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Whip up a quick & delicious meal with this mini meatloaf recipe! Made with ground beef and savory stuffing mix, these mini meatloaves are perfectly portioned in muffin tin cups and topped with a homemade barbecue sauce.
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Made in a muffin tin, these individual mini meatloaves are not only adorable but also a breeze to make (and cook in half the time of regular meatloaf!). This recipe combines ground beef with pre-seasoned stuffing mix for instant flavor, then each mini loaf is topped with a quick and tasty homemade barbecue sauce.
Whether you’re cooking up a cozy family dinner or serving appetizers at a party, these mini meatloaves are sure to hit the spot. They’re simple, hearty, and deliciously comforting.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need (pictured below) for both the meatloaf and the homemade sauce. Read on for a few notes.
Meatloaf Mixture
Ground beef – Use beef with at least 15% fat (85% lean). We tested this recipe with 93% lean beef, and it was too dry for our tastes.
Stuffing mix – We use the savory herbs stuffing mix from Stove Top, but you can use any flavor you like (6-ounce box).
See the recipe card for amounts
Barbecue Sauce
Ketchup – We like to use the Simply Heinz ketchup. You can use your favorite kind of ketchup.
Brown sugar – Light brown sugar, packed.
See the recipe card for amounts
Supplies
Let’s Make Mini Meatloaves
Follow these simple steps to make delicious muffin tin meatloaf.
1
Preheat oven.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2
Finely Chop Onions.
Finely dice the onions. If you prefer larger onion chunks, feel free to cut them to your desired size.
3
Mix All meatloaf Ingredients.
Add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl. Then add the stuffing mix, eggs, onion, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined (with your hands or a spoon).
4
Add mixture to muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
Portion the meat mixture into a 12-cup muffin tin, using a cookie scoop for easy measuring. Press the mixture into each cup with a spoon or your hands. Bake for 15 minutes (to start).
5
Make the sauce.
While the meatloaf is cooking, mix up the sauce. Add ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire to a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
6
Top with Sauce. Bake for 10 minutes.
Top each meatloaf with sauce and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
7
Garnish & Enjoy!
Sprinkle parsley over each meatloaf. Serve with delicious sides like mashed potatoes and green beans. (Check out these meatloaf side ideas.)
More About This Recipe
- Perfect for Meal Prep: These mini meatloaves are great for meal prepping! Make a batch and store them in the fridge or freezer for easy, ready-to-eat meals throughout the week. Simply reheat and pair with your favorite sides for a quick, balanced meal.
- Serving Options: Serve these mini meatloaves with classic sides like mashed or roasted potatoes and green beans for a comforting dinner. They also work well as an appetizer for parties.
- Variations: Customize these mini meatloaves by trying different stuffing mix flavors, such as cornbread or herb-seasoned. You can also switch up the sauce by using your favorite barbecue sauce or even a spicy ketchup for a little kick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to commonly asked questions about making these mini meatloaves.
Can I use a different type of meat? instead of ground beef?
Yes, here are some alternatives you could use in place of ground beef: ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, venison, and elk. Just keep in mind that these meats can be leaner, so you might want to add a bit of extra moisture, like a tablespoon of olive oil, to keep the meatloaves from drying out.
How do I know when the mini meatloaves are fully cooked?
The meatloaves are done when their internal temperature reaches 160°F. You can use a meat thermometer to check. Alternatively, they should be firm to the touch and no longer pink in the middle.
Can I prepare the meatloaf mixture ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prepare the meatloaf mixture up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to cook, simply portion the mixture into the muffin tin and bake as directed.
What can I use if I don’t have a muffin tin?
If you don’t have a muffin tin, you can shape the meatloaf mixture into 12 small, even-sized “loaves” and bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Just adjust the cooking time as needed, checking for doneness as usual.
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Mini Meatloaf
Deliciously easy mini meatloaves made in muffin tin cups and topped with a simple homemade barbecue sauce.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini meatloaves 1x
Ingredients
Meatloaves
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 package stuffing mix (6-ounce)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
Garnish
- Parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Finely chop the onion.
- Mix ground beef, stuffing mix, egg, onion, ketchup, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Press 1/12 of the mixture into each muffin tin, we use a heaping cookie scoop for easy measuring.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Mix together ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire to make the sauce.
- Remove from the oven and add sauce to cover each meatloaf.
- Bake for another 10 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 160℉).
- Remove from the oven, garnish with parsley, and serve with delicious sides like roasted or mashed potatoes and green beans. (Check out these meatloaf side ideas.)
Notes
- Storage: Store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
- Variations: Try different stuffing flavors or substitute the homemade sauce with your favorite bbq sauce.
- No-chop version: Use 2 tablespoons of dried onion instead of fresh onion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatloaf
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 665.2 mg
- Fat: 3.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.1 g
- Protein: 15.3 g
- Cholesterol: 65.5 mg
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