April 15, 2023
Review RecipeMuffin Pan Meatloaf
Made with ground beef, breadcrumbs and lots of herbs and spices, muffin pan meatloaf is full of tempting flavors, plus it cooks in just a fraction of the time of a regular meatloaf.
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This muffin pan meatloaf is a game-changer. Baking mini meatloaves in a muffin pan is so much quicker and easier than making one large meatloaf, and it is just as moist, saucy, and delicious too!
Muffin Pan Meatloaf Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 1 pound of lean ground beef
- ½ cup of sweet yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ cup of panko breadcrumbs, plain
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, plain
- 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons of fresh minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons of dried parsley flakes
- 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of ground mustard seed
- ¼ cup of ketchup
- Mashed potatoes for icing, our creamy mashed potatoes recipe works great
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
PANKO BREADCRUMBS: If you can’t get hold of panko breadcrumbs, you can use regular breadcrumbs or oatmeal instead for this great recipe.
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: If you don’t have this, you could use balsamic vinegar or a splash of red wine instead.
GROUND MUSTARD SEED: This is also known as mustard powder. If you don’t have any, you could instead add 1½ teaspoons of Dijon mustard. American yellow mustard would work in a pinch, but it’s not as strong.
KOSHER SALT: If you don’t have kosher salt on hand, you can use regular sea salt.
VEGETABLES: You can easily hide vegetables inside meatloaf muffins. Throw in some finely chopped mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, spinach, broccoli, or whatever else you have in the fridge.
MILK: For an extra-juicy meatloaf, you could soak your breadcrumbs in milk.
How To Make This Muffin Pan Meatloaf Recipe
Meatloaf
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a standard-size metal or silicone muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, tomato sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, dried parsley flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and ground mustard seed.
STEP THREE: Using either a large wooden spoon or gloved hands, mix together all the ingredients until they are completely incorporated.
STEP FOUR: Spoon the meatloaf mixture into the muffin cups, filling each cup to the top.
STEP FIVE: Using a teaspoon, top each muffin with ketchup for the glaze.
STEP SIX: Bake for 30 minutes.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your meatloaf as the suggested cooking time approaches.
STEP SEVEN: Remove from the oven and top with creamy mashed potatoes and green onions if desired.
Mashed Potato Icing
PRO TIP:
To make your muffin pan meatloaves look like pretty cupcakes, you’ll want to pipe a swirl of mashed potatoes onto each one. To do this, you can use either an icing piping bag with a large (#8) icing tip or a large Ziploc bag.
STEP ONE: If using a piping bag, lace the coupler and tip into the bag.
STEP TWO: Fill the bag half full with mashed potato. Twist to ensure there are no air pockets.
STEP THREE: Starting on the outside and working towards the center, squeeze the mashed potatoes into a swirl pattern until you reach the center.
PRO TIP:
If using a Ziplock bag, fill the bag half full with mashed potatoes. Squeeze out any air and zip it closed. Use scissors to snip off a small corner of the bag. Starting at the outside of each muffin, squeeze the mashed potatoes in a spiral towards the center.
How To Serve
This easy meatloaf muffin recipe is the perfect centerpiece for a comfort food meal. Serve the meatloaf with a side of sauteed vegetables or a Caesar salad, and dinner rolls.
For a more traditional meatloaf recipe, this is our best meatloaf recipe. To make a busy day easier, our crockpot meatloaf is easy and delicious.
MORE MUFFIN RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: This delicious meatloaf cooked in a muffin pan will keep for three to four days in the fridge. Wrap the muffins in foil or place them in an airtight container.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze mini meatloaf muffins for up to three months. Wrap each one in foil and then place them in a freezer bag.
Once you’ve made mini meatloaf in a muffin pan, you’ll wonder why you ever made a large one. Moist, tender, and flavorful, this Southern favorite is sure to be a hit with the whole family.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze mini meatloaf?
These meatloaves make a great freezer meal. Wrap them individually in foil and then store them in the freezer for up to three months.
What is the best meat for meatloaf?
Lean meat is perfect for this easy mini meatloaf recipe. An 80/20 meat mixture is just right, as you want a bit of fat for flavor, but you don’t want your meatloaf swimming in grease.
What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart?
There are three components that help keep the meatloaf from falling apart. First, you will want to use ground beef with a high-fat content as it helps to bind the ingredients together. Similarly, eggs also act as a binder. Finally, breadcrumbs or oatmeal will help absorb any excess moisture and hold the ingredients together.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Mashed Potato Casserole
- Roasted Vegetables
- Creamed Corn
- Pizza Muffins
- Stove Top Meatloaf
- Glazed Carrots
- Meatloaf
- Korean Beef
Muffin Pan Meatloaf
Made with ground beef, breadcrumbs and lots of herbs and spices, muffin pan meatloaf is full of tempting flavors, plus it cooks in just a fraction of the time of a regular meatloaf.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup sweet yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs, plain
- ½ cup bread crumbs, plain
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershine sauce,
- 2 teaspoons garlic, fresh minced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- ¼ cup ketchup, for the meatloaf glaze
- mashed potatoes for icing, our creamy mashed potatoes recipe works great
Instructions
Meatloaf
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray the muffin pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, tomato sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, dried parsley flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and ground mustard seed.
- Using either a large wooden spoon or gloved hands to mix together all the ingredients until they are completely incorporated.
- Spoon the ground beef mixture into a standard-size muffin pan. Completely fill each muffin cup to the top line of the cup.
- Using a teaspoon, top each muffin with ketchup for the glaze.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Mashed Potato Icing
- With a piping bag and tip, place the coupler and tip into the bag.
- Fill the piping bag half full with mashed potatoes. Be sure to twist the bag above the potatoes to help keep even pressure and ensure no air pockets in the piping bag.
- Starting on the outside edge and following around toward the center, hold the tip just above the muffin and evenly squeeze out the potato frosting in a swirl pattern. Allow the “frosting” to spread out just a bit as you go until you reach the center.
Video
Notes
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your meatloaf as the suggested cooking time approaches.
- To make your muffin pan meatloaves look like pretty cupcakes, you’ll want to pipe a swirl of mashed potatoes onto each one. To do this, you can use either an icing piping bag with a large (#8) icing tip or a large Ziploc bag.
- If using a Ziplock bag to “frost” the meatloaf, fill the bag half full with mashed potatoes. Squeeze out any air and zip it closed. Use scissors to snip off a small corner of the bag. Starting at the outside of each muffin, squeeze the mashed potatoes in a spiral towards the center.
Nutrition
Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments
Gloria says
These are very delicious and so fun to serve. They’re also perfect for freezing for later!
Julia says
My son has an egg allergy — any suggestions for egg replacement? Would a flax egg or neat egg work? Grated instead of diced onion? Thanks!
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Julia – we haven’t tested it with an egg replacement but I imagine that would work fine! You could grate your onion if you’d rather, too. Enjoy!