Since having my fourth baby three months ago, I have been on the search for quicker weeknight meals. This recipe definitely fits the bill. My family happens to love meatloaf but I struggle making the large pans of meatloaf turn out without being tough and greasy. When I happened upon this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I like the concept of mini meatloaves and my kids thought it was “way cool” that they got their own little meatloaf. The meatloaf itself was incredibly tender and juicy – not tough and greasy like so many times before when I’ve made it and the glaze topping was perfect parts sweet and tart. For me, the key to the juiciness of the meatloaf was using both ground chuck and ground pork (if you can get true “meatloaf mix” from your butcher, go for it!), which I’ve never done before. This was a hit with my family and is definitely going in the tried-and-true pile.
Glazed Mini Meatloaves
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
Makes 4-5 mini meatloaves.
INGREDIENTS:
Meatloaves:
17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I used a combination of lean ground chuck and lean ground pork)
2 teaspoons oil (I used canola oil)
Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Add ground meat and combine until uniform. Shape mixture into oval loaves (I doubled the recipe and got 10 mini loaves, so when I make the recipe without doubling it, I plan to shape into at least 5 loaves – they were definitely big enough to be perfectly filling!).
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling. Add meatloaves (without letting them touch sides) and brown well on one side, 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip loaves over and tidy up edges using a spatula (I didn’t need to do this – my meatloaves managed to hold their shape really well). Brown on this side for another 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together until smooth. Transfer mini meatloaves to a foil-lined baking pan and spoon the glaze over the top of each meatloaf. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (or do like I do and cut one of the little babies open and if it looks done – pull ‘em out of the oven!).
Recipe Source: adapted from The Best 30-Minute Recipe
{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }
Anonymous – I’m glad you liked these little mini-meatloaves. It reminds me I need to make them soon! Thanks for checking in to let me know.
These were wonderful! Thanks for all of your unique yet down-to-earth new recipes!!!!!
Mel – what is your opinion on ground turkey?
Well, I intended to make this a couple of weeks ago, but then my son requested taco night instead, and there went my ground beef – ha! I finally made them last night, and they were super, super yummy! Even my dh who is not a meatloaf fan, said they were very good! I used 90% lean ground beef, and they were still moist and the glaze was perfection! Another one we’ll be adding to the dinner rotation! Thanks! And from one boy mom (we’re expecting our 3rd) to another – HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!
We had these last night…I didn’t have enough hamburger, so I threw in some Italian sausage…and it was wonderful! The glaze was so good–this recipe is a keeper.
My DH loves meatloaf and I really really do not, having had it force fed to me in boarding school every Wednesday. When I have made it for him in the past, I make something else for me.
Tried this and loved it! The only substitutions I made were finely chopped onions as I don’t have any onion powder. I used ground pork and lean beef, but by mistake I added the oil to the mixture instead of the pan! ( Note to self, read AND understand a recipe before proceeding!).
I am now a convert. So glad to have come across your blog. It is great!
I have these on the menu for this week! They look super tasty!
Mini-meatloaves are such a great idea! And they are so cute! They are little loaf-lettes!
I was an adult before I really appreciated meatloaf, and now I’ll even order it in a restaurant if the mood strikes. Yours looks delish.
I love mini meatloafs because they don’t take as long to cook! I’ll definitely have to try this one!
I made this last week and it was TERRIFIC. I’m not a meatloaf fan normally, but the picture made me want it, and it ended up tasting great.
I halved this recipe and got 3 loaves from it. I used about .75 lb of 80/20 beef, 10 Ritz crackers, no parsley, and I attempted to actually split the egg yolk and white in half (not easy and fairly messy and ridiculous, but I suppose it worked). Everything was GREAT. Very easy. I also halved the sauce, but I should have left that as a full recipe; we were wishing for just a small smidge of sweetness extra. We served this with a green salad and corn, and it was great. Thanks for this one, it has ended up in my recipe box — woohoo!
Julianne – loved the detail-filled comment. So helpful! I’m especially glad you liked these. Sorry about the mess of splitting the egg white and yolk – if it helps, when I have to do this, I usually lightly beat the egg in a bowl and sort of pour “half” into the recipe.
JoAnn – thanks for letting me know. I’m glad to know about the substitution of Italian sausage. I’m excited you liked the recipe!
Cute mini loaves!
for me, the appeal of meatloaf lies in the glaze. glazeless meatloaf need not apply.
WOW I will be definately trying these… my kids aren’t a fan of big meatloaf but love burgers…go figure!!
funfam – my opinion on ground turkey is a good one. I love to use it and I sometimes substitute it for ground beef, although I do think you lose a little bit of flavor (probably due to the fat). But anyway, if you are thinking of substituting ground turkey in this recipe, it would probably work great – maybe not be quite as moist, but you would definitely save on fat.
These look like they’re packed with flavor, mmmm!
Our family just started doing smaller meat loaf this year too. I make it in the large cupcake pans, which works out to being an individual sized portion (with a little less in the cups for the littlest ones, of course). Instead of having meatloaf for dinner we now joke about having ‘meat cakes’!
Oh I love meatloaf and I never make it. I may have to try this. The dijon mustard sounds good.
Ginnie – another meatloaf convert! I wasn’t a huge fan of meatloaf until we had these, either. I’m glad that you liked them. And thanks for letting me know about your changes – it always helps to see others’ variations. Thanks!
why does anything “mini” sound so much yummier?
Hi Jan – Happy Mother’s Day to you, too! Thanks for checking in to let me know you liked these (and that your non-meatloaf-loving husband liked them too!).
I once confessed on my blog that meatloaf is one of those recipes I just can’t ever get right. Well I tried this one tonight and it was FABULOUS! The pan frying step made a big difference and the pork really helped the textural issues I have with meatloaf. It tasted great, they looked appealing, and I was happy. Thanks!!
Celia – thanks for letting me know you liked these little meatloaves. I agree that the pan frying step makes all the difference. Glad you liked them and are converted to meatloaf again.
To quote my oldest married son, ” Wow, this is the best meatloaf I have EVER had!!!” It tastes like our holiday meatballs that are on our Christmas Eve buffet. He loves to cook and he asked for the recipe- twice. He wanted to make sure I remembered.
So hats off to you. I did make a couple of changes since I had no choice! I ground up some oats in my bullet since I didn’t have any crackers. I had only dark brown sugar and red wine vinegar. The latter chnages made for a darker sauce, but that we okay. Mine did not look like yours though. It seems that my suace soaked in more. I tried one with just ketchup to please a child and snitched a bite of it. I much preferred your sauce. I thought that the flavors would be too strong as I was mixing the meat, but it was pretty much perfect! I can’t wait to try more of your yummy reicpes. 
When I want to try something new, I head here first! Thanks again!!!
The Station Master – thanks so much for your comment! I appreciate that you have confidence in the recipes here and I hope they continue to please. I’m so glad this meatloaf was a hit – be sure to pass that recipe along to your son!
I’ve already tried you basil chicken in curried coconut sauce (still LOVE it, gonna make it soon, already got the stuff for it again…) & tried this meatloaf recipe, although I must say I never did like meatloaf- til i made this recipe. Also my SO couldnt resist second helpings when i made this & had me make it again! Delicious. I only had regular mustard so that’s what I used & only regular hamburger, still soooo good, thank you!!
AngelaMarie – I’m so glad you liked these minimeatloaves! Thanks for weighing in on your changes.
is it alright if i serve them w/ pasta??
or do the two not get along wif each other?? if im gona serve the meatball wif pasta,w/ the same meatball, wt sauce shd i make? thz
bipplo – sorry it has taken me a few days to get back with you. I think these would be fine with pasta. A little different, but I’m sure fine.
So glad I doubled the recipe on this one. These little babies were devoured by even my pickiest eater! The glaze was awesome and really made it complete. Great recipe!
Thanks, Alicia – so glad you all liked this meal!
I love your recipes! This is the first review I have done on a recipe of yours I have made. I made the mini meatloaves on Sunday and I think they are the best I have ever had! I would have never thought to fry them first. My family loved them because they didn’t have onions in them. You are awesome and keep up the good work!
Thanks, Krista! I’m thrilled the mini meatloaves were a hit and that your family loved them. Thanks for letting me know!
Made these tonight with a few alterations based on what I had–breadcrumbs instead of saltines (seriously, who doesn’t have saltines in their pantry?! Me apparently) and ground turkey/ground beef mix. I was really worried about the ground turkey because of how dry it can be–but it was all I had, and WOW! It was still the most moist and delicious meatloaf I’ve ever had. You definitely know how to pick ‘em!
Reyna – seriously, who doesn’t have saltines in their pantry? (I couldn’t resist teasing, I’m sorry…because, really, who doesn’t have saltines in their pantry??) I’m glad these meatloaves worked out with all your healthified changes of using ground turkey. That’s awesome!
I’ve never loved meatloaf as much as I love it now! I think I could eat this every day for a week and not be sick of them. I’ve always made little personal sized loaves because they cook so much faster. So when I saw this version, I thought I’d give it a try. Wow, am I glad I did. They are so flavorful and delicious, and the glaze is to die for. My family loved it too, they all said it was the best meatloaf I’d ever made. You’re in my favorites now, I’ll be looking for more. Thanks!
Krissy – thank you! I’m glad this meatloaf converted you to REALLY love it.
Do you think these would freeze well? If so, how would you reheat them?
Thanks!!
Rebecca – yes, they would probably freeze fine. If you can, I’d freeze them unbaked. Then bake them from frozen and add 5-10 minutes (or more, you’ll have to check them as they bake) onto the baking time.
Made this tonight, everyone loved it including my 17 month old (REALLY love that!) Thanks again!
Oh, PS: didn’t have fresh parsley, so I used about 1/8 cup dried (maybe a bit less); didn’t have cider vinegar so I used about 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon apple juice and 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, and it seemed to work well.
Nicole – thanks for including your substitutions. So glad this was a hit!
These little beauties just made it on my top 5 favorite meals at home list. My little 16 month old who will hardly eat a thing ate an entire loaf by herself. I was shocked.
Natalie – that’s huge news about your 16-month old. I’d be doing a dance around the kitchen for sure!
My husband has serious issues with meatloaf and ate every bite, and my 15 month-old toddler ate almost half a loaf chunked up saying, “Mmm!” the whole time. I used equal parts beef/pork as suggested = so tasty! While browning, I got a little worried because mine started to break apart a little. But I think I may have had a little too much meat in my mixture. Still they held together well through baking. I found this to be one of your quicker recipes to make, so thank you for the time savings! I admit I had my doubts about the glaze since it was so simple, but it gels nicely and was delicious!
Another fabulous recipe from you! Whenever I am stumped for dinner I just check out your site to find something to make – this meatloaf was so good – I did use ground turkey though but it was so good! Thanks again for another wonderful dinner!
Just made this meatloaf a few days ago and eating leftovers right now – this is DEFINITELY the best meatloaf! After making a flop of a meatloaf a month ago and eating a flop of a meatloaf at a catered lunch, I am so glad I found this recipe!
AMAZING! I found my new meatloaf recipe! Thank you for being such an amazing cook n sharing your talents n skills w us! I’m on your site almost daily looking for new recipes! Thanks for the tutorials also! I’ve never made rolls before because I was nervous they wouldn’t turn out! Watched your tutorial on yeast n shaping rolls n had the best rolls ever!! I constantly am sending ppl to your site when they ask where I got the recipe! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! Keep it up!!
I made these and I really liked them. The mustard gives them a twang. First couple of bites I wasn’t sure about the amount of mustard, but with the glaze it was really good. Glaze was much better than using just ketchup. The timing was perfect, they were very moist. As I live alone now, (my son is off and married
), I am trying to make recipes I can put in portions and freeze the extras. Otherwise I end up eating the same thing all week, twice for dinner, one for lunch and by the fourth time I look at I am throwing it in the trash. I tried making a mini meatloaf recipe in the muffin cups, but it came out dry. Thanks for a great recipe.
I’m making these for Halloween and forming them as graves or coffins. I think I’ll to coffins and make little paper headstones on a toothpick! So excited! I have tried a lot of recipes since your sister Emily referred me to your blog. I have loved every one of them! This is one of my go to sites for recipes now. Thanks!!
OMG!! Made this last night with some minor changes!! If I ever learned to read the directions prior to going to the grocery store than maybe I wouldn’t have had to make these changes. But instead of fresh parsley I used dried. Getting the measurement right was TRICKY! So I eyeballed it, I would say a little over a teaspoon. And I didn’t use ketchup for the sauce, I’ve always been scared to since it’s in a bottle. Instead I used just a can of tomato sauce. Didn’t pick up any brown sugar b/c I thought I had some but turns out it wasn’t good anymore. So I had to use just sauce but I added a ton of cheese on top, like I normally do with my own recipe. I also only used a 1lb of meat and toned down the salt & Worcestershire sauce b/c I knew that it could potentially get too salty. But OVERALL it turned out AMAZING!! MY BOYFRIEND WAS IN HEAVEN!! Definitely better than mine!! Thank you so much for another GREAT recipe!!
I just found your website and absolutely love it. I have already made several recipes and they are all fabulous! I recently made the glazed mini meat loaves and they are delicious – moist and tasty. I doubled the recipe – didn’t realize it would make so much (or underestimated our appetites) so gave my sister some. Her husband and son loved it! Do you think it would taste a lot different if I used bread crumbs? I’ll try it and see what happens.
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