Gluten Free Meatloaf

Updated on February 21, 2010
S.B. asks from Kansas City, MO
9 answers

I have a friend with a severe gluten allergy, and I want to have a small gathering including her, but usually for this I make a meatloaf. Does anyone have a gluten free meatloaf recipe? My general ingredients are:

Ground Turkey (hubby cant have beef)
saltine crackers
egg
ketchup
tomato sauce

I know ketchup has gluten in it, and definately the saltines. I'm just not used to cooking for the friend (we generally eat out when we see her, or are at her mom's house where they obviously know how to compensate for her allergy). Thanks for any help!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! I will probably make a couple of test ones for my fam to make sure they taste good before making them for everyone. I've made desserts for her for potlucks before but never a whole meal. This should be fun. :-)

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C.O.

answers from Chicago on

I have Celiac and I just use gluten free bread crumbs instead of saltines. Heinz ketchup is gluten free.

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M.B.

answers from Wichita on

First of all, you are AWESOME! It is so nice to hear that someone is trying to accommodate a gluten allergy, that doesn't have one themselves. :) I am GF as well and I know that it can be intimidating for people to cook for us. I am going to be honest, restaurants REALLY aren't that clean, so if you make an honest attempt to make uncontaminated food, you are probably doing better than they do.

Check out this site: http://www.glutenfreehomemaker.com/2008/09/meatloaf-tips-...
She is absolutely wonderful and she has some great tips listed for GF meatloaf modifications.

Good luck! Your friend may ask a ton of questions about your ingredients and prep, but TRUST ME, they are very grateful that you are even trying! :)

1 mom found this helpful
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D.C.

answers from Columbus on

I have celiac and make meatloaf by substituting crushed pork rinds for the bread/crackers. It works great and tastes wonderful, despite the funny pork rinds.
Most ketchups are gluten free (Heinz is, anyway). Most celiacs can use the same utinsils, etc, except for wooden spoons which are too absorbent. Just make sure everything she uses has been washed well in hot soapy water.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.S.

answers from Detroit on

ask your friend if she has a recipe for meat loaf.

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N.H.

answers from Kansas City on

Instead of crackers use bread bread crumbs and don't use ketchup because u already have tomato sauce

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R.J.

answers from San Diego on

Another thought is a Gyro meatloaf... I've used this recipe from time to time... you can sub the beef for turkey... or there are also chicken gyros recipes out there.

Gyros Recipe
A traditional gyro should be made with at least 50% ground lamb, and the rest beef. The best ground to use is one with a high fat content (this is so that during the remixing it binds and keeps it shape well!). The main flavouring ingredients should always be: garlic, onion, marjoram, rosemary, salt and black pepper. Marjoram and Rosemary are similar to oregano and thyme in flavour (respectively), and are common ingredients in Greek cooking.

1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup very finely chopped (or shredded) onion
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried ground marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried ground rosemary
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix everything together and let sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Blend in a food processor for about 1 minute. (When cooked, this will help give it a more traditional gyro feel on your palate. Otherwise, it just takes like cooked minced meat.)

Bake in the oven in a meatloaf shape for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, at 325 degrees F. It should be a bit dry.

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

If she has a severe gluten allergy you may not be able to cook for her anyway. Some people can not use the same utensils, pots, pans, dishes that have been used for cooking/preparing things with gluten. You need to check with her. It might be a better idea all the way around if she just brings her meal with her and enjoys the evening without worry that she might get sick.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

You have some good suggestions, but I also wanted to throw out another easy idea in case you don't want to run with any of the meatloaf ideas...you can easily find gluten free pasta at HyVee (in the health food section) and Whole Foods. They make lots of pasta that is rice flour based and it tastes good, most people can't tell a difference. Make some easy meat sauce with ground turkey and homemade or store bought sauce and you have another easy meal option.

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D.W.

answers from Wichita on

My daughter (granddaughter's mommy) was found to be acutely allergic to both wheat and soy a few years ago, so I've had to learn lots of tricks in cooking for her.
Ketchup is nothing but tomato paste & water, sweetener, salt, vinegar, onion powder...I don't see a gluten ingredient in the ingredients of my bottle Kroger's ketchup, but you have to be very watchful for it as any kind of food starch or syrup--it could be part of the high fructose corn syrup. To really play it safe, it's easy to make ketchup from scratch.
Instead of saltine crackers, add shredded potatoes & carrots, or cooked brown rice. The bread or cracker crumbs in meatloaf were always added just to stretch the meat, so you can use your imagination for an alternative...rice and/or veggies shredded or diced work well. If you shred them finely, they'll be less noticeable, in case anyone objects to vegetables.

Glutens are found in all kinds of grains, flours made from grains, so using bread instead of crackers won't work.
Here's another gluten free recipe index:
http://glutenfreerecipes.net/
Grandma D.

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