Description
Meatloaf muffins offer a fun and convenient twist on traditional meatloaf, making them perfect for family dinners. These savory, perfectly portioned meatloaf bites are flavored with minced vegetables and topped with a tangy-sweet barbecue glaze, baked to juicy perfection. They’re easy to prepare, customizable, and great served with your favorite side dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatloaf
- Nonstick cooking spray or softened butter, for greasing
- 1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Glaze
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease 8 cups of a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or softened butter to prevent sticking.
- Mince the Vegetables: Place the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped into small bits. Alternatively, finely mince by hand to ensure the vegetables are very well chopped.
- Make the Meatloaf Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the minced vegetables, ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands to combine thoroughly without compressing the mixture too much.
- Shape Muffins: Evenly divide the meatloaf mixture among the prepared muffin tin cups. Avoid packing the mixture tightly—leave it loosely filled to keep the muffins tender.
- Bake First Stage: Bake the meatloaf muffins for about 20 minutes until they are just set.
- Prepare the Glaze: While baking, whisk together barbecue sauce (or ketchup), brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground cumin in a small bowl to create the glaze.
- Glaze and Continue Baking: Remove the muffin tin from the oven and brush a generous layer of the glaze over each meatloaf muffin. Return the muffin tin to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the muffins are well browned and reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
- Cool and Serve: Allow the meatloaf muffins to cool briefly before removing them from the tin. Serve warm alongside grains, pasta, or vegetables for a complete meal.
- Storage: Store leftover meatloaf muffins in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You can finely mince the vegetables by hand if you don’t have a food processor, but ensure they are chopped very small for the best texture.
- Don’t overpack the meatloaf mixture in the muffin cups to keep the muffins light and tender.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature for food safety (165°F).
- Feel free to swap barbecue sauce for ketchup in the glaze according to your taste preference.
- Meatloaf muffins reheat well in the microwave or oven and make great meal prep options.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: meatloaf muffins, meatloaf recipe, easy dinner, ground beef recipe, baked meatloaf, family dinner, kid-friendly meatloaf
