-free, so be sure to check the label! (Learn more in my article: Is Worcestershire Sauce Gluten-Free?)
How to Make Gluten-Free Meatloaf
Make the glaze. In a small saucepan, mix together the glaze ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Measure out ½ cup of the glaze to top the gluten-free meatloaf while it cooks, and set aside the rest to serve with the meatloaf.
Cook onions and garlic. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until completely softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Let cool slightly.
Mix ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion mixture, gluten-free bread crumbs, milk, eggs + yolk, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley. Mix to combine.
Add meat. Add the ground beef and ground pork. Knead together with your hands until totally combined.
Form loaf. Shape the meatloaf mixture into a long, flat rectangle (about 9×5) on the prepared sheet pan. No need for a loaf pan!(You’ll broil the gluten-free meatloaf before you bake it. This will help form a nice crust for the glaze to cling to!)
Broil to form crust. Broil the gluten-free meatloaf on the upper rack of the oven until well browned, about 5 minutes.
- Brush ¼ cup of the ketchup glaze over top and sides of loaf and return to the oven, then broil until the glaze begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
Bake. Brush the top of the meatloaf with another ¼ cup of glaze. Set the oven temperature to 350F. Bake the meatloaf for 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160F. Transfer the meatloaf to a serving platter and tent with foil. Let sit for 20 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve the gluten-free meatloaf with the reserved glaze. Enjoy!
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
To store: Store gluten-free meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days after baking.
To make ahead: You can prepare the gluten-free meatloaf one day in advance, if you’d like. Follow the instructions up to the point of broiling and baking. Place the meatloaf on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Cover the loaf shape meatloaf with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to broil/bake.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to cook the onion before adding it to the meatloaf mix. If you don’t you’ll have crunchy vegetables that don’t meld with the texture of the gluten-free meatloaf.
- Broil the gluten-free meatloaf before baking to form a nice crust. This gives the glaze something to cling to!
- Gluten-free mashed potatoes are one of my favorite sides with this easy gluten-free meatloaf recipe. But you can also serve it with gluten-free scalloped potatoes, gluten-free biscuits, roasted sweet potatoes or gluten-free corn casserole!
- If you have the time, try making homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs for this meatloaf recipe!
More Gluten-Free Comfort Food
- Gluten-Free Pot Roast
- Gluten-Free Chili
- Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie
- Gluten-Free Lasagna
- Gluten-Free Meatballs
- Gluten-Free Smashburgers
- Homemade Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie
The Best Gluten-Free Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
For the Meatloaf:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ⅔ cup gluten-free bread crumbs or panko I use Ian’s Panko
- ⅓ cup milk of choice unsweetened if using almond milk
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Lea & Perrins is gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
Instructions
MAKE THE GLAZE:
- In a small saucepan, mix together the ingredients for the glaze. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Measure out ½ cup of the glaze to top the meatloaf while it cooks, and set aside the rest to serve with the meatloaf.
MAKE THE MEATLOAF:
- Grease a sheet pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until completely softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture, gluten-free bread crumbs, milk, eggs + yolk, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley. Mix to combine. Add the ground beef and ground pork and knead together with your hands until totally combined.
- Shape the meat mixture into a long, flat rectangle (about 9×5) on the prepared sheet pan. (Before you bake the meatloaf you’ll broil it to help form a nice crust for the glaze to cling to!)
- Broil on the upper rack of the oven until well browned, about 5 minutes. Brush ¼ cup of the glaze over top and sides of loaf and return to the oven, then broil until the glaze begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
- Brush the meatloaf with another ¼ cup of glaze. Set the oven temperature to 350F. Bake the meatloaf for 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160F. Transfer the meatloaf to a serving platter and tent with foil. Let sit for 20 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve with the reserved glaze. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to cook the onion before adding it to the meatloaf mix. If you don’t you’ll have crunchy vegetables that don’t meld with the texture of the meatloaf.
- Broil the meatloaf before baking to form a nice crust. This gives the glaze something to cling to!
Can I freeze the uncooked meatloaf to bake at a later time?
Hi Mary, that should work! Just wait to broil, glaze, etc. until the day you’re ready to cook the meatloaf. We’d recommend thawing it in the fridge before cooking, rather than baking from frozen. We hope you enjoy the meatloaf!
The sauce is amazing! I used turkey since I’m a non-beef/pork person. It turned out great. I had quite a bit of sauce leftover, so next time I might scale back on what I make. I made this for my 95 yo dad and who is a huge red meat fan. When I told him after he’d eaten three pieces, it was turkey, he had no idea and really enjoyed it.
We’re so pleased to hear you and your dad both loved the recipe, Meri! It’s good to know the sauce went well with turkey too. Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us!
I substituted a Teriyaki for the hot sauce, and used only ground beef. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hi Lark, thank you for your positive feedback! We’re so glad you loved the recipe!
We made this meatloaf for dinner tonight and it was perfect. You were so right about the 2 broiling times. That added flavor richness and a mild crust to the surface sauce without compromising the moist inside of the loaf. Thank you, mark and sue topolewski
Yay! We’re so glad you both loved the recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback with us!
My family’s favorite meatloaf is from the Raleys deli, and it’s just really good…but this one outdoes it! I love this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. Absolutely delicious!
Wow, what a compliment! Thank you for your kind feedback, Amanda. We’re so glad you loved the recipe!
this is sooo good. i did use instant potato flakes instead of bread crumbs and allepo pepper but otherwise just as written. my hubby and I both loved it.
Yay! We’re so glad you both loved the recipe, Elizabeth! Thank you for your positive feedback!
We had some pork/beef mixture that needed to be used and we happened to have all the ingredients, so we gave the recipe a try. The family has not typically liked meatloaf so we were all surprised how delicious this recipe turned out. Meatloaf (others we tried) is usually OK in general, but the whole family said they would have it again with enthusiasm. Gluten free was just a bonus!
We’re so glad the meatloaf was such a hit with the whole family! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us, Wesley!
Can I freeze this?
Hi Robin, it should freeze okay if wrapped tightly and placed in a freezer bag, though we typically recommend refrigerating it in an airtight container for up to three days. We hope you enjoy the meatloaf!
It was SO tasty. HOWEVER, I had to skip the Worcestershire, as Lea and Perrins is NOT gluten free, at least not the kind available in London, Ontario Canada. It contains barley.
Hi Marjory
I hope you’ve came across The Wizard’s ORGANIC Gluten free Worcestershire Sauce. I found at Whole Foods in Vancouver Canada
J
Amazing! My husband loved it so much he as speechless during dinner, which is saying a lot as he is a talker. The glaze is even good and I was skeptical bc of hot sauce, but really added something to make meatloaf a little special. Bravo!
This is the BEST recipe for gluten free meatloaf that I have come across. I generally jump straight to the recipe but found your photos of ingredients and concise directions to be very helpful. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you found the photos helpful! Happy the meatloaf turned out well too. Thanks for the comment!
So good. I’ve always done a glaze but the apple cider vinegar gives this the perfect taste.
The loaf itself, moist and delicious. I added grated carrots.
I’m so glad you like the recipe! I bet the grated carrots are yummy. Thanks for the comment!
This was the best meatloaf I’ve ever made! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I’ve tried numerious meatloaf recipes and most of them I had to throw out because the breadcrumbs i used made is so gummy. I used this panko receipe and am making this at least every other week. It is a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear you like it! Glad it’s a keeper for you 🙂
Make this for a friend I had coming over who is highly allergic to gluten. It was wonderful and they loved i!
WOW!! This was such a huge hit with my family, I will definitely make it again. Thanks so much!
Can I substitute ground turkey for the ground pork by chance?
Yes that will work wonderfully!