This meatloaf right here…is pure LIFE!!! It is seriously so incredibly delicious, so perfect and so divine that I couldn’t stop eating it. It made my heart sing. Now let’s get one thing straight – this is not a low calorie meatloaf. If you are looking for that, well, you ain’t getting it here. I have all sorts of other recipes to choose from if you’re looking to go that route, but this one isn’t that. This is pure, unadulterated food pleasure. If we’re talking about food porn in the dictionary, this recipe is the photo right next to the definition. Do you think I may be a little too into this meatloaf? Sure. But that’s exactly why I always thought I was so weird compared to everyone else. Because my food obsession runs deep.
Something you should know about this meatloaf…you can totally make it your own. Take a second to think about what you like on a big ole’ juicy burger. And then put those toppings on top of this meatloaf. It’s that easy. Make your own spin on it and tell me how you make yours! And don’t forget to tag me in your photos on instagram! I usually just get random people tagging me in random sh*t that has absolutely nothing to do with me, so when I get tagged in a photo that is actually a recipe of mine, it puts a real smile on my face. Help me smile, people!!
You guys. Big news. After a year and a half on our couch, we finally said we couldn’t do it anymore. It’s just not comfortable for 2 people and a 40 pound dog trying to lay on it every day. So we took the plunge and bought a couch at Room & Board after our friends said they LOVED their couch from there. This new couch will be an L-shaped couch and has an extra 15 or so inches on the old one. More space and more leg room. I also need to get a new rug. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought an off-white rug that is directly in front of the front door. You know how you talk yourself into believing that you can keep something clean…that people will always take their shoes off (I don’t even take MY shoes off)…that you will just wash it every couple months. Yeah, I straight up lied to myself. I definitely talked myself into believing all that jazz. And none of it has actually ever happened. So now we just have a dirty ass rug from dirty ass people and a dirty ass dog.
So anywho. Now we need to sell our old couch. Out with the old, in with the new! So if you know anyone in Denver who may be interested in buying this couch (in the smoke color), just send me a lovely email because we are looking to get rid of this couch by early next week! My husband says he wants us to order a GF pizza and have a movie night when we first get our couch. That’s how excited we are about it!
In the meantime, stop what you’re doing and go make this lovely meatloaf. It’s seriously the best.
Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup button mushrooms, diced
- 1/2 cup dill relish
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg
For the caramelized onions
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- salt, to taste
For the garnishes
- 1/2 – 1 cup The Honest Stand Smoked Cheese Sauce*
- 2–3 jalapeños, thinly sliced
- cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line a baking baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Place all bacon on the wire rack and into oven to bake for 12-15 minutes, until crispy. Place bacon on paper towels and then add 3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat into a large sauté pan – this will be used to caramelize the onions later on. Dice bacon into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1/2 the diced bacon, beef, pork, red bell pepper, red onion, garlic, almond flour, mushrooms, dill relish, both mustards, salt and garlic powder and 1 egg. Use your clean hands to mix all of the ingredients until completely combine. Press mixture into a parchment paper lined 9×5 loaf pan (lining it with parchment paper helps with easy removal later on). Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the meat is completely cooked through in the middle to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- When the meatloaf goes in the oven, add the thinly sliced onions to the pan with the rendered bacon fat and turn heat up to medium-low. Toss onions in the bacon fat and let cook down for 30+ minutes. The slower they cook, the more they will caramelize and not burn. Toss onions every few minutes to help cook evenly throughout. Cook until sweet and brown. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and toss. Keep on low heat until meatloaf is done cooking.
- Once meatloaf is cooked through, let cool for a few minutes then dispose of the excess liquid left behind in the pan and remove meatloaf from pan.
- Pour smoked cheese on top of meatloaf, then top with caramelized onions, bacon, jalapeños and cilantro then slice up before serving!
Notes
*don’t have this brand in your area yet? that’s quite all right! top your meatloaf with Cassy’s Nacho Cheese instead!
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Ma, Meatloaf!!
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Juli!
My three picky kiddos ages 2, 5, and 6 just “pounded” (their word) the bacon cheeseburger meatloaf.
Hell has frozen over.
Thank you for another yummy recipe!
fist bump!!
This is the absolute best meatloaf I have ever eaten! After I pulled it out of the oven and was slicing it up, our dog came over with her nose in the air smelling it and started stomping her paws and “gruffing” at me because she thought it smelled so good! My husband and I just finished eating and we both wish that we could eat more because of how delicious it is. Thank you so much for this amazing meal, I can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!
awesome!! so glad you liked it!
I made this recipe when you first posted it and froze some of the portions. I’m reheated it for lunch today and it’s still so freaking delicious. Holy shit. I want to make this again immediately. Great job! And thanks for turning me on to the Honest Stand cheese!
For anyone who reads reviews to see how recipes worked out: I replaced the pork with turkey since I couldn’t find the pork at the time–still super flavorful and juicy. It freezes really well too (including cheese sauce).
thanks for sharing your modifications!! glad you liked it!
Is there a substitution for mushrooms? Or could you omit them? I’m not a huge fan so I wanted to see if there was a specific reason for them being included! Thank you!
Why is Juli loves mushrooms. I hate them, so left them out. It tasted great! Stacy – paleOMG assistant
I had never made meatloaf before because meat in loaf format freaks me out. This recipe sounded so amazing though that I had to give it a try! I’m so glad I did because it was a big hit in my house! And man, so easy. This recipe will be making regular appearances on my meal plan!
so glad you tried it out!!
Anyone have any suggestions instead of using almond flour? Can I do regular flour in the same amount?
Loved this, and I don’t even like meatloaf. Was afraid to put jalapenos on it, because I am a spice wimp and I still loved it. Juli, you have amazing insight on how different ingredients taste, and what pairs well together in a recipe. I am new to Paleo, and not a great cook at that- but everything I’ve made has turned out great. So glad I found your site.
so glad you liked it!
Do you think this would freeze okay? I’m expecting my first little one and am looking for meals I can cook now, eat half of and freeze the rest for later.
This recipe is AMAZING. I made mine in the instant pot for 30 minutes (same method as your sweet & spicy garlic instapot meatloaf), and it’s crazy good!
Thanks for the husband-freakin-loves-my-cooking recipe!
awesome!! glad to hear it worked out great in the instant pot too!
Delicious recipe, even though I had to pretty much bastardize it due to what I had on hand and my chaotic household. I used turkey instead of beef and pork, panko bread crumbs (I’m not paleo or gf), and I didn’t have mushrooms which made me sad, but it still turned out great. Oh yes, and I had to actually shape it into burger patties and cook them on the grill due to my infant having two poop explosions during my meal prep and my toddler spilling an entire bottle of water over the kitchen table while I was cleaning up the baby. So I would say a pretty adaptable recipe, which is awesome. Hopefully I can make the real thing eventually. When poop is not a part of the story.