Meatloaf Muffins
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Meatloaf muffins are fun, festive and delicious! I’m thrilled to be partnering with ReVeal and Beef Checkoff for this sponsored post. All opinions are mine alone. #vealrecipe #discoverveal #beefcheckoff
Grandma’s favorite meatloaf recipe has a brand new look! With this time-saving recipe you’ll get dinner on the table faster than ever! Baking individual servings reduces meatloaf cooking time. It’s also ideal for portion control.
BEST MEATLOAF RECIPE
Every family has secret recipes. These are the dishes so fabulous that friends beg and plead for the inside scoop! Today I’m giving in. I’m sharing my family’s secret ingredient for irresistible meatloaf muffins: farm-fresh veal.
Instead of deep red, this lean tender meat is light in color. It’s the result of a special milk and grain diet that’s rich in iron and other nutrients.
Delicately textured with subtle flavor, veal allows a recipe’s spices and ingredients to shine through and share the spotlight. This choice of meat elevates a homemade meatloaf recipe, making it drool worthy!
DINNER TIP: Pair this main dish with broccoli salad or cucumber salad. For the ultimate comfort food combination, pair it with mac and cheese!
Find more dinner inspiration here >> EASY DELICIOUS RECIPES!
Rediscover veal: There’s so much to learn! >> COME TO THE FARM
MEATLOAF MUFFINS INGREDIENTS
These are the yummy ingredients you’ll need for this easy meatloaf recipe!
- Ground veal
- White onion
- Virgin olive oil
- Eggs
- Fresh Italian parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Thyme
- Sea salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- Red Pepper flakes
- Garnishes: ketchup and finely-chopped parsley
TIME-SAVING TIPS FOR MEATLOAF MUFFINS
- Substitute onion flakes for the caramelized onions.
- Use instant mashed potatoes instead of homemade.
- No piping tip? No problem! Add a spoonful of fluffy potatoes on top of each muffin.
- No time to make a separate veggie side dish? Grate zucchini or carrots and add them to the meatloaf mixture!
TOPPING FOR MEATLOAF CUPCAKES
These are the ingredients you’ll need to create a whipped potato “frosting” that’s thick enough to pipe onto your meatloaf cupcakes.
- Russet potatoes (or half Russet and half Yukon Gold)
- Butter
- Whipping Cream
- Salt
- Optional: pepper
KITCHEN TIPS: Quarter the potatoes before boiling. They’ll cook quickly and evenly until fork tender. Whip potatoes in a stand mixer for the shortest time possible! Use melted butter rather than cold butter. Add in cream slowly to control density. Thicker is better for piping onto meatloaf muffins!
MEATLOAF RECIPE
Let’s multi-task! Prep your potatoes and get them into a pot of boiling water. While they’re cooking, follow these easy step-by-step instructions for flavorful meatloaf muffins!
- STEP 1: Add parsley, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and spices to a large bowl. Use a spoon or spatula to mix everything together.
- STEP 2: Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Whisk well.
- STEP 3: Pour egg mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated.
- STEP 4: Add the meat to the bowl. Use clean hands to mix the ingredients together. Meat should be fully incorporated into the breadcrumb mixture.
HOW TO MAKE MEATLOAF
Spray the 12 wells of a cupcake pan with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Finish prepping the meatloaf mixture with these four easy steps:
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- STEP 1: Saute onions over medium/high heat until lightly golden and fragrant.
- STEP 2: Add the onions to the meatloaf mixture.
- STEP 3: Mix with a spoon or fork until fully incorporated. Form the meatloaf into 3 equal-sized balls. Divide each ball into 4 pieces.
- STEP 4: Firmly press each piece into the well of a muffin tin. The muffin tops should be flat. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the internal temp of the meat is 160° F, and the tops are golden brown.
MEAL PREP TIP: Consider making a double batch and freezing half. Individually wrap the cooled muffins, or place them into a zip-top freezer bag. To reheat, simply thaw and rewarm in the oven or microwave.
MEATLOAF CUPCAKES
Here’s how to decorate meatloaf cupcakes:
- Finish prepping your potatoes with butter, cream and salt.
- Transfer meatloaf cupcakes from the muffin tin to a baking tray or platter.
- Top each with a dollop of ketchup. Use the back of a spoon to thinly glaze the surface. Too much ketchup on the top will cause the piped-on mashed potatoes to slide right off! So keep it thin in the center, but thicker along the edges.
- With scissors, slice off a corner of a zip-top freezer bag. Slide a large open-star piping tip into the corner. Spoon the creamy, stiff potatoes into the bag.
- Frost the meatloaf muffins just as you would a cupcake. Get extra festive! Sprinkle them with finely-chopped parsley.
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Did you enjoy this meatloaf recipe? Rate it in the comments below!
Meatloaf Muffins
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
Description
These adorable meatloaf muffins are also known as meatloaf cupcakes! They’re glazed with ketchup, topped with mashed potatoes and sprinkled with a festive pinch of parsley. Get this delicious dinner on the table in 40 minutes.
Ingredients
MEATLOAF CUPCAKES
- 1 1/2 pounds ground veal
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley, no stems
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
MASHED POTATO “FROSTING”
- 4 Russet potatoes (or 2 Russet + 2 Yukon Gold)
- 4–6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (approximate)
- Salt to taste
- Optional: black pepper to taste
GARNISHES
- Ketchup
- Finely-chopped parsley for sprinkling
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 12 wells of a muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Get the potatoes started: Wash, peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil them in a large pot until fork tender. Drain well. Add them to the bowl of a stand mixer along with melted butter. Whip briefly so they don’t become gummy! With the machine running on medium/low, slowly pour in cream until potatoes reach the desired consistency: creamy yet thick!
- In a small skillet, saute onion until golden and fragrant.
- Add all dry meatloaf ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add in eggs, onions and meat. Use clean hands to mix everything together. Divide the mixture into 12 balls. Press each ball firmly into a well of the muffin pan, flattening the tops. Bake 20-25 minutes until the internal temp of the meat is 160° F and the tops are lightly golden. Remove from oven. Transfer the meatloaf cupcakes to a large tray.
- Add a dollop of ketchup to the top of each muffin. With the back of a spoon spread ketchup over the surface leaving just a thin layer in the center, with a thicker amount along the rim. Important: the middle needs to have enough exposed meatloaf to “grip” the mashed potatoes so they won’t just slide off the top!
- If desired, add mashed potatoes to a zip-top freezer bag that’s been clipped on one corner and fitted with an open-star icing tip. Pipe the potatoes over the ketchup just as you would decorate a cupcake with frosting. A quicker option: just add a generous dollop of mashed potatoes on top! Sprinkle your meatloaf cupcakes with finely-chopped parsley!
Notes
TIME-SAVING TIPS FOR MEATLOAF RECIPE
- Substitute dry onion flakes for the caramelized onions.
- Use instant mashed potatoes instead of homemade.
- No piping tip? No problem! Add a spoonful of fluffy potatoes on top of the muffins.
- No time for making a separate veggie side dish? Grate zucchini or carrots and add them to the meatloaf mixture!
- Make a double batch of meatloaf muffins and freeze half. Individually wrap the cooled muffins, or place them in a zip-top freezer bag. To reheat, simply thaw and reheat in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
MEATLOAF RECIPE >> JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Do you love baking or eating meatloaf? Have you tried it with veal? Join the conversation. Share your idea for the perfect side dish for meatloaf cupcakes!
Looks divine! I know these Meatloaf muffins will taste so yummy! My family will definitely love this recipe. Thanks a lot for posting this!
This is the best presentation of meatloaf and mashed potatoes that I’ve ever seen!
These meatloaf muffins look delicious! Your recipe sounds so flavorful and easy to put together. I am excited to give this a try!
They look delcious, I cannot wait to prepare them for my family, I love recipes that are simple to make
Absolutely love the idea! My kids love meatloaf, I am sure that they will love this recipe.
Being a former farmer for 22 years, I’m glad to see your post about cows. Thank you for explaining to your readers. Great meatloaf recipe.
What an interesting twist. I definitely must make this. Looks delicious and it’s so easy to make. I bet my family will enjoy these.
I love this idea of meatloaf muffins!
I love this spin on meatloaf. Great way to present a new classic food.
I am glad I’ve stumbled upon these muffins because I can surprise my friends with them now. In fact, they are great to take with you when you have a picnic or a small party outside.
This is such a unique recipe. We are so used to sweet muffins that seeing muffin meatloaf version becomes incredibly exciting! :-)
My husband loves a good meatloaf but I have never been big on it. I need to try this one so that we can both enjoy it. It really looks so good!
Yum! I love this for dinner or even breakfast. It looks so delicious. We only buy meatloaf, time to try it!
These look like a delicious dinner idea! We raise our own cattle, and I’m always surprised by some of the misconceptions people have about where their food comes from.
These Meatloaf muffins looks soooo yummy! My family will surely love this especially the kids. Thanks for sharing!
I love a good meatloaf recipe. These meatloaf muffins sound like the perfect dinner recipe.
I love that these are the perfect size for the kiddos and the mashed potatoes on top would set this over the top. We love meatloaf at our house and I can’t wait to try this out with the kids.
I have seen these before but never made them. I think they look tasty but super fancy! I will have to try them soon.
This brought back the best memories! My daughter graduated from college in 2008 and for her party, I made meatloaf muffins with mashed potato topping. They were very very popular.
It looks easy to follow and the dish looks really delicious. Nice presentation as well for a protein + carb goodness! Awesome recipe!
Awesome recipe! It looks easy to follow and the dish looks really delicious. Nice presentation as well for a protein + carb goodness!
Yes please! These would be a fantastic dinner. I haven’t had meatloaf in so long, so I’ll be making these soon.
Love this recipe! Not only is it easy to make, it’s the perfect size serving and my kids think it’s hilarious that they’re eating meatloaf “cupcakes” lol
What a fun way to serve meatloaf! Kids absolutely love this, especially with all that yummy mashed potato and ketchup on top!
This is such a fun, cute recipe! Great for kids too! I love mashed potatoes with my meatloaf! This is sure to be a hit with any family!
What a fun twist on a classic dinner idea! Not only do these unique muffins look delicious, the kids would have a blast eating them too.
Love the combination of ingredients. I like your presentation which is totally drool worthy. I have never made meatloaf muffins. Do you by any chance have a suggestion for a vegetarian version so my entire family can enjoy it. Not everybody is a meat eater in my family.
I’ve been making meatloaf muffins fora few years now. Yours look terrific! This reminds me of meatloaf my aunt used to make, she always included veal.