Mini Meatloaf Bites (Printable)

Savory mini meatloaf bites topped with a sweet maple-mustard glaze, baked in muffin tins for easy serving.

# What You Need:

→ Meat Mixture

01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/3 cup finely diced onion
06 - 1/4 cup finely diced celery
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
09 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme

→ Maple-Mustard Glaze

13 - 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
14 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tbsp ketchup

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
02 - Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and let sit for 3 minutes to soften.
03 - Add ground beef, egg, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and thyme to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix gently until just combined without overmixing.
04 - Evenly distribute the mixture among the muffin cups, pressing lightly to fill each cup.
05 - Whisk maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and ketchup together in a small bowl to create the glaze.
06 - Brush or spoon half of the glaze over the top of each mini meatloaf.
07 - Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
08 - Remove from oven, brush remaining glaze on top, then return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
09 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Run a knife around each bite to loosen and remove from muffin tin.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They cook faster than a full meatloaf and somehow taste even better when they're the perfect bite-sized portion.
  • The maple-mustard glaze is the kind of sweet-tangy combination that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished eating.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, which means you've actually got lunch figured out for the next couple of days.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the meat or you'll end up with tough, dense bites instead of tender ones—your hands and restraint are the best tools here.
  • The glaze needs to go on in two stages so it caramelizes properly and doesn't burn during the full baking time.
  • An 85% lean beef works better than extra-lean because those few extra grams of fat are what make the bites juicy and delicious.
03 -
  • Use a small ice cream scoop or cookie dough tool to divvy up the mixture—it ensures even portions and makes the process faster and cleaner.
  • If your meatloaf bites finish cooking but the glaze looks pale, bump them under the broiler for sixty seconds to get that caramelized shine.
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