Mini Meatloaf Bites (Printable view)

Savory mini meatloaves baked in tins and topped with a maple-mustard glaze. Ideal for quick meals or parties.

# What You Need:

→ Meat Mixture

01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/3 cup finely diced onion
06 - 1/4 cup finely diced celery
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
09 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme

→ Maple-Mustard Glaze

13 - 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
14 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tbsp ketchup

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
02 - In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit for 3 minutes to soften.
03 - Add ground beef, egg, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix gently until just combined without overmixing.
04 - Divide the mixture evenly into muffin cups, pressing lightly to fill each one.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and ketchup until smooth.
06 - Spoon or brush half of the glaze over the tops of the meatloaf bites.
07 - Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
08 - Remove from oven and brush remaining glaze over each meatloaf bite.
09 - Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen each bite, then lift from the tin.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They cook in under an hour but taste like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • One batch makes enough for immediate dinner and freezer backups, so future-you gets a gift.
  • The muffin tin hack means perfectly portioned meatloaves with zero fussing about shape or size.
02 -
  • Don't skip the breadcrumb and milk sit time—it transforms the texture from crumbly to tender in those three minutes.
  • Gentle mixing really is non-negotiable; the moment you see no streaks of dry ingredient left is the moment you stop stirring.
03 -
  • If your muffin tin is older or seems like it might stick, line it with a single muffin liner or greasing it twice makes a real difference in easy removal.
  • Add a tiny pinch of smoked paprika to the meat mixture for depth, or a dash of hot sauce if you like a subtle kick beneath the sweetness.
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