This Mini Meatloaf Recipe is a quicker way to enjoy a classic comfort food. These individual loaves are juicy, full of savory flavor, and finished with a sweet-tangy ketchup-chili glaze. They bake faster than a traditional meatloaf while still feeling hearty and satisfying.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Mini Meatloaf
Flavor: Savory, juicy, and full of classic comfort, they are perfectly seasoned with a hint of sweetness from the glaze.
Why Make It: Their smaller shape bakes up quickly, giving perfectly portioned servings, and ensures every bite is coated in a delicious, tangy glaze.
Serving Suggestions: I like to serve these mini meatloaves with creamy mashed potatoes, honey-roasted carrots, a fresh summer salad, or roasted green beans for a classic, comforting meal.
Total Time: 1 hour Serves: 4 Mini Loaves Cooking Method: Baked
Ingredient Notes
- Green Pepper: Green bell pepper adds moisture and that classic meatloaf flavor, while red bell pepper can be swapped in for a slightly sweeter twist.
- Lean Ground Beef: Lean ground beef keeps these mini meatloaves nice and juicy without being too greasy, and you can easily swap in ground turkey or even a beef and ground pork blend.
- Seasoned Bread Crumbs: If you’re using plain breadcrumbs or panko, just add a little extra seasoning like homemade Italian seasoning for the best flavor.
- Dijon: This adds a little depth and rounds out the flavor. Yellow mustard works just fine, too.
- Chili Sauce: This optional ingredient adds a little extra tang and gives the topping a smoother, more layered flavor. It can be swapped for barbecue sauce for a smoky glaze.
- Variations: Try ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. Tuck a little shredded cheese in the center for a melty surprise, or skip the bell pepper and add a bit more onion if needed.
How to Make Mini Meatloaf
- Combine the milk, ketchup, mustard, egg yolk, breadcrumbs, and seasonings.
- Combine the breadcrumb mixture with the beef and cooked vegetables, then shape into small loaves.
- Glaze the tops and bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Leftovers Done Right
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven covered with foil.
Slice leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches, crumble them into pasta sauce, or serve them over mashed potatoes for an easy next-day meal.
More Comfort Food Favorites
Did you enjoy this Mini Meatloaf recipe? Leave a rating and comment below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely diced green bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Topping
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup chili sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a small skillet, heat olive oil and cook green pepper, onion, & garlic until tender. Cool completely.
- Combine bread crumbs, milk, ketchup, mustard, egg yolk, Italian seasoning, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Add beef and the cooled onion mixture. Gently combine and shape into four mini meatloaves, 3" x 2".
- In a small bowl, mix ketchup and chili sauce. Spread over meatloaves.
- Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until the center of the loaf reaches 165°F.
- Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I made this recipe for the 2nd time and are good as the first time. However, today’s were just a tad different but sooo delicious. I had made your recipe for caramelized onions a couple of weeks ago and had extra in the freezer. I used some for this recipe instead of the raw onion and instead of ground beef, I used ground turkey. I also used some red, yellow and orange bell pepper as that’s all I had on hand. I had some rosemary crackers I needed to use up so they were crushed and used instead of the breadcrumbs. Other than those slight changes, everything else was the same. They were super moist and delicious.
Sounds delicious!
Turned out very well, served at a lunch with Keto- folks. They loved it. I used a whole egg for binery…shhhhh
So happy they enjoyed it, Marilyn!
I tried making these mini meat loaves last night. Followed the recipe exactly as written. The only thing that I did differently was to make two slightly larger loaves. I cooked them a little longer than the 20-25 called for only because of their size. When I went to check their doneness with my instant read thermometer the beef just fell apart. I literally had 2 piles of broken up meat. Obviously there wasn’t enough binder in them to hold them together, and as I said I followed the recipe to a tee. Needless to say, I will NOT be making them again. Guess I’ll just stick to my old standby that I’ve been making for over 40 years.
Oh no, I am so sorry this recipe didn’t hold together for you Carol. It could be due to the size of your meatloaves. For a larger or full-size meatloaf we love to use this meatloaf recipe, it has a greater ratio of binder to help them stay together at that size. Hope that helps.
You can’t blame the author when you didn’t follow the recipe. It was, as you know, meant for 4 smaller loaves.
Made these yesterday; two left over for lunch today. They were absolutely delicious; this recipe is a keeper. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed them, Anne!