Easy Mini Meatloaf Recipe with Homemade BBQ Sauce
Easy mini meatloaf recipe is made in mini loaf pans or muffins tins and topped with a homemade honey BBQ sauce, perfect for weeknights and meal prep.
Servings: 8 sm. loaves OR 12 muffin size
Calories: 192kcal
Equipment
- 1 8 count mini loaf pan OR 12 cup muffin tin
- large bowl or stand mixer bowl
Ingredients
For Honey BBQ Sauce with Chipotles:
- 1 to 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce *See note for spice adjustments (can also omit them for a regular BBQ sauce)
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons honey**
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- water as needed to thin
For Meatloaf:
- 1 pound ground beef, turkey, or chicken
- 1 pound ground pork or sausage NOTE: you can use all beef or turkey, but adding the pork really makes a flavorful, moist meatloaf
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup diced sweet peppers***
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup oatmeal or bread crumbs I prefer oatmeal and makes it gluten-free
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Make Easy Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce:
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and whir until smooth.
- If sauce is too thick, add water as needed to thin to desired consistency.
- Make Mini Meatloaves:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer, but using a wooden or stainless steel spoon works, too.
- Divide meat mixture evenly in an 8-mini-meatloaf pan OR into 12 regular sized muffin cups. No need to grease or line the pans.
- Liberally spread some of the chipotle barbecue sauce over the tops - you won't use all the sauce.
- Bake mini loaves for 25-30 minutes and muffin tin sized loaves for 20-25 minutes, until nicely brown and pulling away from the edges.
- Let sit about 5 minutes before serving with remaining barbecue sauce.
Notes
*Adjust the peppers to your personal taste: 6 canned chipotle peppers will result in a very spicy sauce. 2-3 peppers will be mild-medium, and using 1-2 will be mild. TIP: Freeze leftover chipotles with sauce in ice cube containers.
**You can use maple syrup instead for a different flavor.
***If you have frozen, diced peppers you can use them, but they first need to be thawed and pressed between paper towels to dry before adding to the meat mixture.
NOTE: the nutrition information below was calculated with loaves made with beef and ground pork.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/2 loaf or 1 muffin | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.8g | Protein: 24.1g | Fat: 6.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 459mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 5.2g
