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The best Mini Meatloaf recipe is delicious and easy to make, cooked in a muffin tin. We top it with a simple homemade sauce that is irresistible.
Mini Meatloaf is a kid favorite meal that we ALL crave.
As much as I love our traditional meatloaf recipe, I make this mini meatloaf in a muffin pan much more often because the meatloaf cooks so quickly, and I love the individual portion sizes.
This is a go-to for me on busy weeknights because the meatloaf and sauce can be made in advance, so they're ready to go in the oven at dinnertime. Plus, meatloaf muffins are freezer-friendly, so it's worth making a double batch to have a quick freezer meal ready for another day.
How to make Mini Meatloaf:
Combine: With clean hands, a large spoon, or meat chopper, mix ground beef (or ground turkey), breadcrumbs, BBQ sauce, mustard, onion, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and egg until combined.
Bake: Press meat mixture into a standard 12 cup muffin tin, pressing down to fill the cup. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes. While baking, mix all sauce ingredients.
Add Sauce: Spoon sauce over each meatloaf muffin then bake again for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through (160°F on meat thermometer). Serve with extra sauce, cauliflower salad, roasted vegetables, or mashed potatoes.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Instructions:
- Store leftover meatloaf muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To Make Ahead: Combine meatloaf mixture and press into muffin tin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to overnight.
- To Freeze: Combine meatloaf mixture and press into greased muffin tin. Cover with plastic wrap and “flash freeze” in the freezer for about an hour. Carefully remove each partially frozen mini meatloaf and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place frozen meatloaf muffins in the muffin tin and thaw in the frdige overnight. Bake as instructed.
Recipe Variations:
- Turkey Mini Meatloaf: With lean ground beef, each mini meatloaf muffin is only 140 calories. If you use ground turkey, it's only 120 calories (both include the sauce).
- Gluten-free Adaptation: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, and gluten-free BBQ sauce.
Serve With:
- Brussels Sprout Salad
- Mashed Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Roasted Vegetables
- French Green Beans
- Wild Rice Pilaf
- Potatoes Au Gratin
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Wedge Salad
Mini Meatloaf Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, ,or ground turkey (680 grams)
- 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs, , or regular breadcrumbs (100 grams)
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped, (70 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon barbecue sauce
- 1 Tablespoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg, , lightly beaten
Meatloaf sauce:
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, (73 grams)
- 1/2 cup ketchup, (120 grams)
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix Meatloaf Sauce ingredients: brown sugar, ketchup, dijon mustard and nutmeg.
- Meatloaf Mixture: In a large mixing bowl (using your hands, meat chopper, or a large spoon), combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce, mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and egg.
- Press into muffin tin, divide the mixture evenly among the 12 cups, pressing meat down to fill the cup.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and use a paper towel to soak up any grease on the meatloaf. Generously spoon meatloaf sauce over each mini meat loaf. Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and any extra sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe September 2013. Updated August 2019, February 2022 and January 2025.
Love this. I decided to give meatloaf another shot because I haven’t hated it since I was a child. Wow!! I loved it, my husband loved it and my 4 & 7 year old picky eaters couldn’t get enough!! Thanks!!
I’ve made mini meatloaf many times but all of my family agreed this was the BEST EVER! So delicious and so easy!
These were delicious! Love all of your recipes – thank you for always being my “go-to” when coming up with what to make for dinner!
Thank you so much Kate! That means a lot.
I’ve made these several times and we love them! However, my husband wants it as a full meatloaf so he can slice it up for sandwiches the next day. Any suggestions on cook time?
I have a full meatloaf recipe here: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/meatloaf/ and here’s my meatloaf sandwich recipe, too! Enjoy! https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/meatloaf-sandwich/
I used ground turkey. Also, I didn’t have nutmeg so I substituted ground ginger. I like that it is simple and quick! Tastes delicious!
Immediately became a family favourite! The individual size was perfect to freeze for future meals.
This was so delicious. My picky kids were quiet and ate every bite. I made one small modification adding a small pocket of cheese in the middle.
Can you substitute spicy brown mustard for Dijon mustard. Would it alter the flavor too much?
That would be fine! Enjoy!
Let me tell you this meatloaf was soooo easy to make and very delicious, my grandpa is extremely picky with his food and he said this is one of best meals he had all year . Highly recommend delicious!
Super super tasty. Easy to make and fast. I am planning to make them regularly. The only thing the sauce on top is a bit too sweet /umhealtby and covers the taste of the tasty meatloaf ..
Made this tonight – DELICIOUS! My husband said that sauce is so good you could bottle it. The only modification I had to make was dark brown sugar instead of light.
These were perfect! My family enjoyed these and I will definitely make again. The portions are just right and so much easier to get out than the usual loaf. Yum!
Wife and I loved the recipe. I usually make 8 lbs at a time cause my adults kids are single and i freeze them and they take them back home with them and always text me after a long day at work and come home to a tasty dinner made with love by dad.
Do you freeze them after they are all done cooking? With the sauce on top? We made these tonight and loved them. I’d love to make a big batch and freeze!
Do you cook them prior to freezing ? If not do you freeze with the sauce on top? Trying to figure out the best way to freeze because we LOVE these- thanks!