Forget Meatless Monday, how about Meatloaf Monday?! Ground beef, rice krispies, egg, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire, salt + pepper, parsley, brown sugar. Topped with a ketchup, BBQ and sugar sauce.. so easy and tasty! Try muffin tin meatloaf today!
I am not sure if this is just a Midwest thing, but I love to have meatloaf and meatballs a few times a month. They are so versatile to make and pair well with many things! It is also a great way to use up ground beef, and meatloaf is very freezer friendly too.
What did I learn while writing this blog post? Meatloaf is ONE word, not two!
INGREDIENTS for Muffin Tin Meatloaf
Lean Ground Beef- 1 lb of lean ground beef, thawed. If you use a fattier mix, just be sure to wet on a paper towel after cooking to soak up some of the grease. I love using ground beef, but ground turkey or venison would do the trick too.
Egg- The egg is to make everything ‘stick’ together. Ever tried putting one in your hamburger mix before grilling? Try it! I used a large egg.
BBQ Sauce- Use your favorite kind of BBQ sauce in this. To lighten it up, add sugar free sauce instead.
Worcestershire Sauce- just 1 tbsp will do the trick. This gave is a great flavor. Replace with soy sauce for a different kind of flavor, more zesty!
Seasonings- Salt, pepper, minced onion, garlic and parsley. These do the trick and make great flavoring! Try paprika or chili powder for a different taste.
Rice Krispies: I love rice Krispies in my meat loaf, but have also used equal amounts of oatmeal or bread crumbs that taste good too.
Brown Sugar- Just a little brown sugar makes this recipe extra tasty.
The SAUCE:
BBQ Sauce, Ketchup and Brown Sugar is what makes up the sauce. It tastes great! I remember when my mom made her meatballs or meat loaf I always had to smother them in ketchup..this sauce give is so much flavor and you don’t need a lot of it!
SUBSTITUTIONS in muffin pan meatloaf
So many ways to substitute with this meatloaf in muffin tins. Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or ground venison. Substitute rice krispies with oatmeal or bread crumbs.
ADD CHEESE. Cubed or shredded cheddar cheese tasted really good in the recipe. Use 1/4-1/2 cup for deliciousness.
Make this recipe is regular meat loaf in a loaf pan if you like, just make sure that the internal temp is 160F before eating. You will have to increase the cooking time a bit.
If you are on a carnivore or keto diet- try replacing the breadcrumbs/oatmeal/rice krispies with smashed up pork rinds. I have not tried it myself, but have heard it is a great keto substitution.
YES. Double your batch and freeze one for later.
How to freeze: After you form the balls, add to a sheet pan and stick in the freezer flat for about an hour. Once they are firm, add them to a gallon freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to prepare stick them on a sheet pan or muffin tins and thaw. Cook per the instructions.
Another way to freeze these meatballs is to cook first, and then split into individual servings and freeze in the freezer safe container. Just heat up for a quick lunch.
No, technically you do not have to bake these meatballs in a muffin tin. A sheet pan would do just fine, too. I would suggest lining with foil for easy clean up. Another way to cook is on the stove top, too.
Really, they could go either way. I use this exact same recipe to make meatballs too.
add moisture-rich ingredients like eggs and breadcrumbs. Avoid overcooking.
Yes, lightly grease or use liners or your meat will stick.
That is the grease/fat from the beef. You can use a paper towel to soak the extra grease from the meatball by lightly patting the bottoms.
How to make muffin tin meatloaf
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a muffin tin
- Combine all meat mixture ingredients and use your hands to mix well
I like to crack and whisk the egg separately before dumping into the meat mixture.
- Use your hands to form mini loaves
about 2-3 tbsp per loaf. Will make 10-12.
- Next use a small bowl to combine your sauce ingredients.
Brush on top of each loaf. Can save some for after they come out of the oven.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes
Until internal temp reaches minimum 160 F. Do not over cook- this helps prevent dryness and also a burnt bottom. Any reserved sauce can be topped prior to serving. Sprinkle with parsley for a pretty dinner.
Side ideas and more recipes..
A salad or mashed potatoes would be a great side for this recipe. Try my cheesy crockpot corn to eat with these meat balls..they taste great on top of mashed potatoes.
Our hamburger steak and gravy recipe would be another great comfort meal from ground beef!
Another great side recipe would be our velveeta Mac and cheese recipe.
If you like these meat loaves you will also love these ground beef recipes!
FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MORE RECIPES + TRICKS
Follow ‘Recipes from French Creek’ on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for more recipe inspiration!
Comment, rate or share on your social if you try any of my recipes..be sure to tag me! Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this muffin tin meatball recipe!- Bobbi Jo
Muffin Tin Meatloaf
Equipment
- measuring utensils
- 1 bowl to mix meat and sauce
- spoon for mixing meat and sauce
Ingredients
The Meat Loaf
- 1 lb lean ground beef thawed
- 1/2 cup rice krispies or oatmeal, bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup bbq sauce any kind. I use Sweet Baby Rays
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
- 1 tbsp minced onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp parsley optional
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
The Sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup bbq sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease muffin tins.
- In a bowl, combine all of the meatloaf ingredients. Mix together well with a spoon.
- With your hands, form 2-3 tbsp balls of the meat mixture and put in each muffin tin. It should make 10-12 'loaves',
- In the same bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Mix well with spoon. Place about 2 tsp worth of sauce on each loaf.
- Bake in oven uncovered for approximately 20-25 minutes. Or until internal temperature is 160 F. Try not to overcook as it leads to dryness and burnt bottoms!
Notes
Nutrition
I am an Amazon Affiliate and may earn a commission from any links clicked.
This is a recipe my family enjoys- also makes a great freezer prep meal.
ut voluptas molestias eos laudantium sit dolorem aut sit. doloribus aliquid eum autem et iure. autem ut neque aut eligendi quisquam consequatur cum cupiditate id praesentium maiores distinctio. voluptas sed dolores praesentium ea minima.