Mini Meatloaves
These Mini Meatloaves are full of onion, cheese, and seasonings and then topped with a rich, sweet ketchup and brown sugar topping. It’s everything we love about meatloaf in a single-serve form.
Meatloaf is classic Americana. When we think of a classic dinner, most of us would probably rank meatloaf and mashed potatoes very high, if not the tops, of our lists. That’s how we feel, anyway. That’s why we love serving up these delicious meatloaves for friends and family. Or even just for us!
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s loaded with classic meatloaf flavors – even the ketchup and brown sugar topping!
- It’s an easy recipe that’s so easy to make.
- It’s a classic family dinner that everyone loves.
🛒Ingredients
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It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this recipe, and you’ll find them all easily at your local grocery store. The major ingredients are listed below, but you’ll find all of them along with amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Lean ground beef
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Finely chopped onion
- Quick oats
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar
- Yellow mustard
🔪 How to Make Mini Meatloaves
Making this recipe is just as simple and easy as the ingredient list. In just a few minutes and a few simple steps, you’ll have delicious, mini meatloaves to feed family and friends.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, grease a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Step 2: Make the Meatloaf
Combine all the meatloaf ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Then, form it into 8 small loaves and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard, then spoon it over the meatloaves, covering the tops and sides.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the loaves for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center is no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Spicy – Add diced jalapenos or chiles for a spicy version of this meatloaf.
- Beef and Pork – Try using a 50/50 ratio of ground beef and ground pork.
- Ground Turkey – For a low-fat version, try using ground turkey.
If you love classic dishes like this, then you’ll want to check out this savory beef and mushrooms recipe.
🥄 Equipment
You’ll only need a few basic pieces of equipment to make this recipe.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheet
🥫 Storage
Store this meatloaf in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, open-air freeze the meatloaves. Then, wrap them in a double layer of plastic wrap, place them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container, and store them for up to 3 months.
💭 Tips
There’s really nothing to this recipe. We only have a couple of tips to keep in mind.
- The easiest way to mix the meatloaf is by hand. This ensures that all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Be sure your baking sheet has a lip so any grease that comes out during baking doesn’t spill over into the oven.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Meatloaf, as we know it today, is an Americanized version of scrapple, a ground pork and cornmeal mixture brought to the US by German immigrants.
The fillers in meatloaf serve two purposes. They hold the loaves together while adding additional flavor and moistness.
The sweet, tangy ketchup mixture balances out the richness of the beef mixture.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy meatloaf and ground beef recipes? Then try these delicious recipes:
📌 PIN IT!!
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Mini Meatloaves
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup onion peeled and very finely chopped
- ½ cup quick oats
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1- pound lean ground beef
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheddar cheese, milk, onion, quick oats, egg, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef and mix in very well.
- Form the meat mixture into 8 small loaves and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Spoon the sauce over the meatloaves, covering the whole top and sides with the sauce.
- Bake the meatloaves at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 160F.
- Serve the meatloaves hot.
Notes
- For easy cleanup, the baking sheet can be lined with aluminum foil.
- To make the sauce spicy, add cayenne pepper.
- For a low-sugar version, use low sugar ketchup and a brown sugar version of a sugar substitute.
