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Home » Recipes » Main Dish » Beef » Best Taco Meatloaf

Best Taco Meatloaf

December 5, 2022 by Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life 43 Comments

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We love meatloaf and tacos, so when a friend gave us this delicious Taco Meatloaf recipe we couldn’t wait to try it.  This meatloaf is so easy and flavorful it’s a regular on our menu!

Baking sheet covered in taco meatloaf made with Doritos covered in melted yellow cheese and salsa

Easy Taco Meatloaf Recipe

The best cheesy flavors in this Mexican inspired dish are so unique, yet so common you can’t stop craving them. All of the taco ingredients mixed up in a meatloaf makes an easy recipe that is popular at the dinner table. Everyone always clears their plates! 

This recipe for taco meatloaf or Mexican meatloaf is so easy to make.  This is our favorite version, but it’s very easy to personalize by mixing in black beans or serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Just mix up ground pork, ground beef, a 10-ounce bag of Doritos, salsa, cheese, taco seasoning, and eggs.

We love that this recipe makes enough for us to have a couple more meals throughout the week!  A couple more variations of individual meatloaves are the Best Pizza Meatloaf and Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf.  They’re all SO delicious!

Serving of taco meatloaf on a red plate with green beans and 7 mini taco meatloaves on a baking pan in the background

Mini Mexican Meatloaf

We like to form the meat mixture into serving sized mini meatloaves in our hands.   Topping each mini meatloaf with more salsa and cheese helps keep them extra moist. 

Bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes, but be sure to use a meat thermometer.

Since meatloaves can vary in size using a meat thermometer to determine doneness is very important!  We don’t guess or look at color with ground meat, we always use a digital meat thermometer that reads 160ºF for an internal temperature.

This meal tastes great served with Black Beans and Yellow Rice and a simple green salad.

Over head view of baked taco meat loaf surrounded by melted cheese on a metal pan

Our family’s traditional meatloaf is Farmhouse Meatloaf, sometimes it’s easier to use a slow cooker so we make our super moist Slow Cooker Applesauce Meatloaf or Crock Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf.  They are all very good meatloaf recipes!

Should I Buy Meat at the Grocery Store?

As I’ve shared we are farmers.  We raise pigs and cows and my in-laws raise pig and turkeys.  We always have plenty of our own beef in the freezer so that’s where we got the ground beef for this recipe.  While we raise pigs we usually buy our pork at the grocery store because there’s only a set amount of bacon, ham and pork chops on each pig.  Sometimes we want more or less of a certain cut of pork and with limited freezer space, it usually makes sense for us to pick up the pork we want when it’s on sale.  So we bought the ground pork at Kroger.

I know that pigs from both sides of our families are sold to packing plants that eventually sell their meat to Kroger.  So we do support our own family and families all across the United States just like ours when we buy meat at the grocery store.

How to Make Taco Meatloaf

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Mix meatloaf ingredients well and shape into mini loaves with your hands
  3. Top with salsa and cheese
  4. Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes or until internal temperature is 160ºF
Taco meatloaf recipe with some plain meat, some covered with salsa and some meatloaf with yellow and white cheese sprinkled on top on a baking sheet

Ingredients Needed

  • Lean Ground Pork is a very affordable meat that adds depth of flavor to the beef
  • Lean ground beef is a classic flavor people crave, but it tastes better in taco type meals when mixed with pork
  • Taco seasoning has all the salt and spices that add flavor this meatloaf! You can use a purchased packet of seasoning or a homemade recipe.
  • Doritos adds a cheddar cheesy unique type of crunch and texture. Helps thicken the mixture and bing the meat together.
  • Eggs are another binding agent that mixes together and helps keep the meat from falling apart.
  • Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese because the flavor or cheese makes everything better. Since we eat with our eyes melting cheese on top makes this recipe irresistible.
  • Salsa we typically use mild salsa to add some tomato and veggies flavorings. Keeps the meatloaf moist as it bakes. For more heat feel free to use a spicy salsa.
Doritos, salsa, shredded cheese, ground beef, eggs and ground pork are taco meatloaf ingredients sitting on a light brown counter

Tips for Making Mini Taco Meatloaf

  • Crush Doritos into fairly small pieces to make mixing easier
  • Shape meatloaves equal sizes so they cook evenly
  • Use a digital meat thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaves to ensure internal temperature reads 160ºF
  • Meatloaves can be topped with salsa and cheese at the beginning of baking time OR part way through baking time to prevent cheese from burning
  • Leftovers reheat well in the microwave
  • Meatloaves freeze well in an airtight container or freezer bag

Making a Single Meatloaf

Spread meat mixture in a square 8×8″or 9×9″ pan and press evenly. Spread salsa and sprinkle cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Cook until a digital thermometer reads 160ºF.

Leftovers

Leftover meatloaf should be stored in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 5 days. It can also be wrapped and stored in a self sealing bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Slice up leftover and reheat to eat plain or serve in tacos with lettuce, sour cream, diced onion and cilantro.

More Delicious Meal Ideas

  • Applesauce Meatballs
  • Easy Ground Pork Tacos
  • Easy Crock Pot Mac & Cheese
  • Pizza Stuffed Bell Peppers

Easy Desserts to Serve with Meatloaf

  • 5 Ingredient Chocolate & Peanut Butter Bars
  • Best Rich & Moist Chocolate Cake
  • Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

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Mini taco meatloaves covered in salsa and cheese on a foil covered baking sheet

Best Taco Meatloaf

We love meatloaf and tacos, so when a friend gave us this delicious Taco Meatloaf recipe we couldn't wait to try it.  This meatloaf is so easy and flavorful it's a regular on our menu!
4.78 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Best Taco Meatloaf, mexi meatloaf, taco meat pie
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 mini meatloaves
Calories: 588kcal
Author: Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life

Ingredients

Mini Meatloaves

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 pound lean ground pork
  • 1 package taco seasoning
  • 12 ounce bag crushed Doritos
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 16 ounces salsa

Meatloaf Topping

  • 8 ounces salsa
  • 1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cover baking sheet with foil. 
  • Mix meatloaf ingredients well. Shape into loaves the desired size with your hands.
  • Top with salsa and remaining cheese. 
  • Bake for 30 – 45 minutes until internal temperature is 160°F.  

Video

Notes

  • Crush Doritos into fairly small pieces to make mixing easier
  • Shape meatloaves equal sizes so they cook evenly
  • Use a digital meat thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaves to ensure internal temperature reads 160ºF
  • Meatloaves can be topped with salsa and cheese at the beginning of baking time OR part way through baking time to prevent cheese from burning
  • Meatloaves freeze well in an airtight container or freezer bag
  • We made 7 mini meat loaves and they reached 160 degrees internal temp in 30 minutes.

Equipment

Baking Sheet
Non-Stick Foil
Silicone Spatula

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Nutrition

Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1462mg | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1069IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Follow me@PlowingThroughLife and mention #PlowingThroughLife!

Originally published on November 6, 2018 and updated on December 5, 2022.

collage Mexican Meatloaf covered in salsa and cheese and plated next to green beans

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Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Whitney Terry

    December 3, 2018 at 10:47 am

    5 stars
    Do you think I could half this recipe if I don’t have one or the other meat? It looks yummy!

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      December 3, 2018 at 1:26 pm

      Absolutely! The flavor would change slightly, but I think it will still be delicious! And yes, this is a big recipe. I hope you enjoy 🙂

    • Brandy Lea

      January 13, 2019 at 10:24 am

      Spanish Rice and any vegetable would be great!

  2. Amber

    December 7, 2018 at 1:35 am

    Can you use just hamburger and no pork?

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      December 8, 2018 at 1:41 am

      Sure! The flavor will likely change a little bit, but I’m sure it will still taste good 🙂

  3. Kelly

    December 13, 2018 at 5:00 am

    Is it ok for the chips to be in raw egg and meat?

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      December 13, 2018 at 2:08 pm

      Since it is ground meat be sure to use a meat thermometer and follow all food safety guidelines. We cook ground beef and ground pork to 160 degrees F, internal temperature.

    • Martha

      January 14, 2019 at 5:01 pm

      4 stars
      The mixture will be thoroughly cooked so it won’t matter. You put bread crumbs, cracker crumbs or oatmeal in regular meatloaf.

  4. Whitney

    December 17, 2018 at 11:11 pm

    What would be a good side?

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      December 18, 2018 at 2:41 pm

      We love to use a frozen bag of steamable vegetables. Italian style green beans are our favorite, but sometimes we just use what we have on hand 🙂

  5. Mary

    January 10, 2019 at 10:00 pm

    One word…..yum!!! Thanks for sharing your meatloaf with all of us at Weekend Potluck, Jennifer! Hope to see you tomorrow, sharing more of your delicious recipes!

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      January 11, 2019 at 11:56 am

      Thank you so much! Yeah!!! We love this recipe and hope others will too!

  6. CHERYL DONNELLY

    January 11, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Thanks for this recipe. My family loved it and you made me look good! THANK YOU.

    Reply
  7. Patty

    January 12, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    Is there something else I can use instead of chips or will it work without them? Gotta stay away from carbs

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      March 6, 2019 at 5:17 pm

      Great question! I haven’t tested other options, but if you do please let me know how it turns out!

  8. Janel

    January 15, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    After I have tried a new recipe, I ask my husband if it is a “keeper.” Today I tried this delicious recipe and he said it is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing it with us

    Reply
  9. Robin

    February 18, 2019 at 11:40 pm

    We are doing low xarb,and this recipe sounds delicious! I am wondering how many ounces/cup would the crushed Dorito equal, as I would like to replace those with crushed pork rinds to make this a low carb meal? I can’t wait to try it!!!

    Reply
  10. Robin

    February 20, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    5 stars
    Update. This was ABSOLUTELY delicious!!! I made 2 changes, since hubby & I are doing low carb eating I substituted pork rind planko (2 cups) for the Doritos, and rather than small “loaves” I used my muffin tins. The recipe made 26 Taco Meatloaf Muffins. Will definitely make again, so good!

    Reply
  11. Judy Ruffing

    March 18, 2019 at 11:58 pm

    I was wondering if these could be froze?

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      March 19, 2019 at 12:14 am

      We have cooked these and frozen extras to be reheated later. This works well for us. Always be sure to follow safe food handling procedures!

  12. Jeanenne

    June 2, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    5 stars
    Do I put 16 Oz of salsa in the meat loaf mix and 8 Oz of cheese in the meat loaf mix? Then do I put 8 ounces of salsa and 8 ounces of cheese on top? It’s probably me, but I don’t quite understand the directions. Got all the ingredients and am excited to make this. Can’t wait to make it! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      June 3, 2019 at 1:52 am

      Yes! You got it exactly right! The meatloaf ingredients are listed first, mix all of them together and shape as desired. Then top with the salsa and wait until almost done baking to add cheese to prevent burning. I hope you enjoy!

    • Teresa

      July 4, 2019 at 2:48 am

      This recipe sounds pretty easy and looks really good!! I like the small, almost meatball looking meatloaves. Can I use pepperjack cheese instead of cheddar or fiesta cheese? I didn’t know if it melts differently than other cheese. Thank you in advance.

    • Jennifer

      July 4, 2019 at 12:43 pm

      Yes! Feel free to try different cheeses. We’ve found that lighter colored cheeses burn more easily and it’s better to put them on for the last ten minutes of baking to allow just enough time for them to melt.

    • Jeanenne

      June 4, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      It was me!!!! Brain fog!!! You were very explicit re directions. Thanks so much for replying so soon!! My granddaughter is going to love this recipe!!

  13. Sam

    October 14, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    This recipe is great! I don’t bake with the salsa and cheese on top and put the burger in a tortilla with refried beans and salsa and cheese and wrap the tortilla around them and grill them. My family loves them! Especially with tater tots and salad!

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      October 15, 2019 at 1:37 am

      So glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing how you’ve personalized it!

  14. Rebecca

    March 22, 2020 at 1:45 am

    There are so many types of salsa . . do you use chunky or restaurant style?

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      March 23, 2020 at 12:03 am

      Great question! Our family likes a smoother salsa, so I do not use chunky, but I think using whatever your family likes or whatever you have on hand would be fine!

  15. Vicki

    April 2, 2020 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    This taco meatloaf was amazing! My husband isn’t much of a meatloaf guy, says he eats it cuz that’s what I make. However, he had his plate completely clean by the time I asked him how he liked it and wanted another serving. Now that’s totally unheard of when it comes from him. Ya’ll need to try this recipe as follows! So delicious!

    Reply
    • Jennifer

      April 3, 2020 at 11:36 am

      So glad to hear this! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing this review!

  16. Otis W. Doss III

    October 11, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    How does this work as a regular loaf vs. mini loaves?

    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life

      October 12, 2020 at 1:45 am

      Great question! We haven’t tested this exact recipe in a regular-sized loaf, but I think the only major change would be the cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meatloaf is fully cooked. Please let me know if you give it a try. Thanks!

  17. Bonnie

    March 24, 2021 at 12:44 am

    5 stars
    Delicious!

    Reply
  18. Amanda

    October 9, 2021 at 6:22 pm

    Wondering about grilling these like burgers and topping with pepper jack cheese. With the guys in the field, it would be easier for them to eat.

    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life

      October 11, 2021 at 11:04 am

      Hey There! Love this idea! We did something similar a few years ago with this burger: https://plowingthroughlife.com/loaded-taco-burger-2/

      I think the meatloaf might be best baked, but we definitely grill the burgers 🙂

      Hope you enjoy the recipes as much as we do!

  19. Renee

    March 13, 2022 at 11:00 pm

    This looks so good! I want to make this. Plus it’s only 10g of carbs which isn’t bad for keto people like me. Have or can you top this with sour cream?

    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life

      March 13, 2022 at 11:41 pm

      Hey There! I haven’t tested these with sour cream, but that sounds delicious! I did want to make sure you saw this comment on lowering carbs from Robin – “Update. This was ABSOLUTELY delicious!!! I made 2 changes, since hubby & I are doing low carb eating I substituted pork rind panko (2 cups) for the Doritos, and rather than small “loaves” I used my muffin tins. The recipe made 26 Taco Meatloaf Muffins. Will definitely make again, so good!”

    • Kel

      December 11, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      Atkins has Keto Doritos now! Making these tonight!

  20. Rehoboth

    December 8, 2022 at 5:28 pm

    5 stars
    Nice post

    Reply

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