This Dill Pickle Meatloaf recipe is like having one big hamburger cooked in a loaf pan! The diced pickles and the pickle juice mixed into the lean ground beef and ketchup topping add plenty of zippy flavor.

Dill Pickle Meatloaf on a white plate with 1 slice meatloaf cut.

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Why I Love This Meatloaf Recipe
🥘 Ingredients
Equipment
🔪 Instructions
💭 Top Tips
📖 Variations
Serving Suggestions
More Meatloaf Recipes To Try
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

The leftovers are delicious in a cold sandwich spread thin with a little mayonnaise and a few extra slices of my favorite Garlic Dill Pickles. It is also delicious grilled with a few slices of cheese as a hot meat loaf sandwich.

Why I Love This Meatloaf Recipe

First of all, I absolutely love meatloaf. To me it is pure comfort food that literally makes me feel good! Secondly, I am a huge fan of dill pickles and when I order a cheeseburger, you can bet it is with extra pickles on the side!

This dill pickle meat loaf is like having a big burger baked in a loaf pan with the ketchup and mustard baked on top. To add a little more pickle flavor I like to use pickle juice from the jar instead of water to dilute the ketchup topping and to add to the meat mixture.

🥘 Ingredients

Lean ground beef: I like to use 90/10 or 85/15 for meatloaf. The leaner the better.

Italian seasoned bread crumbs: I like to keep this brand on hand.

Large eggs

Dill pickles: I make my own garlic dill pickles, but any dill pickle you like works here!

Onions: I like to use sweet vidalia onions in this meatloaf recipe

Salt and black pepper.

Ketchup: I prefer to use a sugar free ketchup for this recipe to keep it low in carb and keto friendly.

Brown sugar: Use this brand to keep it low carb and keto friendly.

Worcestershire sauce, I use this brand.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Baking sheet or loaf pan

Aluminum foil or parchment paper

Rubber spatula or large tablespoon to pat the meatloaf mixture into the pan and spread the topping over top of the meat loaf.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Step 2:

Crumble the ground beef into a large bowl. Add the egg, diced onion, pickle juice, chopped pickles, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs in to the meat. Using your hands, mix together until the ingredients are just combined.
Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared loaf pan and pat the meatloaf mixture in tight.

Step 3:

Stir together the ketchup, water, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce mixture over the meatloaf.
Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour, or until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 160 degrees F.

Keto version of dill pickle meatloaf made with ground turkey.

💭 Top Tips

Don't overmix the meatloaf, doing so can cause it to be tough.
If in doubt as to level of doneness, insert instant read thermometer into the center of the meatloaf. Anything 160 or above and the meatloaf is ready.

📖 Variations

Break 2 slices of bread into small pieces and substitute for the dry bread crumbs.
Substitute ½ pound of the ground beef for ground pork or sausage or use all ground turkey.
Keep it low carb and keto by subbing ground pork rinds for the bread crumbs
If using plain bread crumbs or ground pork rinds, add ½ teaspoon basil, ½ teaspoon oregano, and ¼ teaspoon ground thyme to the meatloaf mixture.
Skip the ketchup topping and top with ½ cup of sweet chili sauce.
Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese or top the meatloaf with american cheese slices and tomato slices in place of the ketchup topping.
Chop 1 large dill pickle and mix into the ketchup topping.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with homemade mashed potatoes or spanish rice.

If keeping the recipe low carb and keto friendly, this Garlic Mashed Cauliflower with Browned Butter or Cauliflower Spanish Rice make great side dish ideas.

More Meatloaf Recipes To Try

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When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!

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📖 Recipe