Description
Comforting Meatloaf Muffins blend classic home cooking with modern portion control. Hearty ingredients and simple techniques create delicious individual servings you’ll savor with each bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 1 tsp mustard
Instructions
- Preparation Setup: Warm the oven to 375F (190C) and ready a 12-cup muffin tin with light grease or paper liners.
- Meat Mixture Creation: Blend ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, and egg in a large mixing bowl, combining ingredients gently to maintain a tender texture without overworking the meat.
- Seasoning Infusion: Fold in diced onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, and smoked paprika, ensuring even distribution of flavors throughout the meat mixture.
- Muffin Shaping: Carefully portion and press the seasoned meat into muffin cups, creating uniform, compact portions that will cook evenly.
- Glaze Development: Whisk ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard together to create a vibrant, sweet-tangy coating for the meatloaf muffins.
- Glazing and Baking: Brush the prepared glaze over each meat-filled cup and place in the preheated oven, cooking for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160F (71C).
- Resting and Serving: Allow muffins to rest briefly after baking, then delicately remove from the tin and plate with accompanying sides like mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a fresh salad.
Notes
- Meat Moisture Control: Avoid overmixing the ground beef to prevent tough, dense meatloaf muffins; mix ingredients gently and just until combined for tender texture.
- Precise Temperature Monitoring: Use a meat thermometer to accurately check internal temperature, ensuring safe cooking without drying out the meat.
- Glaze Application Technique: Apply glaze during the last 5-10 minutes of baking to prevent burning and achieve a perfect caramelized finish.
- Flexible Protein Options: Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based alternatives for different dietary preferences while maintaining similar preparation techniques.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg