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Add a little Southwestern flair to your dinner plate with this green chile meatloaf recipe! It comes together in one large bowl, and has a sweet, spicy glaze that soaks into the nooks and crannies. Such a treat!
After living in Albuquerque for 6 years, I often get a craving for real green chile. This meatloaf takes me right back in time! It has an entire cup of roasted green chile and lots of smoky spices, so it will really give you that iconic green chile flavor. It’s a fun twist on meatloaf and is easy enough to make even on those busy weeknights!
Plus, it makes a lot of food! There are 2 pounds of ground beef here, so you can either feel a lot of people or enjoy the meatloaf for leftovers later in the week. It’s even better the next day when the flavors get a chance to mingle together!
Why you’ll love this Hatch green chile meatloaf recipe
- TASTES LIKE NEW MEXICO – With an entire cup of real Hatch chile, this meatloaf tastes like it’s straight out of New Mexico. One of my favorites!
- SIMPLE RECIPE – The meatloaf mixture itself comes together in one bowl, and you’ll have plenty of time to assemble the glaze and sides while it’s baking. It smells amazing, too!
- FUN TWIST ON A CLASSIC – This recipe is a fun twist on the classic meatloaf! The smoky spices and spicy green chiles really give it a kick. It’ll warm you up for sure!
Equipment
This green chile meatloaf is pretty low prep. You just need:
- Cutting board and knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking dish (I used this pan, but you can use a loaf pan, an 8×8 baking dish, or a sheet pan)
- Small saucepan
- Instant read thermometer
Ingredients
For the meatloaf
- Ground beef – Make sure it is fully thawed. You can also use ground pork or turkey.
- Onion – You’ll need about half an onion diced. I like to use white or yellow for this.
- Green chile peppers – This is the most important part! We roast and freeze our green chiles each summer. You can easily find canned green chile at the store, but the frozen Bueno chile is the best!
- Maple syrup – I love the combination of sweet and spicy. It’s just slightly sweet. Feel free to use brown sugar instead.
- Large eggs – To bind the meatloaf together.
- Plain breadcrumbs – This will absorb excess moisture. Feel free to use gluten-free bread crumbs instead.
- Tomato paste – For a tomato-y kick.
- Seasonings – Season with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, smoked chipotle, and garlic powder. I recommend using smoked spices to add a smoky flavor.
For the smoky glaze
- Tomato sauce – I use canned tomato sauce instead of ketchup to avoid sugar and make the glaze nice and savory.
- Maple syrup – For just a little sweetness.
- Tomato paste – This gives the glaze a bolder flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar – When the vinegar cooks down, it adds a tangy sweetness similar to BBQ sauce.
- Seasonings – Season with a little extra garlic powder, smoked chipotle, and smoked paprika.
How to Make Green Chile Meatloaf
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place all of the meatloaf ingredients into a large bowl. Stir to combine. Tip: It’s honestly easier to use your hands.
- Transfer the meat mixture to your baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
- While the meatloaf is baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Set over medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- At the 40-minute mark, remove the meatloaf from the oven and pour the glaze over top.
- Return to the oven and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The baking time may vary depending on the type of pan you use.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before serving. This is really important as it will help keep the meatloaf from falling apart.
- Cut into slices and enjoy!
Storing
Allow the leftover meatloaf to cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also wrap the leftovers in foil and freeze them in a freezer bag for several months.
What to Serve with Green Chile Meatloaf
You can serve this meatloaf recipe just like your favorite meatloaf or change it up and try some of these ideas!
- Air fryer broccolini or green beans
- Potato salad
- Calabacitas
- Mac and cheese
- Air fryer delicata squash
- Cornbread (I like this air fryer cornbread or sourdough cornbread)
- Roasted or mashed potatoes
- Cauliflower mash
- Corn casserole
Tips & Variations
- Feel free to add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to the meatloaf mixture for extra flavor.
- Green chiles come in a variety of heat levels. If you don’t like spicy foods, use mild green chile. Mine were medium heat, and I could feel it!
- Instead of leaving the green chile chunky, you can blend it into a paste and then fold it into the meat. This will make sure every bite has a strong chile flavor.
- Adjust the size! If you want to bake this recipe in a loaf pan, you may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes. I also like to divide the meat mixture into 12 evenly-sized balls and bake them in a baking dish for about 30-40 minutes. One of my favorite methods is to place a piece of parchment on a baking sheet (half sheet pan with a lip) and mold the meatloaf into a loaf shape. It seems to cook a little faster, too.
- Use the thermometer! Especially if you use a different baking pan, it’s hard to know when the meat is actually done. Just use a thermometer, and you won’t have to worry about it again.
- Blend up leftover tortilla chips in the food processor and use those instead of bread crumbs!
FAQs
If you roast and peel them! Green chile has a slightly thick skin on the outside, and it’s easiest to remove after roasting. I prefer eating them this way.
I’m sure that there are ways to use red chile, but this recipe was formulated for green chile. You’d need to make your red chile sauce quite thick to avoid watering down the meatloaf. It might be best to use a red chile meatloaf recipe that calls for this ingredient.
Related Recipes
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Hatch Green Chile Meatloaf Recipe
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- large mixing bowl
- Baking dish
- Instant read thermometer
Ingredients
Green Chile Meatloaf Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef , thawed
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup roasted green chile, chopped or pureed
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, optional
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp kosher salt, (if using table salt, use half as much)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp smoked chipotle, or chili powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Glaze Ingredients
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 4 tbsp maple syrup, can skip or reduce to 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp smoked chipotle, or chili powder
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place all of the meatloaf ingredients into a large bowl. Stir to combine. Tip: It's easier to use your hands.
- Transfer the meat mixture to your baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
- While the meatloaf is baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Set over medium low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- At the 40-minute mark, remove the meatloaf from the oven and pour the glaze over top.
- Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The baking time may vary depending on the type of pan you use.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for 20-25 minutes before serving. This helps to keep the meatloaf from falling apart.
- Cut into slices and enjoy!
