Mini meatloaf muffins cook 40% faster than traditional loaves because smaller portions lose moisture at exactly the right rate.
Mini Meatloaf Muffins
Get ready to delight your taste buds with these fun-sized meatloaf muffins! Packed with savory ground beef, zesty breadcrumbs, and a splash of tangy barbecue sauce, these bite-sized wonders bake up in just 30 minutes, making them the perfect weeknight treat that kids will absolutely love. Whip up a batch and watch them disappear!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- ½ cup diced onion (120 ml)
- ½ tsp pepper (2.5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1½ lbs ground beef (or turkey) (680 g)optionalturkey
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (66 g)
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs (161 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 1½ tsp chili powder (7.5 ml)
- ½ tsp garlic powder (2.5 ml)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (1.25 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 2 tsp dijon mustard (10 ml)
- ½ cup ketchup (120 ml)
- 1 Tbsp mustard (15 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 Tbsp BBQ sauce (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all ingredients together.
- 2
Press the mixture into a muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
- 3
Make the sauce by combining brown sugar, ketchup, dijon mustard, and nutmeg.
- 4
Spoon the sauce over each muffin and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press the meat mixture into muffin cups using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to ensure uniform 165°F internal temperature is reached simultaneously across all portions.technique2-ounce portions, 165°F internal temp
- ✓Add the glaze sauce only in the final 10-15 minutes because sugars in brown sugar begin caramelizing at 320°F, which prevents burning while developing complex flavors.timing10-15 minutes final bake
- ✓Use 80/20 ground beef for optimal fat content - the 20% fat renders during cooking to keep mini meatloaves moist while providing enough protein structure to hold the muffin shape.ingredient80/20 fat ratio
- ✓Line muffin tins with parchment paper cups or spray with oil because the rendered fat creates steam that helps release the meatloaves without breaking.equipment
- ✓Let meatloaf muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes after baking so proteins set and retain their shape when removed, preventing crumbling.timing5 minutes rest time
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Mini meatloaf muffins cook 40% faster than traditional loaves because smaller portions lose moisture at exactly the right rate.
Mini Meatloaf Muffins
Get ready to delight your taste buds with these fun-sized meatloaf muffins! Packed with savory ground beef, zesty breadcrumbs, and a splash of tangy barbecue sauce, these bite-sized wonders bake up in just 30 minutes, making them the perfect weeknight treat that kids will absolutely love. Whip up a batch and watch them disappear!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- ½ cup diced onion (120 ml)
- ½ tsp pepper (2.5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1½ lbs ground beef (or turkey) (680 g)optionalturkey
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (66 g)
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs (161 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 1½ tsp chili powder (7.5 ml)
- ½ tsp garlic powder (2.5 ml)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (1.25 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 2 tsp dijon mustard (10 ml)
- ½ cup ketchup (120 ml)
- 1 Tbsp mustard (15 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 Tbsp BBQ sauce (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all ingredients together.
- 2
Press the mixture into a muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
- 3
Make the sauce by combining brown sugar, ketchup, dijon mustard, and nutmeg.
- 4
Spoon the sauce over each muffin and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press the meat mixture into muffin cups using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to ensure uniform 165°F internal temperature is reached simultaneously across all portions.technique2-ounce portions, 165°F internal temp
- ✓Add the glaze sauce only in the final 10-15 minutes because sugars in brown sugar begin caramelizing at 320°F, which prevents burning while developing complex flavors.timing10-15 minutes final bake
- ✓Use 80/20 ground beef for optimal fat content - the 20% fat renders during cooking to keep mini meatloaves moist while providing enough protein structure to hold the muffin shape.ingredient80/20 fat ratio
- ✓Line muffin tins with parchment paper cups or spray with oil because the rendered fat creates steam that helps release the meatloaves without breaking.equipment
- ✓Let meatloaf muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes after baking so proteins set and retain their shape when removed, preventing crumbling.timing5 minutes rest time