My kids' two favorite flavors collide in this smoky keto BBQ cheeseburger meatloaf, loaded with melty Colby jack and requested on actual weeknights. 3.5g net carbs, 49.2g protein. It's just as good reheated the next day.
I started making this BBQ cheeseburger meatloaf back in 2019 when I was trying to get my kids to eat dinner without a fight. They wanted burgers. They wanted BBQ. I figured, why not put it all in a loaf pan and see what happens. It worked so well that it became a Friday night regular in our house.
The base is 2 pounds of ground beef mixed with crushed pork rinds (which work better than any low carb breadcrumb substitute I’ve tried), Colby jack cheese, eggs, and a good hit of BBQ sauce. I saute the onion and garlic first because raw onion in meatloaf is a texture problem I can’t get past. That five minutes of sauteing makes a real difference in the final flavor.
Here’s what I’ve learned after making this dozens of times: mix the cheese INTO the meat, not just on top. When it’s folded through the whole mixture, you get pockets of melted cheese in every bite instead of just a layer sitting on the surface. I still add more on top at the end, but the interior cheese is what sets this one apart.
A note on cook time. Plan for 45 to 60 minutes, and use a meat thermometer. You’re looking for 160 degrees internal temperature. The thickness of your loaf matters. If you shape it free-form on a sheet tray (which I actually prefer now), it cooks more evenly and you get better edges. If you want to go even thinner for maximum crust, I have a full sheet pan meatloaf recipe that spreads it out flat.
Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. I know it’s hard to wait, but the juices redistribute and the slices hold together instead of crumbling. Brush extra sauce on after it comes out of the oven so it doesn’t burn during baking.
I serve this alongside whatever is easy that night. Sometimes a simple side salad, sometimes hamburger helper if I want a bigger spread. Leftovers reheat well for two to three days, and I’ve frozen individual slices for quick lunches. If you like ground beef dinners, my skillet meatballs, sloppy joes, and beef tips and noodles are all solid low carb weeknight options.
One reader, Vanessa, threw diced pickles into the meat mixture and said it tasted like a double smash burger in loaf form. I tried it after she commented, and she was right. The pickles add a tangy bite that cuts through all that cheese. Worth trying if you want that classic keto cheeseburger flavor. And if hiding the cheese inside sounds better than melting it on top, my juicy lucy burger seals a molten cheddar pocket in the middle of the patty.
This is the BBQ cheeseburger meatloaf my kids clean their plates for.
Ground pork rinds stand in for the breadcrumbs, and the sauteed onion and garlic bring the moisture.
Make It Ahead or Freeze It Unbaked
You can saute the onion and garlic the night before or on your meal prep day. In the morning, mix everything, shape the loaf or press it into the loaf pan, wrap it in plastic wrap, and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
The unbaked meatloaf also freezes well in a loaf pan. Thaw it in the refrigerator the morning you plan to bake it, or bake it straight from frozen at 350 degrees for 90 to 120 minutes.
In a skillet, saute onion and garlic over medium-high in avocado oil until softened. Set aside to cool.
3
Add ingredients
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, including the onion and garlic mixture.
4
Mix the meatloaf
Mix together until fully combined using clean hands or a spoon.
5
Bake
Press into a lightly greased loaf pan or mold into a meatloaf shape on a foil lined baking tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool before serving. Brush with additional BBQ sauce and top with more cheese if desired. To cook from frozen, bake at 350 degrees for 90 to 120 minutes.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 slice
Calories
675
Fat
52.3g
Protein
49.2g
Total carbs
4g
Net carbs
3.5g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this on a sheet pan instead of a loaf pan?
I've done it both ways, and I actually prefer free-form now. Shape it into a log about an inch and a half thick on a foil-lined baking tray. You get more caramelized edges and a crispier exterior than the loaf pan gives you. Switching to this method is also what fixed the soggy bottom problem for me. If you have a smoker, I've also done a smoked version on the Traeger that adds a completely different layer of flavor.
Why does my meatloaf turn out soggy?
Nine times out of ten, it's the loaf pan trapping grease and moisture at the bottom. I switched to shaping mine free-form on a sheet tray and the difference was immediate. If you prefer the pan, try draining the grease halfway through baking by carefully tilting the pan over a bowl. Also make sure you're not skipping the pork rinds. They absorb moisture the way breadcrumbs would in a traditional version. I've tested it without them and the texture falls apart.
Can I add pickles to the meat mixture?
One of my readers tried this and I loved the idea so much I tested it myself. Dice about a quarter cup of dill pickles and fold them in with the meat. The tangy, briny flavor makes it taste even more like a smash burger. Just pat the pickles dry first so you're not adding extra moisture. My family is split on this one, but I think it's worth trying at least once.
What can I use instead of pork rinds?
I've tested both almond flour and pork rinds as the binder, and the pork rinds give a better texture for this keto meatloaf. But if you don't eat pork, half a cup of almond flour works well. The almond flour version still comes out moist in my testing. Coconut flour is another option, but use less (about 3 tablespoons) because it absorbs a lot more liquid.
Can I use different cheese?
I use Colby jack because it melts smoothly and doesn't overpower the smoky, tangy flavors. But I've seen readers use cheddar, pepper jack, and even a Mexican blend with great results. One of my readers, Brianna, used sharp cheddar and said it cuts through the BBQ sauce really well. If you like heat, pepper jack is my pick. If you're into cheesy beef dishes, my Philly cheesesteak casserole is another one I make on repeat.
Can I use dried onions instead of fresh?
I normally saute fresh onion because I like the sweetness it develops, but dried onion works. Reader Suzanne used about a tablespoon of dried onion and had great results. If fresh onions bother your stomach, dried is a solid swap. Just mix the dried onion straight into the meat with the other dry ingredients. No need to rehydrate first.
How should I store leftovers?
I wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to three days. They reheat well in the microwave (about 90 seconds) or in a skillet if you want to re-crisp the edges. I've also frozen slices for up to three months with parchment paper between them so they don't stick. This is one of my go-to meal prep recipes. If you're building a ground beef rotation, my taco casserole freezes just as well.
What can I use instead of breadcrumbs in a keto meatloaf?
Ground pork rinds. I use 2 cups of them in place of breadcrumbs in this meatloaf, and they bind it together with the 2 eggs while absorbing moisture the way breadcrumbs would. Grind plain pork rinds in a food processor or buy them already ground. Nobody in my house has ever tasted them in the finished loaf. If you don't eat pork, half a cup of almond flour works instead.
Is barbecue sauce ok for a keto diet?
It depends on the bottle, since most regular barbecue sauces are sweetened with sugar. I use 1/4 cup of keto approved BBQ sauce in this meatloaf and a slice comes out to 3.5g net carbs. I usually make my own keto BBQ sauce because it takes less than 5 minutes, and Lillie's Q and Primal Kitchen are the store bought brands I recommend.
My daughter has a dairy intolerance. This looks like exactly the kind of thing she’d go for on a weeknight, though I’ve had hit or miss results with dairy-free cheese once it’s cooked. Does the Colby jack melt into the meat, or does it stay in chunks? And would a shredded dairy-free version still hold the loaf together?
The Colby jack pretty much disappears into the meat, you end up with little melty pockets instead of chunks. Your binder here is the pork rinds and the eggs, not the cheese, so a dairy-free shred shouldn’t hurt the structure at all. I haven’t tested one myself, so tell me how it goes if she tries it.
Quick question about the pork rinds, do they actually hold the meatloaf together well, or does it come out crumbly? Never used them as a binder before.
Tiffany, they hold it together well. I’ve never had a crumbly batch at 2 cups ground rinds to 2 pounds of beef. Let it rest a few minutes before slicing and the cuts come out clean.
Figured all the keto BBQ sauces would behave the same inside a meatloaf, but they don’t. Primal Kitchen holds its texture without going watery; the others I’ve used pool on top and make the whole thing slick. Worth the few extra dollars.
I was in a hurry the first batch and added the onion mix while the pan was still hot. The eggs partly set on contact and the texture came out tighter and denser than it should have been. Let the onion and garlic cool for five minutes off the heat before adding. Avocado oil holds heat longer than butter, so the pan stays warm a while even after you pull it.nnThe other thing I figured out: add the Colby jack after the pork rinds are mixed in, not all at once with everything else. Cheese clumps when it hits the warm fat from the rinds, so folding it in at the end gets it spread through the loaf evenly. Two rounds to figure that out, but worth it.
Sam, I tested both and the pork rinds win. They absorb moisture and kind of disappear into the meat. You won’t taste them, but the texture is noticeably better than almond flour.
SWM cooking for one. I use one bag of BBQ Pork rinds (tad over a cup after food processor) and 1# WM hot sausage chub (cheaper than hamburger) and sauteed 3-4 oz of msuhrooms with the onions. Smoked paprika and liquid smoke with some Worchestershire adds more BBQ flavor. Awesome!
Letting it rest ten minutes before cutting is the step that took me three batches to take seriously. First couple times I sliced it too soon and it fell apart, blamed the recipe until I finally waited and realized the structure locks when the fat redistributes. Batch six now, the only thing I’ve adjusted is heavy cream (I go closer to 2/3 cup, keeps the inside from going dense on reheats). Saute matters too, onion and garlic properly soft and a little golden before everything goes in. Carries the savory note through the whole loaf; you’d miss it if you rushed. Not flashy, but batch six tells you something.
Not much of a cook, so I picked this because the ingredient list didn’t scare me. The pork rinds as a binder was a new one for me but it came together a lot easier than I expected. What surprised me was how much it actually smelled like a BBQ cheeseburger coming out of the oven. Made it on a Tuesday and I’m still thinking about it on Saturday.
Four days later is a long time to still be thinking about meatloaf. That’s what happens in my house too, they ask when I’m making it again before they’re even done eating. The smell gets everyone. Smoked paprika plus BBQ sauce in a hot oven smells exactly like a grill fired up outside, and I’ve never found the right words to put that into a recipe note. The pork rinds catch people off guard every time. I’ve had experienced cooks not believe me they’re even in there, and then they can’t find them anywhere in the bite.
My seven year old has a sixth sense for when I’m making something ‘diet.’ She walked in while I was mixing and goes, ‘is that cheeseburger?’ Not meatloaf. Cheeseburger. The Colby jack melted all the way through and she cleaned her plate, then asked if she could have it instead of pizza Friday. That’s the whole review.
Muffin tin solves the end-piece problem completely. Individual portions, every one gets its own caramelized crust. I do mine free-form on a sheet tray for the same reason but this is cleaner for serving.
BBQ meatloaf was one of those things I’d written off when I went keto. Every version I’d made before held together with breadcrumbs, period. I made this skeptically. Then I ate a slice that tasted like what I remembered. The pork rinds do the job without announcing themselves, and the Colby jack runs through the whole thing the way it should. I didn’t expect to feel grateful to a meatloaf, but here I am.
Grateful to a meatloaf. I’ll take it. The pork rind ratio took a few tries to get right. Too little and it falls apart, too much and you can taste them.
That call is everything. The Colby jack was the piece I kept testing over and over, it’s what makes this feel like actual Sunday dinner instead of just a keto workaround.
Made this Sunday for the week. Colby jack keeps the slices from drying out on reheat, something I can’t say for any other keto meatloaf I’ve batch-cooked. Four stars. I’d go heavier on the BBQ sauce next time, but day-three texture is still solid.
Threw in some diced pickles with the beef and it tasted like a double smash burger in loaf form. Next time I’m using a bigger pan so I get more of that caramelized crust on the edges.
So full of flavor! I used pork, beef, and veal because it’s what I had on hand. I didn’t use fresh onions as they make me spike so I used dried onions instead (1 tablespoon). Other than that, I followed the directions. I served it with a side salad and stayed on plan. We will make this again and soon!
That three-meat combo is basically what they sell as meatloaf mix at the store, richer than straight beef. I added your dried onion tip to the FAQs too. One tablespoon was exactly right.
This is my ride or die meatloaf recipe it’s soooo good and the whole family loves it. The bbq and cheese give it such a great flavor. Definitely the best one I have tried. I do prefer to do the log method than in a meatloaf pan cuz it makes it less soggy. I usually make it with the pork rinds but I’ll try the almond flower per the other comments just to see. I think coconut flour may be good idea since it does absorb liquid similar to bread crumbs
