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These quick and easy mini meatloaves are baked in a muffin tin and topped with a sweet, tangy tomato sauce. They’re ready in under an hour and perfect for a fuss-free weeknight dinner! You can even make these ahead and freeze them for later.
I love this take on classic meatloaf, but minimized.
I’ve made my fair share of meatloaves—everything from onion soup meatloaf to stuffed crockpot meatloaf and even an easy keto meatloaf. But these mini turkey meatloaves? They’re something unique! Years ago, I made them for an Award Show evening. They were the hit of the night. No joke! Everyone loved them.
Glazed with savory tomato sauce and baked in muffin cups, these palm-sized mini meatloaves are extra juicy and flavorful, perfect with a chilled glass of dry white. I love that I can make them ahead, too, since they last in the fridge for a few days.
Why I Love These Mini Meatloaves
- Lean, yet juicy. Traditional meatloaf is made with ground beef or even veal. I make these minis with ground turkey for a leaner option. With hints of brown sugar, spicy mustard, Italian herbs, and tomatoes, they’re just as tender, flavorful, and juicy.
- Quick. These mini turkey meatloaves are as quick to make as my air fryer meatloaf, in a fun, two-bite size that makes them perfect for parties or meal prep.
- Versatile. A meatloaf muffins recipe is customizable, freezable, and perfect as an appetizer, light lunch, or dinner. Their size even makes them a filling snack to take on the go. They really are out here covering all the bases!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I have BIG plans for these mini meatloaves! I’m already thinking of making these for Easter brunch or as finger food on Mother’s Day this year. They need just a handful of pantry ingredients, which I cover below.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card where you’ll find the full ingredients list with amounts, plus a step-by-step with photos showing how to make the meatloaves.
- Tomato Sauce – My favorite is this organic tomato sauce. I also love these organic diced tomatoes, which I use in this recipe. Remember to drain the canned tomatoes beforehand.
- Brown Sugar – This can be light or dark brown sugar or another sweetener, like honey. Maple syrup is another option that would add a different flavor profile.
- Mustard – You can use spicy brown mustard, Dijon, or yellow mustard, whichever you prefer.
- Yellow Onion – Finely diced or shredded.
- Breadcrumbs – I like to use Panko breadcrumbs as they’re larger and a bit crunchier. Regular breadcrumbs also work. They can be seasoned or unseasoned.
- Egg – Lightly beaten.
- Italian Seasoning – Choose your favorite store-bought Italian herb blend, plus salt and black pepper to taste. You could also use a combination of individual herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
Serving Suggestions
When I’m not enjoying these mini turkey meatloaves washed down with a Rossini cocktail as a party appetizer, I’ll have them with a salad on the side! They make a quick and delicious weeknight dinner served with a walnut chicken salad or Mediterranean salad. I also love them with mashed potatoes and a side of roasted carrots for a cozy wintertime meal. Keep the mini theme going with these chewy mini chocolate chip cookies or mini lemon cakes for dessert.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Mini meatloaves are wonderful for meal prep. Once they’re cooled, store them in airtight containers and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days. I love reheating them for easy lunches during the week!
- Reheat. To reheat, warm the mini loaves in the microwave until they’re hot throughout. You could also use your oven or air fryer. Usually, a few minutes at 350ºF does the trick.
- Freeze. These mini turkey meatloaves freeze like a dream. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then stash them in a freezer bag or container. This way you can grab and thaw as many you as need in the fridge before reheating.
More Ground Turkey Recipes
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Mini Turkey Meatloaves
Ingredients
- 8 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard, or Dijon mustard
- 1½ pounds ground turkey, (you can also use ground beef)
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 small yellow onion, finely minced or grated
- ¾ cup panko crumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin/cupcake tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- Make the tomato sauce. In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, light brown sugar, and mustard. Mix until combined and set aside.
- Mix the meatloaf mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and add 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce mixture to the meat mixture; using a wooden spoon, mix until everything is well incorporated.
- Fill the muffin pan. Divide the meat mixture evenly and place it into the previously prepared muffin pan. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until the internal meatloaf's temperature reaches 165°F.
- Add the sauce. Remove from oven and top each mini meatloaf with two tablespoons of the prepared tomato sauce mixture; bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the sauce is set.
- Cool and serve. Remove from oven and let stand for at least 5 minutes. Plate and serve with remaining tomato sauce.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Mini Turkey Meatloaves
It turns out, your standard 12-well muffin tin is the perfect size for baking juicy mini meatloaves! Here’s how to make them:
- Make the sauce. First, mix the tomato sauce, brown sugar, and mustard and set that aside.
- Combine the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey with the remaining ingredients, and add ¼ cup of your prepared tomato sauce. Use a wooden spoon to fold everything together, making sure not to overwork the mixture.
- Bake. Divide the meatloaf mixture between the wells of a greased muffin tin. Place the pan onto a baking sheet, and place the whole thing into the oven to bake at 400ºF for 25-28 minutes. These turkey meatloaves are done when the internal temperature reads 165ºF.
- Add the sauce. Now, take the mini meatloaves out and spoon the remaining tomato glaze over each one. Return the meatloaves to the oven for 5 minutes. Afterward, let the meatloaves rest in the pan for a few minutes before serving.
The Secret to Moist Meatloaf
Don’t overmix! Just like combining the ingredients for meatballs, take care not to overmix the meat mixture when making meatloaf. Too much mixing squeezes out the moisture and can make meatloaf dense and tough instead of tender.
I love that these mini meatloaves are baked in a muffin tin! Perfect size and they don’t have to bake as long!
Love these ideas! Yum!
Mini meat-loafs are a genius idea! My kids and husband would love these; they look delicious!
Can you believe I despised meatloaf as a kid?! Thnankfullyyyyy I have grown to love i. And these little babies? need to happen asap!
I so wish I had this coming out of the oven tonight as I watch the Grammys! I’ll have to look for the organic Hunts. I don’t think I’ve seen it at my store yet.
I love this idea! Meatloaf is a huge hit in my house, my boys devour it.This would be perfect to make and serve for lunches during the week!
My kids would love these – great idea baking them in the muffin tins!
Gah! These little meatloaves are so cute. I love that they are made in little muffin cups.
Oh perfume gifts! I know those far too well. I love meatloaf and will have to try the mini version next time
Love the idea; anything mini always seems to win over at my house. Great shots too btw.