Meatloaf muffins are a fun and fast twist on a classic.
This mini meatloaf recipe turns ground beef into a quick weeknight meal that the whole family will love.
This Is the Perfect Bite-Sized Meatloaf Recipe Because…
- They are easy to prepare for a great weeknight meal.
- Mini meatloaves cook in less than 30 minutes.
- You can prepare these ahead of time and bake them before serving.
- They reheat and freeze well for meal prep.
What You’ll Need For Mini Meatloaves
Ground Beef: I use lean ground beef (80/20), which has just enough fat to be flavorful. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken or replace ⅓ of the ground beef with ground pork.
Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs bind the meatloaf together and keep it nice and juicy. Use seasoned bread crumbs in this recipe. If using plain breadcrumbs, season them with extra garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning.
Egg: Eggs also help the meatloaf muffins to hold together.
Flavor: I add green bell pepper, onion, and a bit of bbq sauce for flavor. Since these cook quickly, the onion should be softened or replaced with ¾ teaspoon onion powder.
Mini Meatloaf Topping Variations
- Zesty Topping: ⅓ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup chili sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Brown Sugar Topping: ⅓ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- BBQ Topping: combine equal parts BBQ sauce and ketchup
How to Cook Meatloaf in Muffin Tins
- Prep: Soften the onion according to the recipe below. Combine the ingredients in a bowl.
- Glaze: Prepare the glaze by whisking ketchup, chili sauce, and brown sugar.
- Bake: Divide the mini loaves among a muffin pan, top with glaze, and bake.
Remove when done and allow to rest for several minutes before serving.
Holly’s Tips
Muffin tin meatloaf cooks quickly, and everyone loves them. Here are my tips for perfection.
- Use cooking spray or parchment liners to ensure the meatloaves don’t stick.
- Mix just until combined, overmixing can cause dense meatloaves.
- These bake for about 22 – 26 minutes at 425°F. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure they reach 160°F.
Storage & Freezing
This mini meatloaf recipe is practically tailor-made for the freezer, either as a make-ahead meal or for leftovers.
- After Baking: Bake as directed and cool completely. Freeze in freezer bags or a freezer-safe container.
- Freezing Raw: You can freeze raw meatloaf muffins for cooking later. Prepare as directed and freeze in the pan. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months. If the meatloaves are frozen to the pan, dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for a few seconds to release them.
- To bake, place the muffins back into the muffin tin, cover with plastic wrap, and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed adding 3 to 4 minutes to the baking time.
More Delicious Meatloaf Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
Did you enjoy these mini meatloaf muffins? Leave a comment and rating below.
Mini Meatloaf Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- ½ green bell peppers finely diced
- ¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Glaze
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a muffin pan or spray with cooking spray and set aside.
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To make the glaze, in a medium bowl, combine ketchup, chili sauce, and brown sugar, and set aside.
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In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Cool completely.
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In a large bowl, combine beef, cooled onion, bell pepper, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add ¼ cup of the glaze mixture. Mix just until combined.
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Divide the meat mixture over 10 muffin wells. Divide the glaze over the tops of the meatloaves.
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Bake uncovered for 22-26 minutes or until cooked through, and the loaves reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
- To freeze raw meatloaf muffins, prepare as directed and freeze in the pan. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months. If the meatloaves are frozen in the pan, dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for a few seconds to release them. To bake, place the muffins back into the muffin tin, cover with plastic wrap, and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed, adding 3 to 4 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Snack
Cuisine American
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These didn’t last long, make a large batch. Perfect!
I can’t wait to make this but I don’t have any of the mini muffin pans. Would this work with the larger regular size muffin pan? If so, I’m guessing the bake time would need to be increased?
This is actually made in a regular size muffin pan. It is just called mini meatloaf since it’s “mini” compared to a full loaf of meatloaf. So the cooking instruction will stay the same. I hope that helps!
Looking at make this week. What fat percentage beef did you use?
I use 80/20.
Totally awesome, and i like the bites to munch on later
Okay I adapted this recipe for my version of meatloaf: to the mixture of meat, I added 2Tbsp hamburger relish; 1/4c sweet hot pepper juice; half grated white onion; 4 cloves grated garlic; 1tsp old fashioned mustard; 1/4c each of oats & panko; 1 egg. To the glaze I added Smokey bbq sauce, 1tsp hot mustard, French’s ketchup & brown sugar. I put the muffin tin in a ban Marie. Thanks for a great idea!
Wow, your version sounds delish! Thanks for sharing, Maddie!
My family’s favorite dinner
These were delicious! We made them last night with mashed potatoes. I wish I would have made a double batch for an easy freezer meal later on this month.
The only thing I did differently was add a little bit of regular mustard to the glaze mixture, and added mozzarella cheese to half of the pan. (I did use a bit more ground beef than called for so that I could get 12 of the meatloaf muffins instead of 10.)
Definitely will make again!
These were amazing! I made the for the family and everyone loved them.
Delicious!
I found out the other day I will be having surgery. There will be a supply of these minis in my freezer for my recovery period.
I can’t say enough how great these were! Not only was the taste fabulous (I think the chili sauce is what makes the magic), the texture created in the muffin tin levels up these bad boys. Regular meatloaf ca. be too soft on the inside, making me yak, but not these! The usual lovely crispy topping is all over these! Also, my super picky husband couldn’t quit raving and ate nearly half of the pan. A+++
this is a great recipe! I changed the glaze and put chili sauce, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar…it was perfect also a change is that I did not put bbq sauce in the meat mixture but 1 to 2 TBLS of the glaze…the bbq sauce seems overpowering so the glaze was a better touch in my opinion!
These are the most tastiest meatloaf muffins we ever ate.
I added a package of onion soup mix in mine and added chicken and rib bbq sauce . Thank you
So yummy. Very easy to make
Easy and delicious. I made half without the veggies and half with them to accommodate preferences.
Love love this recipe!! HIGHLY recommend it! It’s perfect for a crowd, or just a few…leftovers make GREAT sandwiches. I made 8 individual little loaves (~3” x 4”)and they fit perfectly on the large baking tray to my toaster oven. I don’t usually add green pepper but I did put ~ 1/3 cup this time. I was planning to freeze leftovers but there were none after a couple sandwiches were made. This recipe fed 3 adults.
I had forgotten about mini meatloafs and haven’t had them in years. Will be making tonight! I like to stick a cube of cheese in the middle for a gooey delicious surprise!
I absolutely love this recipe. Easy, fast and delicious. I make batches and freeze some for later. The others I’ll leave in the fridge for next couple of days to eat with anything and everything! How long should I reheat the cooked ones in the microwave without drying them out. What I’ve done is place a little broth on a plate and microwave at 50% for about 2-1/2 minutes. Any recommendations?
We like to reheat these in the oven to prevent drying out but your microwave instructions sound great too, Zariah. Thanks for sharing!
I’m curious how the muffins would be if bacon wrapped. Do you think that the recipe would stay together if I lined the tin with bacon first?
We haven’t tried this recipe wrapped with bacon but I think that sounds delicious. If you attempt it we would love to hear how it turns out.