Muffin tin meatloaves are one of the best things I have eaten in a long time! They are so much faster to make than traditional meatloaf. Plus, they are so juicy and packed with flavors you won't forget. The kids will eat them like there is no tomorrow too. This easy recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
I know that it can be utter torture for you and your kids to try to sweet talk them into eating their veggies. Well, I have a little secret for you. If you hide veggies in some of your main courses, odds are no one is even going to notice. That can be so much easier than sticking a giant helping of vegetables on their plates.
Thankfully, my kids do pretty good at eating vegetables, but I know that there are many who don't. That was part of my philosophy behind these mini meatloaves in muffin tins. I can sneak in some extra nutrients, and they will gobble it up before they know what hit them. So, give these a try, and you will be amazed at how fast they disappear.
How To Make Muffin Tin Meatloaves
Step 1: Prepare an 18-hole muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
TIP: If you would rather use aluminum cupcake liners instead of cooking spray, that's fine. It makes cleaning up much easier and faster.
Step 2: Mix together the ground turkey or beef, grated zucchini, egg, shredded cheese, garlic, onion, and salt. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, divide the meatloaf mixture amongst the muffin tins. They should all be relatively close in size.
Step 3: Take a small cube of mozzarella cheese and add it to each mini meatloaf. Press it inside and cover with sauce.
Step 4: Bake until cooked all the way through and serve. Enjoy!
Muffin Tin Meatloaves Variations
You know I had mentioned hiding veggies in some of the meals I make. Well, you can hide more than zucchini in these meatloaves. I wanted to give you a few different ideas. Keep in mind; I would hide them all at once. You can just vary it from meal to meal. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Carrots - Grate them really fine and toss some in. I would just use one or two carrots, so it's not a ton. They have a natural sweetness that will go lovely in this dish.
- Bell Peppers - Most kids aren't too keen on cooked bell peppers. Make sure they are diced up pretty small, and they won't even notice.
- Celery - It provides a slight crunch and lots of flavor to the muffin tin meatloaves. Try it, and you will love it!
- Spinach - If you eat spinach very often, you know that it's doesn't add a lot of flavors. You're adding nutrients, and they probably won't even notice the color in there.
- Broccoli - I recommend making the broccoli pieces really small. Broccoli is so tasty, especially when you eat it in meatloaf.
How Much Faster Is It To Cook Mini Meatloaves vs. Regular Meatloaf?
My mini meatloaves take around 30-35 minutes to bake. When you bake a traditional full-sized meatloaf, you are looking 1 hour to 1 ½ hours. So, if you are short on time, making mini meatloaves is the way to go because, at a minimum, it cuts the cooking time in half.
How Do You Store Muffin Tin Meatloaves?
Store the muffin tin meatloaves in an airtight container. You could use a ziplock bag, plastic container, or glass depending on whichever you have on hand. They will last 3-5 days in the fridge.
If you ever notice they have a funny odor, seem dried out, or are really liquidy, they have started to go bad, so I recommend tossing them. Mold growing is another indicator that they are no longer good.
How Do You Reheat Muffin Tin Meatloaves?
The fastest way to reheat the meatloaf muffins is to warm them in the microwave. Just place them on a plate, cover with a paper towel, and heat them for 30 seconds or so. If you cook them too long, they will pop and shoot sauce all over the microwave, so less is more. They heat up fast, so check them every 30 seconds then reheat until they are hot enough.
You could also warm them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. I recommend 350 degrees F. You'll just want them hot and try not to bake them longer than that. Otherwise, they may dry out.
Can You Freeze Muffin Tin Meatloaves?
Yes, absolutely, you can freeze keto meatloaf muffins very quickly. I like to flash freeze them first, so they don't stick together. If you don't know how to flash freeze, it's super easy. Just set the mini meatloaf muffins on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Then when they have frozen pretty firm, place them in an airtight container.
Defrost them the night before then reheat when ready to serve. They're perfect for meal prepping and planning!
In the mood for even more flavorful meatloaf recipes? Try some of these mouthwatering dishes:
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Ingredients
- 1.25 - 1.5 lb ground turkey or beef
- 1 medium zucchini grated
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup grated asiago or parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese cut into 18 cubes
- 8 oz keto marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Spray 18 holes of two regular sized muffin tins with cooking spray. Or line with foil liners for easier cleanup and then spray.
- Stir together meat, grated zucchini, egg, grated cheese, garlic, onion, and salt. Divide the meat between the holes of the prepared muffin tins. Press one cube of mozzarella into each meatloaf. Spoon a little sauce on each.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until cooked through. Serve with additional sauce if desired.
Nutrition
Originally Published January 26, 2017. Revised and Republished October 24, 2019.
Andrea says
These are really good but beware that the sauce might run over the cups and into the bottom of the oven making for a smoky house. I have to put extra cookie sheets under mine to catch the run off.
Taryn says
Thanks for the tip! Using an extra-large muffin tin could help too.
Carrie says
I have made these several times and my whole family loves them! I'm curious...have you ever used ground chicken? Just wondered if they would turn out as well as the turkey. Thank you for this great recipe!
Taryn says
I haven't because we prefer ground turkey but I'm sure it would work!
Byron says
I'm making it now but the oven temp says 350 degrees at beginning of article but 400 degrees below the ingredients in the instructions. Does it make a difference?
Taryn says
Sorry for the delay. Either temp will work but the cook time will differ a bit. I will edit the post to clarify!
Chelsea says
I’ve been doing keto for a while so I’m always looking for ways to switch it up a little bit. These were delicious! It’s so nice to find a keto friendly recipe that my whole family loves. (I didn’t tell them there was zucchini in it, and they would never know!) My only question is, I know zucchini naturally has a lot of moisture, I even wrung it out a little, but there was still a lot of liquid in the bottom of each muffin tin. Do you try and get out the moisture first or just deal with it? Thanks again!
Taryn says
I just ignore the moisture. You could add some coconut flour to absorb it if you want.
Marie says
Made these and they were awesome! I used deer meat cause that was all I had. Loved how the zucchini was hidden in there no one knew it was there. Will be making again for sure.
Emily says
So delicious! I used spinach instead of zucchini and added Italian seasoning to the meat mixture. Next time I will decrease the salt a bit as I found it too salty. Served with green beans and roasted potatoes (for the carb eaters in the family). Will definitely make again!
Ana says
Do you cook the beef before putting these in the oven?
Taryn says
No, it cooks in the oven as they bake.
Donna M Barry says
Is it ok to leave the zucchini out?
Taryn says
Yes, or you could sub in spinach.
denise remy says
So these freeze well?
Taryn says
Yes, they are very similar to meatballs and those always freeze well.
Deborah says
Any suggestions instead of Zucchini?
Taryn says
Spinach would sub in well.
Rachel says
These are on our rotation. Easy. Fun. Yummy. The trifecta of taste!
Brenda says
How "big" is a medium zucchini, or, in other words, how much grated zucchini, to you use?
Taryn says
About 1 cup of shredded zucchini.
Amber says
I made these for dinner tonight, my whole family loved them!! They're delicious!!
Sara Jones says
Made these for dinner tonight. We loved them. I will make these again! Thank you.
Dolores says
I made these last and the were delicious. My husband said I really put my foot in this. Definitely making these again.
Sandie says
These were absolutely delicious! Served with cheesy asparagus and my husband said that was a delicious meal I should make over and over! Thank you. You don't even know there's zucchini hidden inside!