Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Anne-Marie

These leftover meatloaf sandwiches made with gluten-free crackers and green beans are the best meatloaf sandwich recipe you’ll ever try!

Why this recipe works

Try this gluten free meatloaf with potato chips and carrots recipe if you want to make a gluten free meatloaf without breadcrumbs.

You won’t believe how well your favorite brand of potato chips work – along with wholesome shredded carrots – as a binder in this gluten free meatloaf recipe.

This is a easy way how to make gluten free meatloaf without buying any type of expensive gluten free foods that you’ll only use once.

So important when you’re on a budget or just cooking gluten free for a friend or relative who’s coming to visit.

Check out the 27 Best Side Dishes to Serve with Meatloaf

Making a dairy free gluten free meatloaf

At my house, meatloaf is a popular but challenging dish. For years, I had to make an egg free meatloaf due to my daughter’s allergies.

She’s grown out of her egg allergies, thank goodness. But now I have to make a gluten free dairy free meatloaf.

Making it dairy free is pretty easy. I just substitute an alternative milk for the cow’s milk. I like using rice milk since it’s naturally slightly sweet.

You can use other alternative milks such as unsweetened soy or coconut milk. (I don’t like the sweetened versions because of all the added sugar.)

Usually, I use gluten free panko in my gluten free meatloaf recipe. Or I make homemade gluten free bread crumbs from by toasting up some gluten free bread and chopping it up in a blender or food processor.

However, we always have a bag or two of Kettle Brand Potato Chips in the house and baby carrots to snack on. So, I thought I’d take those two ingredients and try a meatloaf with carrots recipe for fun!

Potato chip meatloaf inspiration

I normally try keep junk food out of my house. However, there are certain people around here (ahem) who feel that watching sports on television isn’t fun without a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips.

(And cheese. And beer. But I’m not tattling or anything, am I?)

So, when faced with a chips request, I try to find a brand that’s as wholesome as possible. That’s why I buy Kettle Brand Potato Chips. It’s our go-to brand.

Inspired by the Kettle Chips and baby carrots we had as sports-watching snacks, I thought I’d use both instead of bread crumbs in my dairy and gluten free meatloaf recipe.

I also used crushed potato chips on the top of the meatloaf for added visual appeal. I loved how the orange carrots dotted the meatloaf, too.

I used Kettle Brand’s Sea Salt Potato Chips, but you can experiment with your favorite flavor when you’re making potato chip meatloaf.

I bet Kettle Brand’s Backyard Barbeque, Jalapeño Jack, or Cheddar Beer flavors would turn this into the best gluten free meatloaf ever!

Why does my meatloaf fall apart?

Gluten free meatloaf recipes can fall apart for a few reasons.

Not enough fat in the meat. Now I know we’re all trying to eat in a more wholesome way, but you can’t go too lean on the ground beef or ground turkey. Or you’ll end up with meatloaf hash.

For beef, use a meat-to-fat ratio of use at least 80/20 beef, though some people like 70/30 instead.

If you only buy super lean beef, add ground pork to the mixture. Since pork is fattier than beef, use a 90/10 ratio of beef to pork.

You could also make this a gluten free turkey meatloaf. Use the same ratio of lean to fat.

Not enough other binders. What are binders? Ingredients like eggs and egg whites, shredded or chopped vegetables, gluten free oats, or gluten free bread like in my Smoked Meatloaf recipe.

This Easy Homemade Gyros Recipe is a meatloaf-like recipe that uses no binder or breadcrumbs.

Tips for making the best gluten free meatloaf

To make this easy gluten free meatloaf a bit more wholesome, I used egg whites instead of whole eggs.

If you don’t want to make a gluten free meatloaf with rice milk, you can use regular milk if you wish.

If you double the recipe, you can freeze one loaf for later. Let the meatloaf cool in the pan. Then lift it out and cover it completely with foil to freeze.

Instead of the aluminum foil, you may want to use a two-piece meatloaf pan that has a perforated, elevated insert so fat can drain away as your dairy free meatloaf recipe cooks.

I love cooking with my Wilton Perfect Results 2 Piece Meatloaf Pan and all my Wilton Bakeware.

Serving tips for gf meatloaf

Instead of ketchup, I served Stubb’s BBQ Sauce on the side since it’s gluten free and Stubb’s uses cane sugar instead of corn syrup.

You can also serve the meatloaf with fresh green beans and some Crock-Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Crockpot Mashed Potatoes.

Leftover slices of cold meatloaf make wonderful sandwiches served on gluten free bread with ketchup or barbecue sauce!

If you love meatloaf sandwiches, check out this Leftover Meatloaf Sandwiches Recipe.

More sides and drinks to serve with your meatloaf

Serve these with your meatloaf:

● Lemonade Sangria (no alcohol)

● Fruit Iced Tea Recipe

● Easy Coleslaw Recipe

Originally posted on July 9, 2013 and March 13, 2017.

Updated with new pictures and information.