My BBQ Mini Meatloaf Recipe is a great weeknight dinner but they also look fancy enough for a special occasion. Keto Mini Meatloaf is the perfect size for kids and with bacon and cheddar, they are approved by the ones in my house. These keto meatloaf muffins are low carb, keto, grain free, and gluten free.
Most of the recipes I create are to please my family at dinnertime. I have 2 kids who love meatloaf and BBQ sauce, 3 who love cheddar, and all 4 love bacon. Making a recipe for mini meatloaf in a muffin tin was a popular dinner in my house.
Therefore, this is a pretty popular meal in my house. I've wanted to try this recipe for mini meatloaf in muffin tins for a while and I finally did tonight. I love these as mini meatloaves because everyone gets a good amount of the barbecue bacon cheddar topping.
Just don't plan on there being any leftovers. These low carb meatloafs get gobbled up as soon as they're put on the table. I love that this recipe can be a quick weeknight dinner or a fun appetizer that the kids can eat while waiting for the main course. No matter when and how we make it, there are never any complaints!
Ingredients
Ground meat - You can use a mixture of ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork to really enhance the flavor.
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Onion - Chopped onions add a sweet kick that pairs well with the other ingredients.
Egg - This is the binding agent and holds all the ingredients together while baking.
Sugar free BBQ sauce - Pick your favorite sauce from the store or make your own.
Minced garlic - There's always room for garlic flavor!
Garlic powder - Don't forget the powder.
Paprika - Paprika pairs perfectly with garlic.
Onion powder - Just a little bit of onion powder will go a long way.
Chili powder - If you're not a fan of heat and spice, this can be optional.
Salt & Pepper - Make sure to always season to taste. The amounts I have listed are suggestions. A great trick when making a meat dish is to fry up a small portion before cooking the main portion to check the seasonings.
Cheddar - Cheddar cheese is great for this recipe as it's such a flavorful type of cheese.
Bacon crumbles - Those little bites of bacon are such a salty, delicious burst!
How To Make Keto Mini Meatloaf
Forget the loaf pan and use a muffin pan instead!
Step One: Preheat the oven to 350. Combine all the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Divide the meat mixture into 12 parts and put in the holes of a regular sized muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 30 min.
Step Two: Remove the muffin tin from the oven and drizzle on the remaining bbq sauce. Divide the 2 oz shredded cheddar between the meatloaves. Sprinkle on remaining bacon.
Step Three: Bake for an additional 10 min or until the meatloaves are 160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer. Serve with extra bbq sauce for dipping.
Variations & Toppings
You can always add various toppings to your own meatloaf muffin. I'm a fan of adding toppings to my own servings of many keto recipes. Toppings can add nutritional benefits and make your own serving unique in flavor.
Sugar free ketchup - If you're not a fan of BBQ sauce, you can opt for using ketchup easily instead.
Shredded zucchini - Why not add a little bit of veggies into the recipe if you can?
Pork rinds - While this recipe doesn't really need it, you can use crushed up pork rinds as a binding agent to help the mixture stick together. Almond flour is another good sub for breadcrumbs as a meatloaf binder.
Italian - For an Italian flavored meatloaf with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and dried oregano check out my Muffin Tin Meatloaves.
Mexican - Make Mexican-themed meatloaf by subbing in fresh cilantro for the bacon and topping with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
Spicy - Add some hot sauce into the meat or drizzle it over the top when serving.
Common Questions
Why is my meatloaf dry?
Just be sure that you add in enough egg so that it's moist after you mix it. If it's dry and crumbly before you even bake it, it's going to be really dry once it comes out of the oven. The fat content of the meat will help, but you need to count on that egg!
What do I serve with BBQ Mini Meatloaf?
We like these with a variety of side dishes. The typical ones you find at summer picnics and parties such as Keto Broccoli Salad, Keto Cauliflower Mash, Cauliflower Potato Salad, Keto Coleslaw, or Caesar Salad with Bacon.
Where do I find Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce?
Most grocery stores sell at least one variety of sugar-free barbecue sauce. You just need to check which sweetener is used in it. Some are unsweetened, some use honey or maple, and others use sucralose. If you don't like the options in the store you can easily make your own with any of these recipes:
Keto Barbecue Sauce from Joy Filled Eats - this is ready in 5 minutes and has 3 flavor options!
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Ingredients
- 2 lb. ground meat I used 1 lb ground turkey and 1 lb ground pork
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 egg
- 2 oz sugar free BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz cheddar cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup bacon crumbles
Topping:
- 1 oz sugar free bbq sauce
- 2 oz shredded cheddar
- 2 T bacon crumbles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Combine all the meatloaf ingredients and mix well. Divide into 12 parts and put in the holes of a regular sized muffin tin.
- Bake at 350 for 30 min. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and drizzle on the remaining bbq sauce. Divide the 2 oz shredded cheddar between the meatloaves. Sprinkle on remaining bacon.
- Bake for an additional 10 min or until the meatloaves are 160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer. Serve with extra bbq sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Originally Published March 31, 2016. Revised and Republished March 24, 2022.
Michele Pieran says
Do you precook bacon before you add it into the meatloaf ingredients or do you put into the meatloaf uncooked. Sorry if this is a stupid question. Thanks so much!
Taryn says
You cook it first. When a recipe uses the words 'bacon crumbles' it does mean cooked, crumbled bacon. You can use the pre-cooked packaged type as well.
Michele Pieran says
Thank you!
Tara says
Hi! I made these last night and they were very much enjoyed by my 4 kids and husband! I only had one issue which can be fixed! You said to put the meat in muffin tins. And mine is slightly deeper than some tins. But I ended up with a huge puddle of grease in the bottom of my oven and the muffin tin was exploding with grease which I sopped up with paper towels. Next time I will place a large sheet pan underneath the muffin tin to catch the grease! Otherwise it was great and tasty!
Taryn says
Did you use ground turkey? Or another meat? I've never had that happen with ground turkey before. Sorry!
Tara says
Oh right! I forgot when I wrote that the recipe called for turkey and pork! That makes sense! I used beef!
Linda says
Do you have the nutrition values. Thanks
Taryn says
No, it will vary based on the BBQ sauce you use. If you are looking for the carb count the only ingredient that should have carbs is the BBQ sauce. The rest is just meat, egg, cheese, and a small amount of diced onion.