Muffin tin meatloaf is an easy way to get a classic comfort food dinner on the table quickly! The mini meatloaf cooks faster, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Meatloaf in a Cupcake Pan is the Ultimate Weeknight Solution
Meatloaf has stood the test of time! It’s a classic family dinner that everyone at the table can agree on, made with affordable, hearty ingredients and ready with minimal effort.
These convenient meatloaf muffins are an updated, weeknight version of the old-fashioned favorite! They cook quickly and are easy to assemble in advance. That means that when you get home at the end of a long day and you’re rushing to put a homecooked meal on the table, you can simply pop the pan in the oven and dig in about 15 minutes later. Winner, winner comfort food dinner!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- To ensure moist, tender mini meatloaf muffins, use ground beef with a little bit of fat in it. I like 85% – 93% lean. Any less fat (like ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast) will result in dry meatloaf. Too much fat, and the meatloaf will be greasy. The onion, bell pepper, and ketchup all contribute additional moisture and flavor.
- Soaked oats or panko breadcrumbs serve as a binder, and also absorb and retain the juices so you have a moister loaf. You can use fresh bread crumbs, cracker crumbs (like saltines), or day-old cornbread crumbs if you prefer.
- Ketchup creates a sweet glaze that adds flavor and moisture to the inside and outside of the meatloaf. Use barbecue sauce if you prefer.
How to Make Muffin Pan Meatloaf
You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Stir together the oatmeal mixture, and then set it aside to sit and soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Soaking the breadcrumbs (or oats) in the wet ingredients creates a “panade,” which acts as a binding agent and prevents the meatloaf from drying out. The ketchup and other liquids activate the starch in the breadcrumbs to form a gel. This behaves similarly to a fat by lubricating the meat’s protein fibers and preventing them from becoming tough. Microwave the bell peppers and onions until soft.
- Combine the meat mixture using your hands or a fork. It’s important that you don’t over-mix the meat here or you’ll end up with a tough, dry texture.
- Divide the beef mixture between the greased muffin cups.
- Bake for 15 minutes, spread with glaze, and continue baking until done. You do not need to cover the meatloaf while it’s baking. Use a thermometer to know when your meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 155-160°F, since over-cooking the meatloaf can yield a dry finished product. In a 350°F oven, this typically takes about 25-30 minutes total.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the muffin pan meatloaf with mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives, easy potato salad, creamy baked mac and cheese, Jiffy corn casserole, Arkansas green beans or Southern-style green beans, fried apples, Southern collard greens, easy broccoli casserole, cast iron cornbread, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffins, flaky biscuits, 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, a house salad with candied pecans or a simple green salad dressed in Dijon vinaigrette.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead! You can prepare the meatloaf up to 24 hours in advance. Keep it covered in the muffin tin in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, allow the meatloaf to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Freeze the mini meatloaf before baking for convenient meal prep! To do so, flash freeze the meatloaf in the muffin tin until firm, and then carefully pop each individual meatloaf out of the tin. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, transfer to freezer bags or another airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen mini meatloaves back in the muffin tin and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- How to Freeze Muffin Tin Meatloaf: You can also freeze the meat loaf after it is cooked. Wrap cooked mini meatloaf tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrapped properly, the cooked meatloaf will stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 days. Leftovers are great on a meatloaf sandwich!
- How to Reheat: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the meatloaf in a muffin tin. Cover with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until meatloaf is warmed through. You can also warm individual mini meatloaves in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Muffin Tin Meatloaf
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Muffin pan meatloaf is a quick, easy way to serve a cozy, comforting dinner in perfectly sized portions.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup uncooked old-fashioned oats or Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup ketchup (or sub with bbq sauce)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ green bell pepper (about ½ cup), chopped
- ½ small onion (about ½ cup), chopped
- 1 ½ lbs. lean ground beef
Meatloaf Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- Optional garnish: additional chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, oats or breadcrumbs, ketchup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, thyme, garlic powder, and black pepper. Set aside. In a microwave-safe dish, microwave green bell pepper and onion covered at HIGH power for about 1 ½ – 2 minutes, or until softened. Set aside to cool slightly for a few minutes.
- Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Add the onion mixture to the large bowl with the egg mixture. Stir to combine. Using your hands or a fork, gently mix in the ground beef, just until all of the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 prepared muffin cups, pressing down gently so that the meat mixture fills each cup. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the meatloaf sauce by whisking together the ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Use a paper towel to blot the meatloaf, soaking up any visible excess grease. Spoon the sauce over each mini meatloaf. Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the meatloaves are cooked through and a thermometer registers 160°F.
Notes
Instead of just using ground beef, try a 50-50 combination of ground beef and ground pork, ground turkey, or a “meatloaf mix” of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
Prep Ahead! You can prepare the meatloaf up to 24 hours in advance. Keep it covered in the muffin tin in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, allow the meatloaf to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 2mini meatloavesCalories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 28gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 784mgPotassium: 590mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 332IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 4mg
Recipe Variations
- Sauté the bell pepper and onion in a skillet with olive oil or butter instead of using the microwave. The microwave is a nice shortcut, but the stovetop adds a bit more flavor to the veggies.
- Try other herbs in addition to the parsley and thyme. Good options include rosemary, chives, basil, and oregano.
- Add more vegetables to the easy meatloaf muffins, such as diced celery, grated carrots, or grated zucchini.
- Like muffin tin meatloaf with cheese? Add a handful of grated cheddar (or other good melting cheese) to the meatloaf mixture!
- Instead of just using ground beef, try a 50-50 combination of ground beef and ground pork, ground turkey, or a “meatloaf mix” of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
- Add Dijon mustard or yellow mustard to the glaze for even more of a tangy, zesty flavor.
- 6 Muffin Tin Meatloaf: cut all of the ingredients in half to make just 6 mini meatloaves. This is perfect if you’re cooking for just 1 or 2 people. If you have a Jumbo muffin tin with 6 very large cavities, prepare the full recipe and extend the baking time so that the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
More Meatloaf Recipes to Try
Southern Meatloaf Recipe
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Meatloaf Recipe with Oatmeal
1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Healthy Mini Meatloaf
35 minutes mins
Originally published in May, 2023, this post was updated in July, 2025.
Ooh. Thanks for the reminder. It’s so easy to overlook the good standards when trying to decide what to make. I used to make muffin tin meatloaf but my muffin tins got left behind when I moved. I’m thinking of weighing the mixture and then dividing the mixture by twelve and free styling the loaves on a cookie sheet. Do you think that would work? How long do you think the oatmeal mixture could soak without hurting it? Also, I’m always trying to get more vegetables into me without much effort! How much vegetables would you say the meatloaf could absorb without throwing the balance? Thanks!
Yes, I think it would work fine to shape them into individual portions without the muffin tin. I would say the mixture should be fine overnight. Maybe try adding a cup or so of veggies? Such as some grated zucchini, etc.
Thanks. Do you mean a cup of vegetables including the pepper and the onion or in addition to the pepper and onions. I once read a suggestion to add grated potato to meatloaf. I assume if I add a wet vegetable like potato or zucchini I’ll want to pat out the moisture. Correct?
Yes, I would start with a 1/2 cup – 1 cup in addition to what’s called for in the recipe and just see how you like it. I’ve never tried it, so I can’t say exactly which amounts will work best. I would pat dry any wet veggies to absorb some of that extra moisture.
This looks just perfect. Will be doing very soon. Can I freeze the uncooked mini meatloaf in individual packets, to bake at a later time?
Thank you.
Yes! To do so, flash freeze the meatloaf in the muffin tin until firm, and then carefully pop each individual meatloaf out of the tin. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, transfer to freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen mini meatloaves back in the muffin tin and thaw in the fridge overnight.
It was wonderful
Made it with 1 lb hambuger but added all else
The meat sauce was so hood
Thank you, Betty! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.