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Mini Meatloaves are tender, juicy, and baked in a muffin tin for built-in portions and a much shorter cook time than traditional meatloaf. A classic beef and pork blend, a glossy ketchup glaze, and 25 minutes in the oven make this the easy comfort food dinner your whole family will love.
More easy meatloaf recipes: Dad’s Classic Meatloaf | Sheet Pan Meatloaf and Potatoes | Spicy Turkey Meatloaf
Before You Get Started
- Don’t overmix the meat. Mix with your hands just until everything is combined. Overworking is the biggest cause of dense, tough meatloaf.
- Fill the muffin cups completely. Each cup should be filled to the top and shaped into a small dome. Don’t pack the meat tight, just mound it up so the meatloaves hold their shape and cook evenly.
- Use 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef. Lean enough to avoid greasy meatloaves, but with enough fat to stay tender alongside the pork. Skip extra-lean or the meatloaves can come out dry.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Mini Meatloaves
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
These come together in just a few simple steps, with the muffin tin doing most of the heavy lifting on cook time and portioning.
Step 1: Soften the onion and garlic
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
Take the skillet off the heat and let the onion mixture cool a bit before the next step. This prevents partially cooking the meat when mixing everything together.
- This step mellows the onion flavor and prevents crunchy raw onion in the finished meatloaf.
Step 2: Mix the meatloaf
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground pork, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, milk, cooked onion mixture, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently with your hands and stop as soon as everything comes together. The mixture should stick together but not feel packed down.
Step 3: Fill the muffin tin
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease muffin tin generously with non-stick spray.
Spoon the meat mixture evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Each muffin cup should be full. Smooth the tops into small domes, but don’t press the meat down.
- Using a large cookie scoop can help make the portions even.
Step 4: Glaze and bake
Whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Brush a generous spoonful over each mini meatloaf.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the centers reach 160°F. For a stickier, caramelized top, you can broil them for 1-2 minutes at the end, but make sure to watch closely so the glaze doesn’t burn!
- When done, the glaze should look glossy and slightly caramelized at the edges.
Step 5: Loosen and serve
Let the meatloaves rest in the pan for a couple of minutes. Some liquid pooling at the bottom is normal.
Run a small knife around the edge of each cup to loosen. Lift out and serve right away.
Need to thaw your beef quickly? My How to Thaw Ground Beef in Under 30 Minutes method gets you cooking fast.
Variations
- All beef option: Use 2 pounds of ground beef in place of the beef-pork mix. Stick with 85/15 or 90/10.
- Ground turkey or chicken: Lighter take. Add an extra tablespoon of milk to keep them moist.
- Italian-style: Add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and swap parmesan for mozzarella.
- Glaze swap: Use barbecue sauce in place of the ketchup glaze for a smokier finish.
What to Serve Alongside
These mini meatloaves are made for classic comfort food sides. Creamy mashed potatoes are the natural pairing, with a simple roasted veggie to round out the plate.
Round out the plate: Garlic Mashed Potatoes | Roasted Broccoli | Honey Butter Roasted Carrots | Garlic Green Beans
For a heartier plate, swap the potatoes for my Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese or Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes. A pan of One-Hour Dinner Rolls on the side never hurts either.”
Storage Tips
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Microwave at 50% power for about 2 minutes, or until warmed through. Avoid the oven unless tightly wrapped in foil, since they can dry out.
- Freezing: Cool completely, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. Up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Make Ahead: Mix and shape the meatloaves in the muffin tin up to a day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Brush with glaze just before baking and add a few extra minutes to the cook time if going straight from the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my mini meatloaves dry?
The two most common causes are overmixing (creates dense, tough meatloaf) and using meat that’s too lean. Note that cooking past 160°F internal temperature will also dry them out.
Do I need to grease the muffin tin?
Yes, and well. Use a heavy coat of non-stick spray (especially around the sides), and run a small knife around each cup before lifting them out to keep them intact. The glaze is the part most likely to stick.
Can I make these in mini loaf pans instead?
Yes. Use a standard 6-cavity mini loaf pan, divide the meat evenly between cavities, and bake at the same temperature for about 25 to 30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
More Easy Family Dinners
- Meatballs and Gravy
- Tender and Juicy Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Hamburger Casserole
- One-Pot Beef Stroganoff
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
Mini Meatloaves
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Pinch garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin generously with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, panko, parmesan, eggs, milk, cooked onion mixture, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands just until combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cups, filling each one completely. Gently shape and smooth the tops into a small dome. Don't pack the meat tight.
- In a small bowl, stir together ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and garlic powder. Brush a generous spoonful of glaze over each meatloaf.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Let rest for a couple of minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of each cup to loosen the meatloaves, then lift out and serve.
Notes
- Don’t overmix. Mixing too much creates dense, tough meatloaf. Combine just until the ingredients are blended.
- Fill cups completely. Each cup should be filled to the top and shaped into a small dome. Don’t pack the meat tight.
- For extra caramelization: Broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely so the glaze doesn’t burn.
- Use a cookie scoop. A large cookie scoop helps portion the meat evenly into each cup.
- All-beef option. Use 2 pounds of 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef in place of the beef-pork mix.
- Milk swap. Whole milk gives the richest result, but 2% or any milk you have on hand will work.
- Breadcrumb swap. Crushed saltines or quick-cook oats work in place of panko.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for about 2 minutes.
- Freezing: Cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
