Everything tastes better in miniature form! And meatloaf is no exception. These cute little meatloaf cupcakes are irresistible to kids – big and small. And they bake in 20 minutes compared to about 1 hour for traditional meat loafs. I piped the mashed potato on for the photo but ordinarily I just pile it on then fluff it up with a fork – much faster!
“One of the reasons I like these is that they cook in around 20 minutes, compared to a full size meatloaf which usually takes around 1 hour.”
I really love meatloaf. But I find that to make a really good one, you need to make it big so you need to use at least 750g – 1kg /1.5 – 2 lb of mince. That is ALOT of meat! It is way too much for a family for one meal (unless you have an extraordinarily large one!). And to be honest, I am not the hugest fan of reheated slices of meatloaf. I don’t know why, but to me, meatloaf is one of those things that is sensational eaten fresh, then OK-ish the next day. Am I just fussy?
So one of the reasons I started making meatloaf in muffin tins is because they are great individual size portions. Because each “cupcake” is browned on the outside, I find that they reheat much better than slices of a large meatloaf.
“I piped the mashed potato on to make it look pretty for the photo. But ordinarily I just pile it on with a spoon then use a fork to fluff it up.”
The other reason I like making cupcake size meat loafs is because they cook much faster. A large meatloaf typically takes close to 1 hour to bake, whereas these little ones take around 20 – 25 minutes.
The added bonus is that kids find these irresistible! OK, so I admit it, part of the reason these look so cute is because I went to the effort of piping the mashed potato on. And no, I would not do that ordinarily! Usually I just pile the mashed potato on, then fluff it up with a fork.
“You can easily increase the amount of hidden vegetables in this.”
You can bake these after putting the mashed potato on if you want. The mashed potato will brown nicely, like in these Shepherd’s Pie Potato Skins. However, I am partial to the mashed potato being soft and fluffy for this particular recipe, without a crunchy skin.
The other tip is to increase the hidden vegetables. I only added grated carrots (and onion which is part of the base recipe), but you can add whatever shredded or grated vegetables you want. Shredded cabbage and spinach suits this well, as does grated zucchini. The mince mixture is quite wet and sticky so it will be able to absorb a decent amount of extra vegetables and still hold together – 2 to 3 cups. If it does start to crumble, just add a squidge of extra tomato sauce and/or an egg to bind it.
These freeze really well. Once they have cooled, the mashed potato forms a thin skin so you can wrap them in cling wrap and it won’t stick to the potato. They also last well in the fridge for up to 2 days (probably 3, but I like to be cautious).
Love to hear if you give this a go! If you have any questions, just leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to respond! – Nagi x
More meatloaf recipes
I love a good meatloaf!
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Meatloaf – extra tasty, extra juicy, extra soft!
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Meatloaf Cupcakes With Mashed Potato
Ingredients
Meatloaf Cupcakes
- 1 lb / 500g beef mince (ground beef)
- 1 onion , grated (brown, white or yellow)
- 2 small carrots , grated
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup tomato ketchup (or tomato sauce)
- 1 cup panko (or breadcrumbs)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- Pepper
Mashed Potato
- 2 large or 3 medium potatoes
- 1 tbsp butter (optional)
- 1/2 - 1 cup milk
Garnish
- Tomato ketchup or sauce
- Parsley , finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
Meatloaf Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Spray 8 holes of a muffin tin.
- Grate the onion and carrot straight into a large bowl.
- Add remaining meatloaf ingredients and use your hands to mix and combine well.
- Scoop up 1/2 cup of mince and use your hands to form a rough ball shape. Press into the muffin tin. The surface should be a slight dome shape.
- Repeat with remaining mince. It should make about 8.
- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until browned on top. Remove from oven.
Mashed Potato
- Peel and dice the potato. Steam or boil until soft but not waterlogged.
- Drain, then add butter and 1/2 cup of milk. Mash using a potato masher until smooth or to your liking. Add extra milk if you need it. The mash needs to be creamy but stiff enough to hold its shape when piped or piled onto the Meatloaf Cupcakes.
Assemble
- Smear a dollop of tomato ketchup on the Meatloaf Cupcakes.
- Top with mashed potato, either by piping it or just dolloping it on with a spoon.
- Serve with a sprinkle of parsley, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Any tips on making these a few hours ahead and reheating as little apps for a small party?
These were a HUGE success with my friend who I cooked for. The only change I made was to grill the top of the potato and add a homemade gravy!! YUM YUM!!
Fast cooking, and good for fewer to feed.
Made this with ground turkey, added a tad of Worcestershire sauce and omitted carrots – we were out. To make the entire cooking session faster I used microwave mashed potatoes. Served with a side of broccolini and it was amazing! Will be made many many more times. Thank you!
These are wonderful! My picky seven year old said she loves them more than bacon!
I thought I was being creative and unique when I thought about Cupcake meatloaf, My idea was to stuff the meatloaf with cheese or bell peppers and wrap a pie crust or crescent around the meatloaf so it could actually be a cupcake and make the ketchup the iceing. Its crazy how I was thinking about make mashed potato’s for the side. I’m disappointed with my self for doing research and finding this but happy at the same time bc now Ik how to really go about doing this. Hopefully I make a 100 on this project with this meatloaf cupcake meal.
Thanks Nagi for such a delicious and quick alternative to traditional meatloaf! I made it for the first time and it was a hit!
I had to modify due to dietary issues and it still came out great!
I am obsessed with this recipe! I made it for my family last night and it was a huge hit. Such a unique meal. Will definitely be making again. Thank you!
These were fantastic! So moist, made exactly as directed. Thank you! I will post pics and tag you on IG! 🙂
Where have you been all my life? I’m making your meatloaf tomorrow
Made this and it came out awesome!! Just didn’t add carrots because I ran out. Also, I minced some garlic in there. So good!
Very taste dish Thank you soo much
Made these for dinner tonight but combined the mince with some sausage meat and skipped the carrots as I didn’t have any 😂so so tasty. Ate them together with your baked broccoli balls though I combined broccoli and cauliflower. Super tasty meal 🤗 thanks Nagi
Yum! Sounds fantastic Priscilla! N x
Thank you for this, Nagi! This made even my picky people happy. I got crafty and added a little mustard for some brightness and tang. Delish, and much easier and faster than I expected. Can’t wait to do some make-aheads with this.
I haven’t made this yet. I was wondering if it would be good with lamb mince?
Hi there! I’m going to be making these this weekend but wasn’t sure how lean of beef you used? I have an 80/20 in my freezer and a 93/7. I’m thinking the 80/20 but just wanted to be sure!
Definitely skip lean mince here (use the 80/20) – otherwise you’ll end up with dry meatloaf! ❤️
has anyone made these in mini muffin tins? Just wondering if they would make a nice finger food.
I just made today. Would probably make good finger food. I baked one by itself first to see how it came out and grease was coming out over the sides of pan so did not grease the pan on second try. When using regular hamburger, it has plenty of grease already without adding more to it in pan.
They came out tasty. Carrots make an interesting texture and I used Idahoan brand Applewood Smoked Bacon instant potatoes for topping.
I made these in a mini-muffin tin and a big tin. The mini ones were like little meatballs with tasty mash. Turned out great! Will definitely use again, probably in loaf form to get those tasty meatloaf sandwiches.
I am going to make these for a group of friends but before I do what is the reason you used garlic powder versus fresh garlic sautéed with the onion? Also if I make and bake ahead is there any drying out once frozen and reheated?
Thank you
Pam
Hi Pam, you could definitely substitute fresh garlic if you prefer. These should be perfect to freeze!
Great, Great, Great!! A hit with my family!! My 10yr old son is picky about foods touching each other and he loved this! I make my own brown sugar sauce and use crushed town house crackers instead of bread crumbs!! Nagi you are a genius!! Ty for your recipes!!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit!! Except for bread crumbs I always use crushed up TownHouse crackers and I have my own brown sugar glaze I make. Were not a big ketchup eating family. Thank you for your recipes!!
This is great. I added some minced onion instead of fresh but it’s so good. I don’t have a meatloaf pan so cupcakes is easier. I’ve made this 4 times in a few months.
Terrific to hear you enjoyed this Steph!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know – N x