Mini Meatloaves
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This recipe for Mini Meatloaves is the delicious solution for what to make for dinner in just 35 minutes! It’s easy to toss together in a muffin tin with a simple homemade bbq glaze. This recipe is simple, flavorful, and the mini meatloaves cook in half of the time of a traditional meatloaf, for a winning combination!
Table of contents
If you’re looking for an easy dinner recipe that you can get on the table quick and everyone is sure to love, these mini meatloaves are what you’re looking for! They’re more fun than a traditional meatloaf and cook in half the time, making them a great weeknight recipe.
I used my flavorful meatloaf seasoning and Worcestershire sauce to add wonderful flavor to the mini meatloaves. You can mix up the seasoning and keep it in the pantry for 6 months, so you can make this recipe over and over again.
For the topping, I mixed up a quick homemade bbq glaze with ketchup, brown sugar, and more meatloaf seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. If you want to skip this step, you’re welcome to use your favorite bottle of bbq sauce instead.
The name of the game with this recipe is to keep things simple, but still delicious!
Ingredients
For the full ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Olive oil – or another neutral-flavored oil, like avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. You’ll use this to cook the onions and garlic, to soften them before adding them to the meatloaf mixture.
- Onion – I recommend a yellow onion for it’s neutral flavor, but feel free to use a white, sweet or red onion, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic – I always recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
- Ground turkey – you can also use ground chicken or ground beef. If using beef, I recommend something with a lower fat content, like 90/10, over a traditional 80/20 ground beef that contains 20% fat. As the mini meatloaves cook, the grease from the fat will cook out and begin to puddle on top of the mini meatloaves. To reduce the grease pile-up, I like to use a ground meat that’s lower in fat for this recipe.
- Meatloaf seasoning – my secret to making the best meatloaf is this seasoning recipe. Click the link to grab the recipe. It’s easy to mix up with spices like salt, black pepper, paprika and parsley, in just 5 minutes. You could also grab a meatloaf seasoning packet on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Egg
- Worcestershire sauce – this amazing condiment adds so much flavor to the meatloaf. It’s sweet, salty, tangy and adds a wonderful umami flavor to the meatloaf. If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce in the kitchen, you can use soy sauce instead.
- Breadcrumbs – you can use traditional or panko bread crumbs in this recipe. To make it keto, use pork panko.
- Ketchup + brown sugar + meatloaf seasoning + worcestershire sauce – to make the bbq glaze to top the meatlaoves. You can also use bottled bbq sauce, if you prefer.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Combine the meatloaf ingredients. Add olive oil to a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Cook diced onions for 4 minutes, add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. This will soften the vegetables for a nice texture in the meatloaves. Add the cooked veggies to a large mixing bowl with ground turkey, bread crumbs, one large egg, Worcestershire sauce and meatloaf seasoning.
- Stir to combine all of the meatloaf ingredients, but do not over-mix or the meatloaves will turn out tough. You just want to mix until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Place the meatloaf mixture in a greased muffin tin. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray, or brush the insides with olive oil. Press about 1/4 cup of the meatloaf mixture into each muffin tin. Place in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime, mix up the bbq glaze.
- Add ketchup, brown sugar, meatloaf seasoning and Worcestershire sauce to a small bowl.
- Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Top the meatloaves. After 15 minutes in the oven, remove the mini meatloaves from the oven. Use a paper towel to blot any grease from the top of the meatloaves, then spoon the bbq glaze over each meatloaf. Place the mini meatloaves back into the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then insert a butter knife along the edge of each mini meatloaf to easily remove it from the pan for serving.
Optional additions and variations
- Make it cheesy. Mix 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese in with the meat mixture before baking.
- Top it with pepper jelly. Put a sweet and spicy southern spin on these mini meatloaves by topping them with 1/2 cup pepper jelly, instead of the homemade bbq glaze. I did this on my Smoked Meatloaf recipe and it was amazing!
- Make it Italian-style. Replace the meatloaf seasoning with Italian seasoning, and replace the glaze on top with 1/2 cup marinara sauce. You can also mix in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese with the meatloaf ingredients, if you’d like.
Dietary options
To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free panko breadcrumbs or pork panko. Always check the label on the Worcestershire sauce to make sure that it’s gluten free. The brand Lea and Perrins, used in this recipe, is gluten free. Also, always use my homemade meatloaf seasoning when making this recipe gluten free. Many of the meatloaf seasoning packets found at the grocery store contain wheat and barley.
This recipe is dairy-free, using the ingredients pictured in this post and instructed in the recipe.
To make this recipe keto, use pork panko instead of traditional panko bread crumbs. Glaze the meatloaf with this sugar-free bbq sauce recipe. This will reduce the carbs per mini meatloaf from 8 carbs, down to 4 carbs. Always use my homemade meatloaf seasoning, if making this recipe for a keto diet. The seasoning packets at the grocery store often contain sugar, wheat and barley.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover mini meatloaves in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave, oven or air fryer.
To reheat them in the microwave, place them on a plate and microwave for 2 minutes.
To reheat them in the oven, place them on a baking sheet and into a 400°F preheated oven. Reheat for 5-7 minutes, or until heated through.
To reheat them in an air fryer, place them in an air fryer basket, with space around each meatloaf for the air to circulate. Reheat at 400°F for 4-6 minutes.
What to serve with them
I love to serve these mini meatloaves with mashed potatoes. You can easily make these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes while the meatloaves bake in the oven. Simply add the potatoes to the Instant Pot before starting the meatloaves. Let them cook while you prepare the meatloaves. Mash the potatoes while the meatloaves cook, and you’ve got dinner in 35 minutes!
You can also pair the meatloaves with any of these other delicious side dish recipes.
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Try these other popular dinner recipes, made in 29 minutes or less!
Mini Meatloaves
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey, or lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons meatloaf seasoning, click link for recipe
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
For the topping
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon meatloaf seasoning, click link for recipe
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onions and cook for 4 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, 2 tablespoons meatloaf seasoning, egg, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs, along with the cooked onions and garlic.
- Once the mixture is combined well, press it into a greased muffin tin.
- Place into the oven for 15 minutes.
- While the mini meatloaves are in the oven, combine the ketchup and brown sugar with 1 teaspoon meatloaf seasoning and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
- Remove the mini meatloaves from the oven. Use a paper towel to blot any grease from the top of the meatloaves, then spoon the bbq glaze over each meatloaf. Place them back in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then insert a butter knife along the edge of each mini meatloaf to easily remove it from the pan for serving.
Notes
- Serving size: I recommend 3 mini meatloaves per person, so this recipe will serve 4. The nutritional information above is for 1 mini meatloaf.
- Storage: Store leftover mini meatloaves in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave, oven or air fryer.
- Ground meat: you can use ground turkey, ground chicken or ground beef to make these mini meatloaves. If using beef, I recommend something with a lower fat content, like 90/10, over a traditional 80/20 ground beef that contains 20% fat. As the mini meatloaves cook, the grease from the fat will cook out and begin to puddle on top of the mini meatloaves. To reduce the grease pile-up, I like to use a ground meat that’s lower in fat for this recipe.
- To make this recipe gluten free: use gluten free panko breadcrumbs or pork panko. Always check the label on the Worcestershire sauce to make sure that it’s gluten free. The brand Lea and Perrins, used in this recipe, is gluten free. Also, always use my homemade meatloaf seasoning when making this recipe gluten free. Many of the meatloaf seasoning packets found at the grocery store contain wheat and barley.
- To make this recipe keto: use pork panko instead of traditional panko bread crumbs. Glaze the meatloaf with this sugar-free bbq sauce recipe. This will reduce the carbs per mini meatloaf from 8 carbs, down to 4 carbs. Always use my homemade meatloaf seasoning, if making this recipe for a keto diet. The seasoning packets at the grocery store often contain sugar, wheat and barley.
Nutrition Facts
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5 Comments on “Mini Meatloaves”
A simple and delicious meal, the kids really enjoyed them.
I don’t eat much beef so these will be fun to make and eat…..thanks.
Awesome! They are super yummy, hope you enjoy!
What time is dinner at? 🙂
Surprisingly I haven’t eaten all the leftovers yet, but you better hurry over, they’re going quick lol