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    Home » Halloween » Halloween Meatloaf with Ghost Mashed Potatoes

    Halloween Meatloaf with Ghost Mashed Potatoes

    July 28, 2021 By Chandice | 4 Comments | Updated October 3, 2022

    this post may contain affiliate links

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    Halloween meatloaf that is bacon wrapped combines two great proteins in one delicious bite. The addition of mashed potato ghosts makes it a festive meal! pin

    Bacon wrapped Halloween meatloaf that is bacon wrapped combines two great proteins in one delicious bite. The addition of mashed potato ghosts makes for a very festive meal!Bacon wrapped meatloaf on a white plate

    Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

    When you combine bacon and beef you get one unforgettable combination of flavors. I feel like the fat in the pork makes the beef extra moist. 

    The bacon becomes caramelized and perfectly cooked. When you lattice it around the meatloaf, you not only get a delicious tasting dish but also a very eye catching one as well.  

    I love to serve it up with this vibrant red cabbage salad with, you guessed it…more bacon! Our gluten-free biscuits are also a great side to this yummy dinner. 

    Halloween Meatloaf

    You guys know that I love making the holidays more fun with food. Like we did with this Halloween charcuterie board or CharBOOterie board! 

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    Dinners around Halloween usually consist of some kind of spooky dish like this or our gluten-free quesadilla jack o’ lanterns or ghost gluten-free shepherds pie after doing our Halloween Activities Printable.

    My whole family loves meatloaf so making this classic family favorite into an eerie new dish was a challenge I was excited to try. Add classic ketchup with this bacon wrapped meatloaf and it becomes even more spooky.

    How to make the BEST Halloween meatloaf

    My gluten-free meatloaf recipe is delicious and very similar to this one so we just built off of it…

    • Preheat oven to 350° then, in a bowl, combine the beef, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper with your hands. Optional, you can add 2 T ketchup.
    • Wash up then place crackers in a blender to crush. It should bring it down to around 1 C of gluten-free bread crumbs. Add them to the meat mixture and mix with your hands until incorporated.

    Meatloaf ingredients in a bowl

    • On a silicone baking mat lined baking sheet, lay bacon out in a lattice
    • Mold beef into a loaf and lay on the bacon lattice
    • Fold the bacon over the meatloaf
    • Flip it all over and tuck extra bacon pieces under the meatloaf

    Step by step photos of bacon wrapped meatloaf

    • Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until beef is fully cooked inside
    • Meanwhile, boil potatoes, drain and add butter and milk plus salt and pepper to taste
    • Place potatoes in a pastry bag and pipe onto meatloaf before serving
    • Use black pepper or black beans for eyes

    Gluten-Free Meatloaf

    When it comes to making a gluten-free meatloaf, the challenge usually comes in the form of the binder. Many people use wheat based bread or crackers. 

    For this Halloween meatloaf, we decided to try the gluten-free crackers as our binder. They worked great and made it even healthier thanks to the delicious variety of grains.

    The crackers are also lightly seasoned with a wheat free tamari soy sauce giving it an extra boost of flavor.My family really loved the bold flavors of hearty crackers, bacon and grass-fed beef. Our boys said it was their favorite dinner ever…that sure made this mama happy!

    Can you make meatloaf with ground turkey instead of ground beef?

    This recipe works great with ground turkey or ground beef. Really it comes down to a personal preference. My friend Brianna at Flippin Delicious also has a great gluten-free turkey meatloaf recipe!

    Serve it up with our piped hot mashed potatoes ghosts and our gluten-free green bean casserole and you have a homestyle meal that everyone will love!

    Can you keep this as leftovers?

    One of the great things about a really good meatloaf is that it is even better the next day as leftovers. Have you ever had a Halloween meatloaf sandwich? They are so delicious! Top them with our gluten-free gravy or grilled onions for an extra tasty bite.

    This meatloaf freezes fantastic! Just wrap it up in aluminum foil then place it in a freezer bag. You can pull slices out as needed and microwave the for 2-3 minutes. 

    Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. 

    If you love this recipe, I recommend these other great beef recipes…

    BEST Instant Pot Spaghetti

    Gluten-Free Tater Tot Casserole

    Baked Bean Gluten-Free Nachos

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    Halloween Meatloaf with Ghost Mashed Potatoes

    5 from 3 votes
    A delicious take on the classic meatloaf dish. This bacon wrapped Halloween meatloaf is moist, easy to make and so much better than regular meatloaf!
    PRINT RECIPE SAVE RECIPESaved!
    Prep Time: 20 mins
    Cook Time: 50 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bacon wrapped meatloaf, gluten free meatloaf, meatloaf recipe
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 339kcal
    Author: Chandice

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 T gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • 2 C gluten-free crackers
    • 8 slices of bacon
    • 4 potatoes
    • 1 T butter
    • 1/3 C whole milk

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°.
    • In a bowl, combine the beef, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper with your hands.
    • Wash up then place crackers in a blender to crush. It should bring it down to around 1 C of gluten-free bread crumbs. Add them to the meat mixture and mix with your hands until incorporated.
    • On a silicone baking mat lined baking sheet, lay bacon out in a lattice.
    • Mold beef into a loaf and lay on the bacon lattice. Flip it all over and tuck extra bacon pieces under the meatloaf.
    • Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until beef is fully cooked inside.
    • Meanwhile, boil potatoes.
    • Drain potatoes and add butter and milk plus salt and pepper to taste.
    • Place potatoes in a pastry bag and pipe onto meatloaf before serving.
    • Use black pepper or black beans for eyes.

    Notes

    This recipe works great with ground turkey or ground beef. Really it comes down to a personal preference. My friend Brianna at Flippin Delicious also has a great gluten-free turkey meatloaf recipe!
    Serve it up with our piped hot mashed potatoes ghosts and our gluten-free green bean casserole and you have a homestyle meal that everyone will love!
    This meatloaf freezes fantastic! Just wrap it up in aluminum foil then place it in a freezer bag. You can pull slices out as needed and microwave the for 2-3 minutes. 
    Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 699mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 12.7mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 5.1mg

    *Here is the original recipe photo when we first published it back on October 27, 2016. We have updated it with new photos, step-by-step instructions and more information. 
    This bacon wrapped meatloaf is gluten-free and topped with ghost mashed potatoes. It is sure to be a Halloween dinner hit for the whole family. glutenfreefrenzy.com

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    Filed Under: Beef, Halloween Tagged With: beef, Halloween, meatloaf

    Chandice of This Vivacious Life

    Hi, I'm Chandice!

    Parties, gatherings, gorgeous food and ESPECIALLY holidays with my people are what make my heart pitter patter. Having a place to share our favorite traditions, recipes and celebrations is very important to me. I live each day with unapologetic, authentic happiness and hope to help others do the same. More About Chandice

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dani says

      September 09, 2022 at 11:56 pm

      5 stars
      My husband was late for dinner, and I was worried my little kids would devour the whole thing before he got home! They loved it so much! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Chandice says

        September 14, 2022 at 3:20 am

        Awww that is the BEST compliment! I am so glad they all loved it. 🙂

        Reply
    2. June says

      August 17, 2021 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      This is the CUTEST idea! I am totally going to save this to make for Halloween this year.

      Reply
      • Chandice says

        August 17, 2021 at 8:17 pm

        So glad you love it! It is a fun and festive Halloween recipe. 🙂

        Reply

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    Chandice of This Vivacious Life

    Hi there, I’m Chandice!

    I love sharing ways to live more vivaciously! Celebrate life with us through unforgettable gluten-free recipes, easy mocktails and everyday entertaining ideas…

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