Mini Meatloaf Cupcakes (with vegetarian option)

3 Mini Meatloaf Cupcakes served on a white plate

My wonderful neighbor Megan was telling me about these little meatloaf cupcakes she would have as a kid. As soon as she told me the story about them, I knew what I was making for dinner that night.

The original idea came from a Kraft recipe I got a while back, but I had to switch things up a bit to make a vegetarian friendly version for my hubby. That being said, the pictures are of the vegetarian version using MorningStar Farms® Meal Starters® Grillers® Recipe Crumbles, but I give directions for both meat and meatless versions.

 So yes, your meat will look different. For you “real meat” folks out there….you do use raw ground beef. Feel free to use your favorite meatloaf  recipe….this is just a quick and easy version you can whip up in no time!

NOTE: Here is an updated post of this recipe

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Mini Meatloaf Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season beef to taste with salt and pepper. Mix beef (or veggie crumble), stuffing mix, egg, garlic powder, 1/4 cup of bbq sauce, and water in a large bowl.
  2. Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Divide mixture into 12 muffin tin cups and use your finger to make an indentation in each muffin.
  3. Fill the indents evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup of bbq sauce.
  4. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (or for vegetarian version, for 20  minutes.) Top each evenly with shredded cheese and bake for 5 more minutes.
  5. Let cool for 5 minutes. This step is for those who are doing the optional mashed potato topping. I used a ziplock bag with a cut off tip to “frost” the meatloaves. Simply fill bag with mashed potatoes, cut off corner of the bag and frost
  6. Top with peas and serve right away!
4.84 from 6 votes

Mini Meatloaf Cupcakes

When's the last time YOU had cupcakes for dinner? Now you can with these Mini Meatloaf Cupcakes.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef or vegetarian crumble as pictured
  • 1 package of stuffing mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup of bbq sauce divided
  • 1/2 cheddar cheese or cheese blend
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup of water
  • salt and pepper
  • For optional mashed potato topping
  • 3 cups of prepared mashed potatoes and 1/4 cup of frozen peas.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season beef to taste with salt and pepper. Mix beef (or veggie crumble), stuffing mix, egg, garlic powder, 1/4 cup of bbq sauce, and water in a large bowl.
  • Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Divide mixture into 12 muffin tin cups and use your finger to make an indentation in each muffin.
  • Fill the indents evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup of bbq sauce.
  • Bake for about 25-30 minutes (or for vegetarian version, 20 minutes.) Top each evenly with shredded cheese and bake for 5 more minutes.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes. This step is for those who are doing the optional mashed potato topping. I used a ziplock bag with a cut off tip to “frost” the meatloaves. Simply fill bag with mashed potatoes, cut off corner of the bag and frost

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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18 Comments

  1. Yum! We love meatloaves 🙂 I would definitely try this out. Thanks for sharing.

  2. I’m interested to try the morning star meatless crumbles for this! Is your husband a vegetarian? Do you use an egg substitute or will he eat eggs? Awesome topper idea btw!

  3. Forget my last comment…except the last part. A friend just educated me on the difference between vegan and vegetarian:)

  4. 4 stars
    Making these as we speak!! They smell super yummy and can’t wait to try them!!

    1. These are a huge hit at our house! I can’t wait to hear how you like them!

  5. 5 stars
    So I made these for my kids and fiancee tonight for dinner and it was a hit. EVERYONE loved it. This is such a cute idea and I will be making this again for sure!! Thanks!

  6. I wonder if anyone knows
    if these would freeze well? That would be so convenient

  7. 5 stars
    I just made the vegetarian version, and they were delicious! This is a great recipe, thank you.

    1. Awesome Sara! I am so happy to hear that you loved them 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    These were so easy and very well received. I made them with ground turkey. Thank you for a recipe that made my taste testers and favorite guy run to the dinner table.