Keto Meatloaf with Stuffed Jalapenos - Gluten-Free

 

This Keto Meatloaf with Stuffed Jalapeno recipe is so easy and absolutely delicious!  These gluten-free and keto meatloaves are formed around cream cheese and smoky cheddar cheese stuffed jalapeno.  Plus, since they are individually portioned, they also require much less time in the oven than traditional meatloaf which makes them the perfect weeknight dinner idea!

I never like meatloaf as a kid.

Not sure why, but it really wasn't something my Mum ever made for us.

But, then again, I was the PICKIEST eater EVER!  I only ate plain spaghetti noodles, pizza with only cheese and never ate a sandwich until I was in high school.

So, maybe it was my own fault that my Mum didn't want to risk serving something that she would have to fight tooth and nail for any one of my siblings to try.

With that being said, I am officially offering my apologies to you Mum for being such a hard kid when it came to meal planning.

The goods news is, however, that as an adult, I can not get ENOUGH of flavour.  After falling in love with my Air Fryer or Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf and my Easy Three Pepper Meatloaf (Whole30), I knew I wanted to create other meatloaf varieties.

From spicy to sweet, from Indian to Asian, I have come to love and appreciate the variety of flavours our world has created.

And this recipe is one such meal.

Creamy smokey cheese and cream cheese, stuffed inside a spicy jalapeno and then wrapped in a thin layer of perfectly seasoned ground meat...A party of flavours in every bite!

 

 

 

Why do I love this Keto Meatloaf with Stuffed Jalapenos recipe?

• they only require 4 main ingredients and a couple of spices
• because they are smaller in shape, they bake much quicker than a full-size meatloaf
• you can control how spicy or "un-spicy" you want these to be
• they are low carb, gluten-free and can be plant-based depending on what type of ground meat or meat alternative you use

 

 

What ingredients do you need to make these mini meatloaves?

• jalapenos
• cream cheese
• cheese
• egg
• ground meat or ground plant-based meat alternative
• coconut flour

 

 

What type of ground meat can you use?

For this recipe, I used lean ground turkey meat.

However, I am almost positive that any ground beef, chicken, pork or sausage will work.  I also am pretty sure (although I have yet to try it yet!) that a plant-based ground meat alternative will work as well.

If you wanted to keep this vegetarian, using plant-based ground meat would make these mini meatloaves vegetarian friendly!

 

Why do you add coconut flour to the meat mixture?

Coconut flour is a VERY absorbent flour.  By adding coconut flour to the meat mixture, it will help to absorb any excess moisture coming from either the meat or the cheese.

If you don't have any coconut flour,  you can use any type of bread crumb or even quick-cooking oats.  You can also try to eliminate it completely and they should still turn out AMAZING!

 

 

 

How do you stuff the jalapeno?

I found that the easiest way to de-seed the jalapeno was to first cut of about ⅛ inch off the top where the stem is located.  Remove the stem and any seeds that come along with it.

Next, I used a sharp knife and ran it along each of the ribs that contain the seeds.  Then, I cut a slit down one side of the jalapeno so that the other side was still intact.

Finally, take a chunk of cream cheese and press it into the jalapeno.  Bring the to edges of the cut jalapeno together to compress the cream cheese mixture.

Don't worry what they look like...no one will ever know if you don't take a picture:-)!

 

 

How do you ensure that the cream cheese stays doesn't "leak" out when baking?

Since the cream cheese mixture will soften as the meatloaves bake, you risk the chance of the cream cheese coming out of the meatloaf.  Next thing you know, you end up with meatloaf and empty jalapeno peppers!

To ensure that the cream cheese doesn't leak out, make sure that you "plug" the open end of the meatloaf with a little extra ground meat (or meat alternative) mixture.

Also, make sure to keep the open jalapeno seam facing up so that the cream cheese is being held by the jalapeno.

 

What if I want to make a different serving size?

This recipe calls for 6 LARGE jalapeno stuffed meatloaves.  However, I realize that you may want to adjust this number.

So, the general rule is:

• For every 1 jalapeno, you will need 4 oz (or 113 g) of ground meat or meat alternative, 1 tablespoon of cream cheese and about 2 teaspoon of cheese (or 0.3 oz)

In this recipe, we will have 6 jalapenos and therefore need 1.5 lbs (or 678 g) ground meat, 6 oz (or 6 tablespoons) of cream cheese and about ¼ cup shredded cheese.

If you use these calculations, you will DEFINITELY have PLENTY of filling but I would much rather have too much filling than not enough.

Again, my jalapenos were VERY LARGE and I ended up with about 2 tablespoon leftover of cream cheese filling.

 

How do you make this Keto Meatloaf with Stuffed Jalapenos?

• seed your jalapenos and slice them lengthwise down one side, keeping the other side intact
• combine the cream cheese and cheese
• take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and press it inside the jalapeno
• place 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture and stuff it over the end where the stem was to lock the cream cheese inside
• take about 1 small apple worth of meat and press it in the palm of your hand to look like a disc
• take a stuffed jalapeno, place it in the center of the meat and wrap the meat around the jalapeno
• repeat with all the jalapenos
• bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
• OPTIONAL - Remove the meatloaves and spread each meatloaf with some barbecue sauce and an additional sprinkling of cheese.  Place the meatloaves under the broiler of the oven until the cheese just begins to brown.

 

 

Tips and Tricks:

• If you would like to make more or less stuffed jalapeno meatloaves, the rule of thumb is that for each meatloaf, you will need 4 oz of ground meat, 1 heaping tablespoon of cream cheese and 2 teaspoon of cheese
• To ensure that the cream cheese does not come out of the meatloaf, cover the stem opening with an extra tablespoon of the meat mixture and place the seam of the jalapeno on top
• The jalapenos do not soften as they are not baked long enough - I love that they remain crunchy but if you would like a softer jalapeno, place the jalapenos in the microwave until they soften before stuffing them
• Add a brushing of my Smokey Onion Bacon BBQ Sauce (Whole30, Keto) or my White BBQ Sauce (Whole30, Low Carb, Keto) on top with a sprinkling of cheese at the end and place the meatloaves under the broiler until the cheese just begins to brown
• Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your taste - these are not overly spicy as Mr. Grumbles does not care for spicy

 

 

 

If you like this Mini Keto MeatLoaf with Stuffed Jalapeno recipe, you may also enjoy:

 

 

Spinach Sausage Ricotta Casserole - Keto

 

Whole30 Gyro Meat (Gluten-Free, Keto)

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