BBQ Meatloaf Muffins

BBQ meatloaf muffins are a quick and easy dinner that’s perfect for busy families. These healthy meatloaf muffins are packed with flavor, baked into fun miniature portions, and topped with a tangy BBQ glaze. Serve them with creamy mashed potatoes for a comforting family weeknight dinner, or freeze them for the best freezer meals that save time and effort. These meatloaf cupcakes are a fun way to make the best meatloaf recipe your family will request again and again!

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Why these are the best BBQ meatloaf muffins

This recipe is very easy and quick to prep. Mix the ingredients, scoop the mixture into a muffin pan, and bake. That's really all there is to it!

This recipe is versatile. I like to top my meatloaf muffins with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, but you can top them with whatever you want: ketchup, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, salsa... your imagination is your only limit.

This recipe feeds a crowd or works for a whole week of meal prep. You will get 12 muffins out of one recipe. Hearty eaters may tackle 2 muffins in a single serving, but most of us eat only one (and I only eat half of one). The recipe freezes really well, so you can make a bunch and store them for a future meal.

This recipe is allergy friendly and great for special diets. Meatloaf muffins as written are soy-free and nut-free. With simple modifications, they can be dairy-free and/or gluten-free. You can also easily modify the recipe to fit with low carb, keto, and bariatric diets. (Instructions for all modifications below.) As always, please check the labels on all the ingredients to ensure they fit your nutritional needs.

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What you'll need to make BBQ meatloaf muffins

Equipment

• Muffin tin - Obviously a necessity to make any type of muffins.
• Garlic press - I always use fresh garlic and press it to make a paste. In this recipe, it would be fine to use garlic powder if you don't want to press fresh cloves.
• Scoop set - You'll only need a large scoop.
• Instant read thermometer - Let me first say that this is not a sponsored post, and I purchased the Temp Spike on my own with no input from any company. This thermometer was a game changer for me. It's a heat-safe, wireless probe that you can insert into meat and then put the meat in the oven, Instant Pot, or CrockPot. The base of the unit communicates with your phone, and you can watch the internal temperature of the food as it rises to your desired temperature.
  The reason that a lot of people dislike meatloaf is that it's usually way overcooked which makes it dry and tough. The Temp Spike thermometer alerts you to the temperature of your beef as it approaches 155ºF (and then it beeps obnoxiously when it hits the temp), so you are able to remove the meatloaves from the oven when they're just done and still juicy and tender rather than later when they're tough and dried out. I promise you that once you start using the Temp Spike, you will use it daily and your meals will be so much better for it. It's well worth the investment.

Ingredients

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

• Ground beef - I typically buy 93% lean ground beef, but that does not make good burgers and meatloaf because it doesn't have enough fat to keep the meat juicy. I recommend beef no leaner than 85/15 for meatloaf and burgers. If you want to make the meatloaf leaner, you can substitute half of the beef with ground turkey or chicken. I do not recommend more than half or else the meatloaf will be dry. You can also use half ground beef and half ground pork for a richer flavor.
• Plain breadcrumbs - These help to create a tender texture and hold the beef together. For a gluten-free meatloaf, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
• Egg - This acts as a binder to hold the muffins together.
• Milk - I personally use whole milk (dairy milk), but you can use any unflavored dairy or non-dairy milk.
• BBQ sauce plus additional for garnish - This gives the muffins a sweet, slightly smoky flavor. You can substitute with ketchup or tomato sauce.
• Worcestershire sauce - This adds a deep and slightly salty umami flavor.
• Fresh garlic pressed - This adds flavor. I always use fresh garlic, but if you prefer, you can substitute with garlic powder.
• Onion powder - This also adds flavor. One of my kids hates onions and won't eat anything containing them. If this were not the case, I would sauté half of a sweet Vidalia onion in a tablespoon or two of butter or bacon grease, until the onions are translucent and browning and throw that in instead.
• Kosher salt and black pepper - For flavor
• Fresh parsley - This is also for flavor but you can use dried or omit it altogether it if you prefer.

How to make BBQ meatloaf muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter or spritz with cooking spray.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
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3. Use clean hands or a large spoon to mix until evenly combined, but do not over-mix (or your meatloaf will be tough and dry).
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4. Use a large scoop to divide the meatloaf mixture evenly among the muffin cups, pressing gently to pack them in.
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5. Smooth the tops, and add 1 teaspoonful of BBQ sauce on top of each muffin for extra flavor and a glossy finish.
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6. Insert the TempSpike probe into one of the muffins in the coolest part of your oven (mine is towards the door on the right side but every oven is different), being careful to fully cover the probe up to the notch. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or to an internal temperature of 155-160°F.
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7. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully remove using a spoon or spatula. Serve hot with your favorite sides, like mashed potatoes and roasted carrots.
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8. If desired, you can make meatloaf cupcakes using this recipe. After removing the muffins from the muffin pan, fit a large tip on a piping bag and fill it with mashed potatoes (make sure there are no lumps). Cover the muffin with potatoes as shown below and serve hot.
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Variations

You can use plain old tomato ketchup, tomato sauce, or even salsa in place of the BBQ sauce. I recommend using the same ingredient in the ground beef mixture and as a topping. Don't mix and match.

You can use fresh garlic and onions or garlic and onion powder. I prefer fresh, but either will work in this recipe. If you're using fresh onion, I recommend dicing it and then sautéing in a tablespoon of butter or bacon grease until the onions are very soft and beginning to brown. This will give your muffins the best possible flavor.

If you prefer, you can add diced green bell pepper or celery to your meat loaf. I recommend sautéing these as with the onions above.

If you want a spicy meatloaf, you could add diced jalapeño or a few tablespoons of Frank's RedHot (or your preferred hot sauce) to the meatloaf mixture. You can pre-cook it or not.

You can add a tablespoon of McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning to your meatloaf mixture for a richer flavor.

You can make these muffins into mini muffins by using a mini muffin pan and small ice cream scoop or jumbo muffins by using a jumbo muffin pan and an extra large scoop.

You can make meatloaf muffins into meatloaf cupcakes. See below for instructions.

I love cheese and often add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese to each muffin when there's about 5 minutes left to bake. It melts and makes a nice crust.

You could make these pizza meatloaf muffins by using pizza sauce in place of the BBQ sauce and topping them with mozzarella cheese and a slice of pepperoni in the last 5 minutes of baking.

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If you want to make low carb meatloaf muffins, reduce the bread crumbs by half. I would not eliminate them altogether or your muffins may crumble. I've never tried it, but you could probably use powdered pork rinds or even almond flour in place of the breadcrumbs. If you give either of those a try, please leave a comment and let me know how it went.

Cook's tips for the best meatloaf muffins

I don't use cooking spray on my muffin pans because it leaves a residue on the pan that builds up over time and eventually makes them sticky. It's nearly impossible to get off. Instead, I rub a stick of butter over the bottom and sides of each well of the muffin pan before adding the meatloaf mixture. To be honest, I'm not 100% sure this is necessary because the ground beef probably has enough fat in it to allow the muffins to release nicely without greasing the pan, but I'm always afraid they will stick and ruin my muffins so I continue to grease the pan.

These muffins cook very quickly, so any raw vegetables you add to the ground beef mixture will still be raw when the meat is fully cooked. I suggest you pre-cook any onion, celery, or bell pepper you want to add to the meatloaf mixture.

How to turn meatloaf muffins into meatloaf cupcakes

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You can turn your meatloaf muffins into fancy meatloaf cupcakes with two steps!

All you have to do is add some mashed potatoes into a piping bag with a large tip and pipe the potatoes on top like frosting.

Voilà! Meatloaf cupcakes!

Making meatloaf muffins ahead

You can meal prep or make these muffins into a make ahead meal. Simply prepare the ground beef mixture as directed. You can refrigerate that in a bowl (covered tightly with plastic wrap) or portion it out into the muffin tin (also covered tightly with plastic wrap). Do not add the barbecue sauce until just before cooking.

You can freeze uncooked meatloaf muffins as long as the ground beef has not been previously frozen. If it has been frozen already, you should cook it before refreezing the muffins. To cook the muffins, thaw them overnight in the fridge and bake as directed only when fully thawed.

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Storing leftover meatloaf muffins

Allow muffins to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container or zippered plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Meatloaf muffins also freeze beautifully. After they are fully cooled, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until frozen solid. Then transfer the frozen muffins to a plastic freezer bag or airtight freezer container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

The purpose of freezing the muffins on a tray before adding them to a bag is to prevent them from forming one big muffin clump in the freezer. If you pre-freeze them, you'll be able to remove one or two muffins from the bag without defrosting the whole batch.

To reheat meatloaf muffins, I recommend baking them in a preheated 350ºF oven for 15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF (that's the safe temperature for leftovers). You can also microwave them, but I have found that they get a little rubbery that way.

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