Italian Meatloaf Muffins topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese cook in a muffin tin for a quick and easy 30-minute dinner!
Raise your hand if you like meatloaf! My family happens to love when I make meatloaf for dinner. In fact, it’s one of the few foods that we all agree on, which might seem strange, since it’s not the most exciting dinner in the world.
And even though it’s a family favorite, a loaf of meat that’s big enough to feed 7 people takes a long time to cook, which really heats up the house. In the winter, that’s not a problem, but since winters in Phoenix are so short, we don’t have regular meatloaf that often.
So, I started making meatloaf in a muffin tin, and now we actually prefer it this way. Usually, I make Cheddar Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins, since my kids love anything made with barbecue sauce. But I wanted to try something different, so I made these delicious Italian Meatloaf Muffins the next time around. It’s a quick and easy dinner and ready in just 30 minutes!
They’re a lot like the cheddar BBQ muffins, except that you add marinara sauce and mozzarella instead of barbecue sauce and cheddar. And, making mini meat loaves is practically the same as making one big loaf. The only real difference is that you bake them in a muffin tin instead of a large pan.
To Make Meatloaf in a Muffin Tin Just:
- Mix the meat and seasonings
- Place meat in the muffin tin
- Bake, and add sauce and cheese
The beefy muffins take about 20 to 25 minutes to cook. And when they’re done, you add a little extra marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese to the muffin tops, pop them back into the oven to let the cheese melt, and then, they’re done!
If the muffins get too juicy, you can use a turkey baster to pull out some of the extra liquid — works like a charm and prevents spills!
I served these individual meat loaves with mashed potatoes and peas, since the kids absolutely love that combo. It’s like whenever meatloaf is on the table, we have to have mashed potatoes and peas. But since we’re using Italian flavors, you could serve these with pasta, a side salad or just about any veggie.
This recipe makes 12 individual meat loaves, which is a lot of food. But the good news is that they make amazing leftovers, and they’re also freezer friendly. Just wrap them up, and reheat them later.
How to Make Italian Meatloaf Muffins
Mini Italian Meatloaf Muffins topped with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese bake in a muffin tin and are done in 30 minutes!
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons marinara sauce, plus additional sauce for brushing over muffins
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onions
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray, and preheat oven to 400 degrees
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In a large mixing bowl, mix the beef, 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce, onions, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, egg and Parmesan cheese together. Use hands to squish ingredients together and form into a large ball
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Fill muffin cups evenly with meat mixture, and bake for 25 minutes
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Brush marinara sauce over tops of muffins, and top each muffin with shredded mozzarella
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Bake for additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and internal temperature is at least 160 degrees, according to meat thermometer
My family loves these Italian Meatloaf Muffins, and I hope you will, too!
Happy Cooking,
Shared at Weekend Potluck
This is such a great idea! Plus I think my kids would love to see their own little meatloaf muffin on their plate!
This is exactly how my kids are, and they don’t argue about who got the bigger piece! 🙂
I would love to have this for dinner tonight!
These look totally yum and are perfect for individual servings!
My family would devour these for dinner!
These look great, Dee. I love the idea of everyone having their own mini meatloaf. Some of my kids like sauce on top of their meatloaf, some don’t. Some like cheese on top, others don’t. This is an easy way to customize to everyone’s preferences. Pinning this recipe for dinner next week! Visiting from Best Friday Features.
Thanks so much, Erin! My kids are the same way, so individual portions are perfect for us. 🙂
I love this idea. And it looks freezer friendly too!
I want to keep my freezer stocked with these!
Making meatloaf in muffin tins is a genius idea!
Your Italian Meatloaf Muffins are a great idea for a busy family! I really appreciate you sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen