Taco Meatloaf is a cheesy weeknight meatloaf that tastes like taco night: 2 pounds of ground beef mixed with taco seasoning, finely crushed tortilla chips, pepper jack, milk and eggs, baked in a loaf pan and finished with a zesty layer of red taco sauce. The chips stand in for breadcrumbs and the onion is dried, so there is nothing to chop. It serves 10 and takes 75 minutes, including a 10-minute rest.
How to make taco meatloaf: Mix everything except the taco sauce just until combined, shape it in a 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Spread the sauce over the top and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the center reads 160°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- 10 minutes of prep: crush, stir and shape, then the oven does the rest.
- Tastes like tacos: taco seasoning, tortilla chips and pepper jack in every slice.
- Feeds a crowd: one 2-pound loaf cuts into 10 servings.
- Freezer friendly: freeze the whole loaf or single slices for another night.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: Two pounds of lean ground beef, up to 80/20; ground chuck or sirloin work too, and so does a mix of 1 pound lean ground beef and 1 pound lean ground pork.
Tortilla chips: One and a half cups, crushed very fine. They take the place of breadcrumbs in this loaf.
Pepper jack cheese: Three-quarters of a cup, grated, for a slightly spicy bite. A mix of pepper jack with cheddar or Colby jack is fine too.
Milk: Half a cup adds moisture so the meatloaf doesn’t dry out in the oven.
Eggs: Two large eggs. Let them come to room temperature so they blend into the meat more easily.
Taco seasoning mix: One 1-ounce packet, any brand you like, or the homemade blend below.
Dried minced onion: Half a tablespoon. The tiny pieces flavor the whole loaf without any chopping.
Red taco sauce: One-third of a cup, mild or medium. It goes on top only, never in the mix.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, lean, up to 80/20, or ground chuck
- 1 1/2 cups tortilla chips, crushed very fine
- 3/4 cup pepper jack cheese, grated, or a mix with cheddar or Colby jack
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix (1 ounce)
- 1/2 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1/3 cup red taco sauce, mild or medium, for the top
How to Make Taco Meatloaf
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Crush the chips. Put the tortilla chips in a gallon storage bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they are very fine, so they blend into the meat.
3. Mix. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed chips, pepper jack, milk, beaten eggs, taco seasoning and dried minced onion. Save the taco sauce for the top. Mix just until everything is combined; do not overmix.
4. Shape. Transfer the mixture to a 9×5-inch loaf pan and shape it into a loaf, leaving a small gap around the edges so the fat has somewhere to drain.
5. Bake and top. Bake on the center rack for 45 minutes. Spread the taco sauce evenly over the top and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until a thermometer in the center of the loaf reads 160°F before you take it out of the oven.
6. Rest and slice. Tent the meatloaf loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
What Makes It Taste Like Tacos
Three changes turn an everyday meatloaf into taco meatloaf: tortilla chips where the breadcrumbs would go, taco seasoning in the meat, and taco sauce spread over the top near the end. Here is how to get each one right.
The chips. Crushed tortilla chips are what make this meatloaf taste like tacos, and they hold the loaf together the way breadcrumbs would. Crush them as fine as you can, with a rolling pin or a mallet on the closed bag. Want more kick? Use nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips. Out of chips? Crushed hard taco shells or tostada shells do the same job.
The seasoning. One 1-ounce packet of taco seasoning mix seasons all 2 pounds of beef. To make your own, stir together 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon each of paprika, cumin, onion powder, oregano and salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. That blend is sized for the same 2 pounds of beef, so use all of it in place of the packet.
The cheese. The pepper jack goes into the meat itself, not just over the top, so the cheese is in every slice. A shredded Mexican cheese blend works in the mix too.
The sauce, last. Keep the taco sauce out of the raw mix. Bake the plain loaf for 45 minutes first, then spread the sauce evenly over the top for the final 10 to 15 minutes.
Tips for Success
Why did my taco meatloaf turn out tough?
Over-mixing can make meatloaf tough. Beat the eggs in a small bowl before they go in, so they spread through the meat without extra mixing, and stop as soon as everything is combined.
Why is my meatloaf sitting in grease?
Ground beef lets go of fat as it bakes. Choose lean beef, 80/20 or leaner, such as 90/10, and leave that small gap around the edges of the pan so the fat has a place to go. After the loaf rests, carefully pour any extra liquid out of the pan before you slice.
Variations
- Cheese-stuffed: press half of the meat mixture into the pan, lay slices of pepper jack over it, keeping them at least 1/2 inch from the edges, and cover with the rest of the meat. Then top and bake as written.
- Mini taco meatloaves: line a baking sheet with foil and shape the mixture into 8 small loaves. Top them with salsa and a little shredded cheese and bake 30 to 45 minutes, until they reach 160°F.
- Salsa and cheese top: skip the taco sauce. When the loaf is done, spread salsa over it, sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and bake 5 minutes more, until the cheese melts.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Freeze the whole cooked meatloaf or single slices: wrap them in plastic wrap, then seal them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw it in the refrigerator, never on the counter. To reheat, put the meatloaf or slices in a baking dish with a splash of water or beef broth, cover with foil and warm it in the oven until it reaches 165°F. Do not reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve thick slices with Mexican rice and refried black beans for a full taco-night plate. If taco night is a regular thing at your house, try walking taco casserole, a layered taco bake, taco stuffed baked potatoes or a pot of quick and easy taco soup. For more meatloaf, there’s a cheesy Parmesan meatloaf and the classic old fashioned Momma’s meatloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mexican meatloaf?
Mexican meatloaf, or Mexican taco meatloaf, is a ground beef meatloaf seasoned with taco spices, such as chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano, and topped with salsa. Taco meatloaf adds crushed tortilla chips and pepper jack to the mix and uses red taco sauce on top.
What should you not put in taco meatloaf?
Don’t stir the taco sauce into the raw meat; it goes on top after the first 45 minutes. And don’t let the liquid creep past 1/2 cup: if you soak the dried onion in a little water to soften it, count that water as part of the milk.
Can I use breadcrumbs instead of tortilla chips?
Yes. Regular breadcrumbs will bind the meatloaf in place of the chips. Everything else in the recipe stays the same.
Can I use fresh onion instead of dried minced onion?
Yes. Use 1/4 cup of fresh onion, or 1 small yellow or white onion. Mince it finely or grate it so it melds into the meat.
Final Notes
Pick mild or medium taco sauce to suit the people at your table. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Taco Meatloaf
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef lean, up to 80/20, or ground chuck
- 1 1/2 cups tortilla chips crushed very fine
- 3/4 cup pepper jack cheese grated; or a mix with cheddar or Colby jack
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature, beaten
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix 1 ounce
- 1/2 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1/3 cup red taco sauce mild or medium, for the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Put the tortilla chips in a gallon storage bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they are very fine, so they blend into the meat.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed chips, pepper jack, milk, beaten eggs, taco seasoning and dried minced onion. Save the taco sauce for the top. Mix just until everything is combined; do not overmix.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x5-inch loaf pan and shape it into a loaf, leaving a small gap around the edges so the fat has somewhere to drain.
- Bake on the center rack for 45 minutes. Spread the taco sauce evenly over the top and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until a thermometer in the center of the loaf reads 160°F before you take it out of the oven.
- Tent the meatloaf loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
