Muffin-Pan Meat Loaves

Name: Muffin-Pan Meat Loaves
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1 dozen.
Ingredients: 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce; 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3/4 pound lean ground beef (90% lean); 3/4 pound ground turkey; TOPPING:; 1/2 cup ketchup; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon prepared mustard

I used to have a catering business, and my specialty was comfort food. I once needed a gluten-free meat loaf, and my clients went nuts over this recipe. I often use an 8x8-in. pan or a loaf pan, but a muffin tin really cuts the cooking time. —Vangie Panagotopulos, Moorestown, New Jersey

Ingredients

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
3/4 pound ground turkey
TOPPING:
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Add beef and turkey; mix lightly but thoroughly. Place 1/3 cup mixture into each of 12 ungreased muffin cups, pressing lightly.
In a small bowl, mix topping ingredients; spoon over meat loaves. Bake, uncovered until a thermometer reads 165°, 15-20 minutes.
Freeze option: Bake meat loaves without topping. Cool meat loaves, and freeze, covered, on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer meat loaves to an airtight container; return to freezer. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Place meat loaves on a greased shallow baking pan. Prepare topping as directed; spread over tops. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until heated through.

Nutrition Facts

2 mini meat loaves: 304 calories, 15g fat (6g saturated fat), 147mg cholesterol, 706mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 1g fiber), 27g protein.

Originally published as Cheddar Meat Loaf in Simple & Delicious August/September 2014

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Lynda1111

Dec 16, 2017

This is a very good recipe. Very tasty, easy to make & the muffin pan idea is genius. Also, packs easily for your lunch box. I used Westbrae Organics unsweetened ketchup & 2 tbsps. brown sugar & left out salt (worchestershire sauce is salty enough) because of dietary issues. But everyone I've served them to has really enjoyed the flavor & their size.
tracer396

Aug 14, 2017

My family loves these - always some onhand in the freezer. Add a few sides for a quick meal on busy nights or great to take to work for lunch.
dschultz01

Oct 13, 2015

I like this quick and easy way to make meatloaf. I used all ground beef, and it did increase the grease a bit. Also, I think because of the lack of bread crumbs, they were more like hamburgers than meatloaf, but still good!
DianeC23

Jun 9, 2015

Easy to make, and quite tasty. I didn't have the turkey on-hand, so I used ground beef only, which made it a bit greasy, but no more so than regular meatloaf. I'll probably make these again.
plewis8288

Nov 17, 2014

These were delicious but a bit greasy. That's not usually a problem but when I made them I took them to my husbands work for a "truck picnic" and they were a bit messy. Wonderful taste though, I was skeptical about no breadcrumbs but I vowed to try each recipe as is before I tweaked it. I probably won't do that with this recipe. They were lighter and I didn't have as much "repeat" as usual meatloaf. Very good idea and very tasty!
amysmess

Oct 28, 2014

I left out the hot sauce and chili powder. They came out dry after baking, not sure if I am going to do these again.
Beema

Jul 27, 2014

Review by volunteer field editor: I have a party coming up, and decided these mini meatloaves just might be the ticket. Make ahead, freeze and just reheat for the party = goo party idea. I took it one step further and used the mini muffin tins, twice, so I will have 48 mini loaves for the event. I already had a meat loaf mixture of ground beef and ground pork so I used that instead of the ground turkey, with the same excellent result.. PS, I just had to sneak one to taste test before I put them in the freezer! I rate this recipe a nice five stars.
vpango

Jun 28, 2014

This recipe has been enjoyed by many, many people! I had a part-time catering business - my specialty menu items were ?comfort-food? inspired. There was one job that I cooked for our church once a week - every week for a couple of years straight. This group varied from 75 people to 200 people weekly. When cooking for number of people and the same people week after week - it was difficult to be creative. In addition, I was challenged with several people in the group each week that had a gluten intolorance. That?s how this recipe was inspired. In place of the breadcrumbs in a typical meatloaf - cheddar cheese is replaced as a binder. Which allows this dish to be completely gluten free. In my opinion & the opinion of those who enjoy it - the cheddar cheese rocks this dish!! Instead of it being a firm meatloaf - it?s extremely moist & satisfying! = YUM!Another twist is the chili powder & instead of Cheddar Cheese - use a Mexican blend cheese - that gives it another depth of flavor with a little kick - but not too much that the most pickiest of eaters can still enjoy.Not only is it delicious - it?s SUPER SIMPLE! Just throw it all into one bowl?mix?bake! Another tip to make your preparation even easier - is to use liquid eggs!This recipe can also to cut in half or doubled?tripled or more to accommodate any size dinner.