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.
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.
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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
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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.
💭 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
- Turkey Meatloaf with Tomato Chutney
- BBQ Cheddar Mini Meatloaves (keto)
- Jalapeno Cheddar Meatloaf
- Sweet and Sour Meatloaf (keto)
- Heart Shaped Meatloaf
- Vegetarian Meatloaf
*If you made this dill pickle meatloaf, please give it a star rating*
📖 Recipe
Dill Pickle Meatloaf
Ingredients
FOR THE DILL PICKLE MEATLOAF
- 1¼ pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup dill pickle juice
- ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup diced dill pickle
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
FOR THE TOPPING
- ½ cup no sugar added ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water or dill pickle juice
- ½ tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- 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.
- Stir together the ketchup, water, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce mixture over the meatloaf.
- Bake in 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.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Notes
- Substitute ground pork rinds for the bread crumbs
- Use a brown sugar erythritol sweetener for the brown sugar.
- Be sure the ketchup is sugar free.
- Add ½ teaspoon basil, ½ teaspoon oregano, and ¼ teaspoon ground thyme to the meatloaf mixture
Patrick
I can honestly say that over 20 years of collecting recipes from many forms of publications, your recipes truly stand out.Besides my mom’s recipes and my own creations; your’s are fantastic. Just recently subscribed to your site, and said to myself wow if I only have found you sooner. Have made a bunch of your recipes and you are my go to site when I'm looking or hungry for certain recipes! You are a beacon of light knowing when i make your recipes it will be fantastic and delious. Thank you!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hello! Thank you so much for your message. It is nice to know to hear from those who love to read my website and appreciate it! I hope you enjoy many more recipes. Shelby
Ramona
I had meatloaf for dinner tonight and I can't wait to make it like this for the next time I make it! This looks and sounds really interesting. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Ramona, I hope you enjoy the recipe~ Shelby
Kathryn
I love dill pickles and this is such a great idea to add to meatloaf! It looks so delicious and can't wait to try this recipe this week! I bet it adds the perfect amount of crunch too. Thank you 🙂
Tristin
This is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had!! I love the addition of the pickles. Making again tonight!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Tristin, thank you! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. Shelby
veenaazmanov
This sounds so very interesting and I would love to try your recipe.
nancy
dill pickle meatloaf sounds really delicious and a lighter sharper take on the traditional version!
Sam
So delicious! I turned the leftovers from last night's dinner into a sandwich for lunch today! I'm excited to have it again today, thanks for sharing!
Dominique
Shelby, Greetings from Manitoba, Canada. I've made this recipe numerous times, and it's become the only meatloaf recipe I use now. We love the pickle flavour in it, and it still has the ketchup topping that I've always used. Thanks for an amazing recipe.
Shelby
Hi Dominique! Thank you so much for letting me know! I'm so happy you've enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Phyllis Lincoln
My family loves meatloaf for breakfast. I've been preparing it for many years and have tried many 'meatloaf' recipes. This is one of the very best. I double it. I use two pounds of ground beef and one pound of pork sausage.
Thank you for submitting this recipe.
Shelby
So glad you like the recipe!
Brittny O
Made it tonight (with a few tweaks (; )...can't wait to taste!
Mary Ellen
This sounds interesting. I had never heard of it either.
Anonymous
This sounds yummy. We put grated dill pickles on our homemade tacos, everyone thinks it's nuts they try it.
ReneesKitchenAdventures
this looks and sounds so good Shelby! Pinning!
honeyb
It is addicting 🙂 Can't wait for you to make it either!
DessertForTwo
This sounds amazing. I'm a dill pickle fiend. Don't even talk about sweet pickles around me. I think they should be illegal.
I can't wait to make this!