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Home Recipe Index Main Dish

Meatloaf Muffins

★★★★★ 4.8 /5
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Rachel Tiemeyer
By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 1/4/23Updated: 3/21/23

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Here’s a twist on your average meatloaf recipe: Meatloaf Muffins! Prep ahead for healthy lunches, whip up for a quick dinner, and even make a double batch so you can freeze one for later. All ages love this meal!

meatloaf muffins

 
Table of Contents
  • About This Recipe
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • What Kind of Muffin Pan Should I Use?
  • Tip: Use a Cookie Dough Scoop
  • What to Serve With Meatloaf Muffins
  • How to Freeze and Reheat Meatloaf Muffins
  • Recipe: Mini Meatloaf Muffins
  • Top 10 Ground Beef Recipes

About This Recipe

These Mini Meatloaf Muffins are a freezer meal that has made its way into the regular rotation of family meals in our house for years. Everyone loves them!

Besides being kid-friendly, easy to throw together, and freezer-friendly, I love that this meatloaf version can be an easy way to hide veggies in food in it thanks to added fresh herbs and veggies. The kids will never know. 🙂

Serve them up with some Air Fryer Baked Potatoes for a delicious, filling meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This meatloaf mixture combines your favorite ground meat (we chose grass-fed beef), bread crumbs, veggies, fresh herbs, and lots of seasonings to add major flavor! Here’s what you’ll need:

ingredients on a wooden cutting board for mini meatloaf muffins

Ground beef – Or, you can sub ground turkey, if you want. Here’s where we get our grass-fed beef.

Whole wheat breadcrumbs – Soak up the moisture and lightens the meatloaf. The whole wheat version adds a little nutrition, too.

Onion, carrot, and fresh parsley – Finely diced, for flavor and sneaky nutrition.

Garlic cloves – Mince these up finely. Lends a little pungent flavor (and that’s good).

Chicken stock – Adds moisture without using milk, making this dairy-free.

Egg – The binder that keeps everything together. Whisk with either a little milk or water (to make this dairy-free).

Tomato paste – Brings in some umami taste!

Worcestershire sauce – More umami to create depth of flavor.

Organic or all-natural ketchup – Simple topping for the muffins that gets caramelized in the oven.

Salt and pepper – Must-have seasonings.

meatloaf mixture in a muffin tin

What Kind of Muffin Pan Should I Use?

You can use whatever kind you have on hand, whether metal or silicone. The metal pan will produce a little more of a crunchy texture around the sides and bottom, but either pan works great. Just be sure to spray the muffin tins with cooking spray to help them release easily.

If you need a muffin pan, we recommend either this non-stick metal muffin pan OR this silicone pan (with metal frame) that’s even dishwasher safe.

Shop Our Favorite Muffin Pan
mini meatloaf in a muffin tin
meatloaf mixture in a muffin tin

Tip: Use a Cookie Dough Scoop

We recommend using a large cookie dough scoop to help transfer the meatloaf mixture into the tins in even amounts. The scoop helps release the mixture easily.

I use my cookie dough scoop for all kinds of things, including transferring muffin batter to muffin tins, scooping ice cream for the kids, and of course making cookies.

Shop This Scoop

What to Serve With Meatloaf Muffins

Wondering what to serve with these yummy mini meatloaves? Here are a few of our favorite side dishes:

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with diced chives on top.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

A pile of broccoli cheddar bites on a white plate

Broccoli Bites

Oven roasted asparagus on parchment paper.

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Boiled baby potatoes in a white bowl.

The BEST Boiled Baby Potatoes

Roasted broccoli on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Vegetable Hash

Cheddar Biscuits

Cranberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing on a white plate.

Cranberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing

How to Freeze and Reheat Meatloaf Muffins

As with all our freezer recipes, you can make a double batch and freeze one for later. This is such a wise use of your time!

To Freeze For Later:

Method #1 (Uncooked): Follow instructions through Step 5 but DO NOT bake. Wrap the muffin tin with plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze.

Method #2 (Fully Cooked): Fully cook and cool the muffins. Place in a flat gallon-sized freezer bag in a single layer. Squeeze out excess air, seal and freeze flat.

To Prepare From Frozen:

Method #1 (Uncooked): Thaw. Set muffin tin out on the counter for about 20 minutes before baking. Bake according to directions, but increase baking time if muffins are still partially frozen or really cold. They register 160° F internally when done or have no more pink inside.

Method #2 (Fully Cooked): Wrap one in a moist paper towel. Warm in the microwave using the defrost setting or by microwaving in 30 seconds increments, until warmed through.

Meatloaf Muffins on a plate with green salad

Whether you want a healthy, kid-friendly dinner or lunches prepped for the week, we think you’ll love the simplicity of these Meatloaf Muffins!

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

meatloaf muffins
★★★★★ 4.8 from 5 reviews

Mini Meatloaf Muffins

These mini meatloaf muffins are a kid and parent favorite! Kids love the delicious taste. Parents love the healthy additions of sneaky nutrition.

Yield: 12 meatloaf muffins or 4–6 servings 1x
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 20 minutesTotal: 40 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
  • 1/2 medium onion (about 1/3 cup), finely diced
  • 1 small carrot (about 1/3 cup), finely diced or grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock (sub: beef broth)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Gluten-Free: Look for a version that is labeled “gluten free”.)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 1/4 pounds 90% lean ground beef or ground turkey (Here’s where we get our grass-fed beef.)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish (Sub: 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
  • 1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water
  • 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (Gluten-Free Option: Sub almond meal or gluten-free breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 cup all-natural ketchup, for topping

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Generously spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and carrot until vegetables are softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic for another 30-60 seconds. Remove from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste and allow the mixture to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the cooled veggie mixture, ground beef, parsley, egg, and bread crumbs. Do not over mix. 
  4. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to fill each muffin tin hole to the top. Gently press to fit into muffin tin mold.
  5. Top each mini meat loaf with a spoonful of ketchup and spread it around with the back of the spoon. (Freezing instructions for Method #1 begin here.)
  6. Bake about 20-25 minutes. Cut open a muffin to test that the middle is cooked through (no more pink or registers 165°F internally). Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley at the end, as garnish. (Freezing instructions for Method #2 begin here.)

Freeze For Later:

Method #1 (Uncooked): Follow instructions through Step 5 but DO NOT bake. Wrap the muffin tin with plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze.

Method #2 (Fully Cooked): Fully cook and cool the muffins. Place in a flat gallon-sized freezer bag in a single layer. Squeeze out excess air, seal and freeze flat.

Prepare From Frozen:

Method #1 (Uncooked): Thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Set muffin tin out on the counter for about 20 minutes before baking. Bake according to directions, but increase baking time if muffins are still partially frozen or really cold. They register 160° F internally when done or have no more pink inside.

Method #2 (Fully Cooked): Wrap in a moist paper towel. Warm in the microwave using the defrost setting or by microwaving in 30 seconds increments, until warmed through.


Notes/Tips

Where We Get Our Beef: We get our grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef from ButcherBox. The beef is grass-fed and curated from trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, chicken, and wild salmon–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my honest review here.Woman holding a ButcherBox box

© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Bake

Did you make this?

Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

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Top 10 Ground Beef Recipes

Looking for more freezable ground beef recipes? We’ve rounded our “best of the best” for you here…

See the Recipes
meatloaf muffins on a white serving platter
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Rachel Tiemeyer

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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  1. AvatarJulie Clarke says

    Posted on 5/25/23 at 2:16 am

    Oh My Goodness, words don’t do this recipe justice! Personally, I am a meatloaf queen. After making and sampling many recipes, various twists on the classic meatloaf, and adjusting portions on a few favorites, these meatloaf muffins, hands down, knocked the number one contender from its spot.
    Love Love Love ’em!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 5/25/23 at 11:08 am

      Wow what a great review Julie. Thank you so much for taking the time to let everyone know it’s a winner in your book!

      Reply
  2. AvatarHeather says

    Posted on 5/15/23 at 7:30 pm

    There were delicious and perfect to heat individually right from the freezer.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 5/16/23 at 9:25 am

      Hi Heather! I love recipes with easy individual portions. So glad you enjoyed these!

      Reply
  3. AvatarSarah Collins says

    Posted on 3/26/23 at 7:31 pm

    This is the second Thriving Home recipe I have made and have been impressed with both. My husband said I hit it out of the park with this one. Will definitely be adding it to my weekly menu.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 3/27/23 at 9:32 am

      High praise from the hubby! Thanks for leaving a review Sarah. Hope you find lots more home runs on the site!

      Reply
  4. AvatarCharity says

    Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:48 pm

    How long would you recommend baking this if I were to bake in a loaf pan rather than the muffin tin?

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 2/6/23 at 5:30 pm

      I wish I knew off the top of my head, but it’s been a loooong time since I did that. I’d try find a meatloaf recipe from somewhere trusted with a similar amount of meat in it and try that timing/temp (i.e. Pioneer Woman or Food Network).

      Reply
  5. AvatarTammy says

    Posted on 11/6/22 at 9:17 am

    I made a batch of these muffin sized meatloaves as freezer meals for my father-in-law and they worked fantastically! Using 2 compartment ziplock brand freezer meal containers, I was able to put 2 “muffins” into the smaller side of each container and fill the larger side with a frozen veggie mix for 8 delicious, healthy, remove the lid and microwave dinners (I ended up with 16 regular sized muffins). Your recipe made me the dinner hero! Thank you!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 11/6/22 at 11:36 am

      Yay for homemade frozen dinners! Thank you Tammy for telling others how you packaged these for the freezer. I know I love getting ideas from others.

      Reply
  6. AvatarLLW says

    Posted on 7/2/22 at 11:12 am

    Great idea! Recipe works, but lower the oven temp to 400°. Use instant read thermometer after 20 min, 165° is a perfect goal.

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 7/5/22 at 10:25 am

      Thanks for the feedback and tip!

      Reply
  7. AvatarJessica says

    Posted on 9/17/19 at 6:04 pm

    I used 4 of these this week and did my shopping online, buying turkey because it was on sale. Not having to plan it myself and having recipes where I could be flexible with my ingredients REALLY helped out. Thanks!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • RachelRachel says

      Posted on 9/29/19 at 5:41 pm

      So glad to hear this, Jessica. Makes our day to hear this kind of feedback. 🙂

      Reply
  8. AvatarHannah Peters says

    Posted on 6/23/19 at 11:12 pm

    How long do these last in the freezer? This recipe looks amazing!

    Reply
    • PollyPolly says

      Posted on 6/24/19 at 8:29 am

      I’d say 3-4 months but if you wrap them tightly they might last longer!

      Reply
  9. AvatarJeff Bowen says

    Posted on 12/14/18 at 9:03 pm

    I’ve made these three times now. We bake and eat six and freeze the other six for later.

    Reply
    • RachelRachel says

      Posted on 12/17/18 at 8:19 am

      Yesss! Love hearing that, Jeff.

      Reply
  10. AvatarCandis Stoessner says

    Posted on 6/22/18 at 2:56 pm

    So delicious ?

    Reply
    • RachelRachel says

      Posted on 6/24/18 at 10:23 am

      Great to hear that, Candis!

      Reply

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