This Mini Meatloaves recipe is a quick, flavorful answer to “what’s for dinner?”—ready in about 35 minutes. Made in a muffin tin and finished with a simple homemade BBQ glaze, these individual meatloaves are moist, savory, and far faster to prepare than a classic loaf.
Table of contents
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Optional additions and variations
- Dietary options
- Storage and reheating
- What to serve with them
- More easy dinner recipes
If you want a simple, family-friendly dinner that’s done quickly, these mini meatloaves deliver. They use everyday pantry ingredients, cook in a muffin pan to reduce baking time, and are glazed with a tangy-sweet BBQ topping. Ground turkey keeps them lean, but you can substitute ground chicken or a lean ground beef if you prefer.
Ingredients
Full ingredient quantities and notes appear in the recipe card below.
- Olive oil (or another neutral oil) – for sautéing onions and garlic so they’re soft and flavorful.
- Onion – diced. Yellow onion is recommended for its balanced flavor, but white, sweet, or red will also work.
- Garlic – fresh minced cloves for best flavor.
- Ground turkey – or ground chicken or lean ground beef (90/10). Lower-fat beef reduces grease in the pan.
- Meatloaf seasoning – a blend of salt, black pepper, paprika, parsley and other spices. Use a homemade mix or a plain seasoning packet.
- Egg – helps bind the mixture.
- Worcestershire sauce – adds savory umami. Soy sauce can substitute if needed; check your Worcestershire for gluten if necessary.
- Breadcrumbs – regular or panko. For low-carb or keto, pork rind crumbs (pork panko) are a good substitute.
- For the glaze: ketchup, brown sugar, a pinch of the meatloaf seasoning, and a little Worcestershire sauce. Bottled BBQ sauce may be used as an easy alternative.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté ½ cup diced onion for about 4 minutes, then add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl combine 1½ pounds ground turkey, the cooked onion and garlic, 2 tablespoons meatloaf seasoning, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Mix gently until just combined—do not overwork the meat.
- Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or a thin brush of oil. Press about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each cup, shaping into little loaves.
- Bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the glaze: whisk together ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon meatloaf seasoning, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
- Remove the meatloaves from the oven, blot any surface grease with a paper towel, then spoon the glaze over each mini meatloaf. Return to the oven and bake 10 more minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F for turkey (or 165°F for chicken).
- Let cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of each cup to release the mini meatloaves for serving.
Optional additions and variations
- Cheesy: Stir 1/2 cup shredded cheddar into the meat mixture for melty pockets of cheese.
- Pepper jelly glaze: Swap the BBQ glaze for 1/2 cup pepper jelly for a sweet-spicy Southern twist.
- Italian-style: Use Italian seasoning in place of the meatloaf spice blend, mix in 1/2 cup mozzarella, and top with marinara instead of BBQ sauce.
Dietary options
Gluten free: Use gluten-free panko or pork panko (pork rind crumbs) in place of breadcrumbs. Verify Worcestershire sauce is labeled gluten free and use a homemade seasoning blend rather than pre-packaged mixes that may contain wheat or barley.
Dairy free: The base recipe contains no dairy. If adding cheese in a variation, omit or substitute with dairy-free cheese.
Keto / low-carb: Replace breadcrumbs with pork panko and use a sugar-free BBQ sauce for the glaze to reduce carbs.
Storage and reheating
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Microwave: Reheat on a plate for about 2 minutes, checking for even heat.
Oven: Place on a baking sheet and reheat at 400°F for 5–7 minutes until warmed through.
Air fryer: Reheat at 400°F for 4–6 minutes with room between pieces so hot air circulates.
What to serve with them
These mini meatloaves pair beautifully with mashed potatoes—instant-pot mashed potatoes are an easy side you can make while the meatloaves bake. They also go well with roasted or steamed vegetables and classic sides such as:
- Honey-glazed carrots
- Stovetop mac and cheese
- Smashed broccoli
- Loaded mashed potatoes
- Air-fryer baked potatoes
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Bacon and blue cheese green beans
- Roasted baby potatoes
More easy dinner recipes
Here are a few other quick, popular dinners you might enjoy:
Mini Meatloaves — Recipe Card
Servings: 12 mini meatloaves (about 3 per person; serves 4)
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 25 minutes • Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ pounds ground turkey (or lean ground beef/chicken)
- 2 tablespoons meatloaf seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs (or panko / pork panko)
For the topping
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon meatloaf seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions (concise)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft. Let cool slightly.
- Combine cooked onions and garlic with ground meat, seasoning, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and breadcrumbs. Mix gently.
- Press 1/4 cup portions into a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Bake 15 minutes.
- Mix glaze ingredients, blot grease from meatloaves, spoon glaze over each, and bake 10 more minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before removing from the tin.
Notes
- Check internal temperature: 160°F for turkey, 165°F for chicken.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
Nutrition (per mini meatloaf, approximate)
Calories: 114 kcal • Carbs: 8 g • Protein: 15 g • Fat: 3 g