Mini Meatloaf is classic meatloaf baked in a 12-cup muffin tin: a pound of lean ground beef mixed with milk-soaked breadcrumbs, sautéed onion and red bell pepper, and a little ketchup and Worcestershire, each topped with a sweet and tangy ketchup glaze. They bake in 20 to 25 minutes. The recipe makes 12.
How to make it: Soak the breadcrumbs in milk, soften the onion, pepper and garlic, and mix everything gently with the beef. Divide it among the muffin cups, spread on the glaze, and bake at 375°F until the centers reach 160°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fast for meatloaf: 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
- Glaze on every piece: each mini loaf gets its own glazed top.
- Easy portions: 12 even meatloaves, handy for lunches and leftovers.
- Pantry seasonings: ketchup, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning and smoked paprika.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef: One pound fills a 12-cup muffin tin. Ground turkey works too.
Breadcrumbs and milk: Half a cup of plain breadcrumbs soaked in a quarter cup of milk. Rolled oats can stand in for the breadcrumbs.
Onion, red bell pepper and garlic: Finely chopped and sautéed for a few minutes before they go into the meat.
Seasonings: Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in the meat.
Glaze: Ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard (or Dijon), Worcestershire and garlic powder, whisked together and spread on before baking.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil, or olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, for the meat
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, for the meat
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup ketchup, for the glaze
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, for the glaze
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, for the glaze, or Dijon
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, for the glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, for the glaze
How to Make Mini Meatloaf
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Soak the breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and milk. Let them soak while you cook the vegetables.
3. Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool slightly.
4. Mix. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, cooked vegetables, egg, 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Mix gently, just until combined.
5. Fill the tin. Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups and press down gently to shape them.
6. Glaze. Whisk the glaze ingredients together. Spoon a little onto each mini meatloaf and spread it into a thin layer with the back of the spoon.
7. Bake and rest. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through and the center of a meatloaf reads 160°F. Let them cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the tin.
How Long to Cook Mini Meatloaf
The time depends on the oven temperature and the shape. The thermometer settles it: ground beef is done at 160°F in the center.
| Shape | Oven | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 12-cup muffin tin | 375°F | 20 to 25 minutes |
| 12-cup muffin tin | 350°F | 30 to 35 minutes |
| Four 4×3-inch loaves on a lined pan | 375°F | About 25 minutes |
| Six small loaves on a baking sheet | 350°F | About 30 minutes |
Portion evenly. About 55 to 60 grams of meat per cup. A large cookie scoop makes it quick.
Don’t pack them. Press the mixture in gently to shape it rather than squeezing it tight.
Grease the tin well. Grease every cup very well before filling.
Let them rest. Five minutes in the tin after baking, then lift them out.
Tips for Success
What ingredients bind a mini meatloaf?
The egg and the breadcrumbs soaked in milk. Rolled oats work in place of the breadcrumbs.
Do I have to sauté the onion and pepper first?
It is a quick 3 to 5 minutes in a small skillet, and it softens them before they go into the meat. Let them cool slightly before mixing.
Variations
- Oats and Parmesan: use 1/3 cup oats or breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup Parmesan and an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce with ground turkey or beef. Stir about a quarter of the sauce into the meat and spoon the rest over the tops. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Extra vegetables: add a couple of handfuls of chopped mushrooms, zucchini, spinach or carrots to the mix.
- Thicker glaze: stir 3/4 cup ketchup with 2 tablespoons light brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, and add a tablespoon of barbecue sauce to the meat.
- No muffin tin: shape the mixture into four or six small loaves on a lined baking sheet and use the times in the table.
- Onion soup mix: mix the beef with 1/2 cup quick oats, 2 tablespoons dry onion soup mix, an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce and an egg, shape four loaves, and top with ketchup.
Cupcake Meatloaf: Top Them with Mashed Potatoes
Cupcake meatloaf is the same muffin-tin meatloaf with a mashed potato “frosting” on top. Bake the mini meatloaves as written. While they bake, peel and dice 2 large potatoes (or 3 medium), steam or boil them until soft but not waterlogged, drain, and mash with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of milk, adding more milk if needed. Keep the mash creamy but stiff enough to hold its shape.
Smear a little ketchup on each meatloaf cupcake, then pipe or spoon the mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley if you like. Check that the meatloaf reads 160°F in the center before you frost it.
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. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Thaw frozen mini meatloaves in the refrigerator and reheat them to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve them with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables or a salad. Garlic Parmesan mashed potato cups bake in a muffin tin too, and smothered green beans or Texas Roadhouse copycat green beans round out the plate. For a full-size loaf, try Old Fashioned Momma’s meatloaf, Parmesan meatloaf or French onion meatloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you cook a mini meatloaf for?
In a muffin tin, 20 to 25 minutes at 375°F or 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F. Small free-form loaves take about 25 minutes at 375°F. They are done at 160°F in the center.
Can I make mini meatloaves without a muffin tin?
Yes. Shape four or six small loaves on a lined baking sheet. Four 4×3-inch loaves bake in about 25 minutes at 375°F.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes. Ground turkey works in place of the beef; bake it until the center reaches 165°F.
How many mini meatloaves does a pound of beef make?
This recipe makes 12 in a standard muffin tin. Pressed a little fuller, a pound makes 8 to 10.
Final Notes
Whisk the glaze while the vegetables cool so everything is ready at once. If you make these, tell me in the comments how they turned out.
Mini Meatloaf
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup for the meat
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce for the meat
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup ketchup for the glaze
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar for the glaze
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard for the glaze, or Dijon
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce for the glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for the glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and milk. Let them soak while you cook the vegetables.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, cooked vegetables, egg, 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Mix gently, just until combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups and press down gently to shape them.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients together. Spoon a little onto each mini meatloaf and spread it into a thin layer with the back of the spoon.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through and the center of a meatloaf reads 160°F. Let them cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the tin.
