This delicious Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatloaf boasts a tasty ground pork layer, wrapped around an impossibly creamy and cheesy filling that is studded with spicy chunks of jalapeño. This porcine masterpiece is then swaddled in bacon and baked until crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth tender on the inside.
This Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatloaf is a cheesy, porky wonderland and should come with a warning label. HIGHLY ADDICTING. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
The good news is that this pork meatloaf recipe is totally low carb friendly. Nobody will believe that you’re actually on a diet when they see (or taste if you’re into sharing) this gorgeous celebration of pork and cheese. #ketoforthewin ?
While it may seem complicated, don’t be intimidated – this Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatloaf is surprisingly easy to make! You just season your meat mixture, pat it out into a rectangle on some cling wrap, spread the popper filling over it and roll it up. Then wrap your bacon around it from the top and secure it with toothpicks. Bake, remove toothpicks, slice and serve.
It really is THAT easy!
The hardest part is waiting for it to cool before slicing! You’ll want to tear into it immediately, but if you slice it while too hot all of that delicious cheese will run out. So give it about 15 minutes to allow it to set before you cut into it.
I promise that it will be worth the wait!
Want to know an easy way to seriously upgrade your favorite meat loaf recipe? Wrap it in bacon! An easy wrap of crispy bacon makes this meat loaf recipe downright irresistible. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan crosswise with bacon slices, overlapping slightly. Press meat mixture into bacon-lined pan.
Side note, you may also want to check it with a meat thermometer before slicing, since ovens and meatloaf thickness may vary. It should read 160 degrees to be sure it’s cooked all the way through!
The Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatloaf is shown in the photo above served with my Easy Cauliflower Gratin recipe which went perfectly, but this would also go great with my Better than Potatoes Cauliflower Puree or the Easy Zucchini Gratin that I just posted the other day.
If you’re burnt out on cheese (as if) you could also pair this with the less heavy Roasted Moroccan Green Beans and/or my Pan Roasted Radishes and a side salad.
No matter how you eat this, it’s going to be a huge hit with the entire family! It’s also impressive enough to serve to guests, and it reheats really well if you want to make it ahead and have lunches ready to go for the rest of the week!
I really can’t say enough about what a winner this Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatloaf is – I know you guys are going to love it so be sure to make it ASAP and then report back!
Description
This delicious Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Meatloaf is perfect for family, friends, or just make it for yourself and have lunch ready to reheat all week! Keto, Atkins and Low Carb friendly!
ScaleIngredients
For the meatloaf mixture:
- 3 lbs ground pork
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup almond flour **
- 3/4 T kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 lb thinly sliced bacon (to wrap)
For the filling:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh jalapeño, chopped
- 1/4 cup salsa verde (green tomatillo salsa)
Instructions
- Combine the pork, eggs, almond flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes and dried parsley in a large bowl and mix well with your hands.
- Press the mixture evenly onto a parchment or plastic wrap lined cookie sheet to about 1 inch thick and approximately 15 x 10 inches wide and long.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl and stir until well combined and smooth.
- Spread the filling mixture over the meat and leave a 1 inch gap of meat on three sides, and a 2 inch gap at the end where you will make the bottom seam. (see the photos above)
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Use the edges of the wrap to pull up and roll the meat mixture towards the side that has the 2 inches of meat past the cream cheese.
- Don’t roll the wrap into the meatloaf, just keep rolling away from you and pulling the wrap up as you go.
- When you get to the end, pull the wrap all the way out from the bottom of the roll and discard.
- Pat the meat firmly into an even roll shape and down to seal the bottom, being careful not to squeeze the filling out.
- Starting on one end, drape your bacon over the top and tuck under, creating overlapping ribbons of bacon all the way down the roll.
- Secure the bacon with toothpicks on both sides.
- Bake the meatloaf at 400 degrees for 60 minutes or until a meat thermometer in the center reads 160 degrees. If your bacon hasn’t crisped up by the end of that time, finish it in the broiler for 2 – 4 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn though!
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Carefully extract all of the toothpicks and then slice into 1 inch thick pieces to serve.
Notes
**To see the brands that I use and recommend, check out the IBIH Pantry Page!
To ensure that your meat has cooked through, I recommend checking with a meat thermometer in the center of the roll – it should read 160 degrees in the center when you remove it from the oven.
- Category:Low Carb Main Dish Recipe
- Cuisine:American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:1 inch slice
- Calories:461
- Fat:37
- Carbohydrates:2g net
- Protein:28
Meatloaf is usually a boring, uninspiring entree, reserved for weeknight dinners when you can’t be bothered to get your creative juices flowing. Would you consider serving a meatloaf for a special occasion? With this showstopper, you certainly should! This meatloaf has it all – a juicy, flavorful chicken base with a cheesy, herby mushroom stuffing and it’s all wrapped up in crisp, golden bacon.
Unlike duck, lamb or prime rib – which are all delicious in their own special way, you don’t need to break the bank to serve this to a crowd. All the ingredients are very inexpensive and can easily be found in any grocery store, even if you live in the middle of nowhere and your local market never carries things like artichokes, truffles, kumquats or pomegranate molasses.
You also don’t have to worry about picky eaters, since most people like chicken. I love cooking for big parties, the more the merrier, but it does make menu planning a bit of a challenge. Uncle Harry likes his meat rare, while cousin Matilda faints if her meat has the slightest pink tinge. Little Petya and three of his buddies think lamb tastes weird and duck isn’t any better. Don’t get me started on all the people who don’t eat pork or hate seafood. I’m sure you’ve all been there. No such worries with this people pleasing entree.
The best part about this meatloaf, especially for busy, festive dinner parties, is that you can assemble it entirely ahead of time and then just bake it before your guests arrive. How awesome is that? You can put on your fancy dress, have time to do your makeup and walk around your kitchen, singing along to the music playing in the background without trying to juggle seven different things at once. There is no better way to start a party than having a relaxed and happy host.
Ingredients:
Chicken Meatloaf
1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 onion, grated
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt, ground black pepper
10-12 slices bacon
Cheesy Mushroom Stuffing
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter or oil, divided
10 oz fresh white mushrooms, chopped (or any mushrooms that you like, even dry mushrooms)
1-2 shallots, minced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 fresh sprigs of thyme
salt, pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely grated (or cheddar, Provolone, Monterey Jack, etc.)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4-1/3 cup sour cream
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the meatloaf mixture. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf except the bacon in a bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Set aside.
Prepare the stuffing.
In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil until shimmering on medium high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until the mixture is cooked through and starting to get golden. At first, the mushrooms will become very watery, but keep cooking on medium high heat until all the liquid is evaporated and absorbed into the mushrooms. Discard the thyme stalks.While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1/2 Tablespoon of butter or oil on medium heat in another skillet until golden brown. (I was toasting additional breadcrumbs for another recipe, so this is double the amount that you will need for the stuffing.) Combine the mushroom mixture, toasted breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and sour cream in another bowl.
Line a microwave safe plate with a paper towel. Place half of the bacon in a single row on top of the paper towel, top with another paper towel and weigh it down with another plate. Microwave for 1-3 minutes, just until the bacon is slightly shriveled. Repeat with the other half of the bacon. If you’d rather not use a microwave, you can partially cook the bacon in a skillet on the stove or in the oven and then pat it dry on a towel.
This will get the bacon jumpstarted on the cooking and take out part of the grease out of the bacon. If you skip this step, the meatloaf will be a lot more greasy and will take longer to cook, causing the meatloaf itself to be dryer.
Other Meatloaf Topping Options:
- Cheesy Topping: If you’d rather not use bacon, you can spread a thin layer of mayonnaise, mustard or greek yogurt all over the top of the meatloaf and sprinkle some grated cheese over the top of the meatloaf, creating a cheesy crust.
- Glazed Topping: You can also make a glaze topping for the meatloaf instead of the bacon or cheese. Mix together some ketchup, honey, maple syrup or molasses with a splash of cider vinegar and hot sauce. Brush the glaze on top of the meatloaf during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup later. Spray the sheet with oil too. You don’t have to use aluminum foil or parchment paper. As long as you grease the baking sheet, your meatloaf will cook just fine. However, you will have a harder time transferring the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate and the baking sheet will be harder to clean.
Place half of the meatball mixture on the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into a slightly oval/rectangular shape. Place the mushroom stuffing in the center of the meatloaf. Place the remaining half of the meatloaf mixture on top of the stuffing and spread it out evenly. Shingle the partially cooked strips of bacon on top of the meatloaf, overlapping slightly. I cut off the overhanging part of the bacon and tucked the ends underneath the meatloaf to make it neat.
You can do all of the prep work ahead of time, cover the meatloaf and store it in the refrigerator up to a day in advance.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven and how thick you make the meatloaf. The bacon should be crisp and golden.
The best way to transfer the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate is to get two large but thin spatulas underneath each end of the meatloaf and lift both ends at the same time. Let the meatloaf cool for about 15 minutes before slicing it.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meatloaf With A Cheesy, Mushroom Stuffing
Recipe type: Entree
Chicken Meatloaf
- 1½ lbs ground chicken
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- 1 onion, grated
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt, ground black pepper
- 10-12 slices bacon
- 1½ Tablespoons butter or oil, divided
- 10 oz fresh white mushrooms, chopped (or any mushrooms that you like, even dry mushrooms)
- 1-2 shallots, minced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 fresh sprigs of thyme
- salt, pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely grated (or cheddar, Provolone, Monterey Jack, etc.)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼-1/3 cup sour cream
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the meatloaf mixture. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf except the bacon in a bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Prepare the stuffing. In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil until shimmering on medium high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until the mixture is cooked through and starting to get golden. At first, the mushrooms will become very watery, but keep cooking on medium high heat until all the liquid is evaporated and absorbed into the mushrooms. Discard the thyme stalks.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the breadcrumbs with the remaining ½ Tablespoon of butter or oil on medium heat in another skillet until golden brown.
- Combine the mushroom mixture, toasted breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and sour cream in another bowl.
- Line a microwave safe plate with a paper towel. Place half of the bacon in a single row on top of the paper towel, top with another paper towel and weigh it down with another plate. Microwave for 1-3 minutes, just until the bacon is slightly shriveled. Repeat with the other half of the bacon. If you'd rather not use a microwave, you can partially cook the bacon in a skillet on the stove or in the oven and then pat it dry on a towel.
- This will get the bacon jumpstarted on the cooking and take out part of the grease out of the bacon. If you skip this step, the meatloaf will be a lot more greasy and will take longer to cook, causing the meatloaf itself to be dryer.
- Other Meatloaf Topping Options:
- Cheesy Topping: If you'd rather not use bacon, you can spread a thin layer of mayonnaise, mustard or greek yogurt all over the top of the meatloaf and sprinkle some grated cheese over the top of the meatloaf, creating a cheesy crust.
- Glazed Topping: You can also make a glaze topping for the meatloaf instead of the bacon or cheese. Mix together some ketchup, honey, maple syrup or molasses with a splash of cider vinegar and hot sauce. Brush the glaze on top of the meatloaf during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup later. Spray the sheet with oil too. You don't have to use aluminum foil or parchment paper. As long as you grease the baking sheet, your meatloaf will cook just fine. However, you will have a harder time transferring the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate and the baking sheet will be harder to clean.
- Place half of the meatball mixture on the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into a slightly oval/rectangular shape.
- Place the mushroom stuffing in the center of the meatloaf.
- Place the remaining half of the meatloaf mixture on top of the stuffing and spread it out evenly. Shingle the partially cooked strips of bacon on top of the meatloaf, overlapping slightly. I cut off the overhanging part of the bacon and tucked the ends underneath the meatloaf to make it neat.
- You can do all of the prep work ahead of time, cover the meatloaf and store it in the refrigerator up to a day in advance.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven and how thick you make the meatloaf. The bacon should be crisp and golden.
- The best way to transfer the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate is to get two large but thin spatulas underneath each end of the meatloaf and lift both ends at the same time. Let the meatloaf cool for about 15 minutes before slicing it.