This Cheesy Mini Meatloaf is a kid-friendly weeknight dinner that cooks so much faster than a larger meatloaf. Each mini meatloaf is juicy, packed with flavor, and has everything you love about a traditional meatloaf in muffin-sized form. The cheesy goodness in each bite, combined with the tender meat and ketchup-based sauce, makes these a year-round family favorite.
What we love about these Mini Meatloaves
I love what a quick and easy meal this is for my family. You literally mix all the ingredients in a bowl, use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop the meatloaf mixture into the cups of the muffin pan, and bake for 25 minutes. The sauce is a 2-ingredient sauce that complements the meatloaf perfectly. All my kids love these meatloaves, and they make really tasty meatloaf sandwiches if you have any leftovers.
I also love the texture and taste of the meatloaf. It is flavorful, tender, and juicy, and the cheese and bacon add-ins are like flavor bombs in the meatloaf. These taste so good, they are almost like super-tender little cheeseburgers. We love them with a side of mashed potatoes.
Looking for other comfort food family meals? Try our Homemade Chicken and Dumpling Soup, our Chili and Cornbread Casserole, or our Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy.
What you need to make these Cheesy Mini Meatloaves
You will need the following ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Onion
- Tomato sauce
- Parmesan cheese
- Bacon
- Milk
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dijon mustard
- Eggs
- Salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar
Mini Meatloaf Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- You could use ground turkey or chicken in place of the beef, or a combination of beef and pork.
- You could use breadcrumbs instead of the oats.
- You could replace the milk with half and half.
- You could substitute the cheddar cheese with another cheese.
- You could probably use yellow mustard in place of the Dijon mustard.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. In a large bowl, use your hands (I wear food-safe gloves) to mix together the beef, ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, oats, onion, tomato sauce, 3 slices of bacon, crumbled, Parmesan cheese, milk, egg and egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Make sure the meat mixture is evenly mixed, but don’t overmix or it can make the meatloaf tough. Using your hands helps get all the ingredients evenly distributed with the beef.
Step 2. Using a ⅓ cup measuring cup, fill each cup in the muffin tin with ⅓ cup of the meatloaf mixture. Slightly press down on each mini meatloaf after filling the cup.
Step 3. Bake the meatloaves for 15 minutes in the oven. While they bake, in a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and ketchup.
Step 4. Using the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese, sprinkle each meatloaf with the cheese, then sprinkle with the remaining bacon crumbles. Spoon the ketchup sauce over each meatloaf and spread it evenly over the top.
Step 5. Return the meatloaves to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the temperature of the inside of the meatloaves reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit when checked with a meat thermometer. Serve warm; we love these with a side of mashed potatoes.
Tips
- I love using my USA muffin pan for the meatloaves. They cook perfectly and make clean up easy.
- Most grocery stores carry food-safe gloves. We buy the big box at Costco. I don’t love touching raw meat with my hands, but for meatloaf, it really helps to mix it with your hands, so I highly recommend using food-safe gloves with this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
| How to store and reheat mini meatloaves? |
| a. Once the meatloaf has cooled to room temperature, place it in a covered container and refrigerate. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Mini meatloaves can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge and follow the instructions here for reheating. b. Reheat in an oven-safe dish in a 350-degree oven, covered with foil, for about 15-20 minutes or until warm. Microwaving individual servings until warm in the microwave in 20-second intervals until warm is also a possibility. c. Mini meatloaves are a great make-ahead meal. You can make it ahead of time, store it in a covered container, and refrigerate it for 1-2 days before baking. Uncooked meatloaf can be frozen for up to 3-4 months if wrapped tightly. Thaw overnight in the fridge and follow the instructions for cooking in the recipe. |
| What to serve with Cheesy Mini Meatloaves? |
| Some popular sides with mini meatloaves include mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, broccoli, peas, cornbread, roasted potatoes, roasted vegetables, dinner rolls, baked beans, green salad, baked potato, and baked beans. |
Cheesy Mini Meatloaf
6
servings20
minutes25
minutes45
minutesThis Cheesy Mini Meatloaf is a kid-friendly weeknight dinner that cooks so much faster than a larger meatloaf. Each mini meatloaf is juicy, packed with flavor, and has everything you love about a traditional meatloaf packed in muffin-sized form. The cheesy goodness in each bite, combined with the tender meat and ketchup-based sauce, makes these a year-round family favorite.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat recommended
1 ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
½ cup + 1 tablespoon old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
5 slices cooked bacon, divided into 3 slices and 2 slices, crumbled
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, + 1 egg yolk
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, use your hands (I wear food-safe gloves), or a large spoon, to mix together the beef, ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, oats, onion, tomato sauce, 3 slices of bacon, crumbled, Parmesan cheese, milk, egg and egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Make sure the meat mixture is evenly mixed, but don’t overmix it, as it can make the meatloaf tough. Using your hands helps get all the ingredients evenly distributed with the beef.
- Using a ⅓ cup measuring cup, fill each cup in the muffin tin with ⅓ cup of the meatloaf mixture. Slightly press down on each mini meatloaf after filling the cup.
- Bake the meatloaves for 15 minutes in the oven. While they bake, in a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and ketchup. Carefully remove the meatloaves from the oven. Carefully use a paper towel to soak up any grease on the meatloaves.
- Using the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese, sprinkle each meatloaf with the cheese, then sprinkle with the remaining bacon crumbles. Spoon the ketchup sauce over each meatloaf and spread it evenly over the top.
- Return the meatloaves to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the temperature of the inside of the meatloaves reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Serve warm; we love these with a side of mashed potatoes.
Notes
- If you have any leftovers, they make great leftover meatloaf sandwiches. Slice them up, warm them up, and place them between two slices of bread dressed with mayonnaise.
My kids were getting sick of the same old ground beef quick recipes that I make and these were definitely a good change they needed. They loved the cheesiness of the meatloaf. I loved how quickly they came together.
These look amazing. Definitely making them next week!