Taco Meatloaf

The meatloaf cut into slices sitting on parchment paper.

Taco Meatloaf is an easy family dinner packed with taco seasoned ground beef, salsa, crunchy tortilla chips, and melted cheese. This cheesy Mexican-inspired meatloaf is simple, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword taco meatloaf

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Rest Time 10

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 321kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

Taco Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef
2 packets (1 oz each) taco seasoning
1¼ cups finely crushed tortilla chips ^{(measure the crushed chips not whole chips)}
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup salsa

Meatloaf Topping & Garnish

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup salsa
sour cream, chopped cilantro, pico de gallo jalapeños, etc. ^{optional garnishes for serving}

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray, then line it with parchment paper (optional) to make removal easier.
Crumble the ground beef into a large bowl.
Sprinkle the taco seasoning packets over top, along with the crushed tortilla chips, large eggs, shredded cheese, and salsa. Mix everything together with clean gloved hands, or a spatula or wooden mixing spoon, until all the ingredients are evenly combined and the mixture just holds together.
^{*Avoid overmixing, or aggressively mixing, to keep the meatloaf tender.}
Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the prepared loaf pan and gently shape it into a loaf. Place the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour.
After an hour, remove the meatloaf from the oven. Spoon the salsa evenly over the top of the meatloaf, spreading it gently with the back of a spoon. Then sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the salsa layer.
Return the meatloaf to the oven and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, util the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute and the slices hold together cleanly.
Slice the meatloaf into thick portions, and garnish each one with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro (or whatever other toppings you want), and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Letting the meatloaf rest before slicing is essential. The juices redistribute throughout the meat, so the loaf stays moist and slices cleanly rather than crumbly and falling apart.
Crush the tortillas chips very finely so they act like bread crumbs. Large chip pieces will not bind the meat mixture as effectively. Also, measure the tortilla chips after they have been crushed finely not before.
Avoid packing the meat mixture tightly into the loaf pan. A loosely shaped loaf allows fat to render away from the meat rather than soak back into it. You still want to gently press/pack and shape it into the loaf pan, but there is no need to firmly pack it down into a thick dense even layer.
Serve the meatloaf slices with a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, drizzle of taco sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole, avocado slices, sliced green onion, black olives, hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, for extra crunch sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over a slice, or other taco toppings you prefer.
This Mexican meatloaf with taco flavors can be as spicy or mild as you prefer - use mild, medium, or hot salsa and/or use a packet of mild taco seasoning or hot n' spicy taco seasoning.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the center of the meatloaf is at the safe temperature of 165°F before removing it from the oven.
An 80/20 or 85/15 blend of ground beef works best for meatloaf for juicy results; however, if you prefer a leaner meatloaf then use 90/10 or 93/7, or a mix of a fattier ground beef + leaner ground beef. Using ground turkey is another option for a lighter loaf (although, I would not use two pounds ground turkey but rather 1 pound ground turkey + 1 pound ground beef for the best results).
Other cheese options include Colby Jack, Monterey Jack cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend.

Nutrition