Mini Meatloaves (quick and easy, gluten free)

Published January 19, 2021. Last updated September 30, 2021 By Elizabeth Lindemann &nbsp&nbsp/&nbsp&nbspThis post may contain affiliate links.

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5 from 29 votes

This Mini Meatloaf recipe is such an easy way to make melt-in-your-mouth tender, SUPER juicy meatloaves in a fraction of the time! Using oats instead of breadcrumbs makes them healthier and gluten-free. The best part: these individually sized meatloaves are freezable so you can enjoy one, two, or eight at a time!

Where did meatloaf get such a bad reputation? It’s AMAZING! It’s like a big fluffy meatball or burger without the bun. Comfort food at its finest. What’s not to like? On itsown, with ketchup, in a sandwich, with gravy… there are so many possibilities for such a simple supper.

And when the meatloafis made mini, it’sextra amazing. Why?

Not only do mini meatloavestaste amazing,they are alsoso adorable!
They are extremely quick and easy to assemble- with only about 10 minutes of prep time.
They can be made in bulk and frozen individually for really easy meals for one or two.
Because they are small, they take half the cooking time of traditional meatloaf (only 25 minutes!)
Meatloaf is already an inexpensive meal to make, and by making the mini loaves, it’s a little easier to make it go a bit further(and prevent you from going in for too many helpings).
You only need6 ingredients besides salt and pepper!

Have I convinced you yet? Good.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ground Beef – I recommend 80/20 for the juiciest meatloaf, but lean will work too, as well as ground turkey, ground chicken, or a mix of ground beef and sausage.
Onion – I recommend grating it on a box grater for the best results (so no big chunks of onion interrupting the texture).
Quick Oats – old fashioned rolled oats can also be used, as well as breadcrumbs if you prefer (see recipe notes below for specifics).
Milk – I used whole milk, but you can use lower fat, or plant-based for a dairy free option. I’ve also made this recipe omitting the milk entirely and it still comes out great.
Eggs
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Soy Sauce – you can use more salt instead, but the soy sauce adds a little something-something. Use gluten free soy sauce or liquid aminos if necessary.
Ketchup – for topping. This is optional. You can also use bbq sauce to top the meatloaf.

How to make mini meatloaves

First, MIX the panade in a large bowl. “Panade” is just a fancy word for the base of the meatloaf (or meatballs) minus the meat. In this recipe, it includes milk, quick oats, salt, pepper, soy sauce, grated onion (and its juices), and eggs.
Then, ADD the ground beef. I recommend mixing it with your hands for even distribution.
DIVIDE the mixture into 8 equal parts. I recommend pressing on the surface into the bottom of the bowl, then using a knife to cut 8 equal wedges, kind of like a cake, to ensure they’re evenly sized.
FORM the meatloaves with your hands into 8 rounded oval shapes. Place on a buttered rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish, if baking right away (see below for freezing instructions).
BRUSH with ketchup or bbq sauce, if you like.
BAKE at 400 degrees for 25 minutes (or until internal temperature is 160 degrees F.).

How to freeze the meatloaves

After you’re done forming the mini meatloafs, you can wrap them tightly in plastic wrap like a burrito and stick them in your freezer.

Before baking, make sure the mini meatloaves are fully defrosted. I like to unwrap them when they’re frozen, place on a buttered baking dish or casserole dish, cover with foil, and place in the fridge to defrost. Then I can just top them off with ketchup and stick them in the oven- no unwrapping necessary!

For a plastic wrap free option, you can flash freeze freeze the meatloaves on a baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer the meatloaves on a larger container or bag and take them out to cook as needed.

Can I make them bigger?

Sure! Form 4 or 6 mini meatloaves instead of 8 for a heartier portion size. Just make sure to cook for a little longer.

You can also put them in mini loaf pans instead of a baking sheet.

And, you can double the recipe to stock your freezer or feed a crowd. Or, cut it in half if you’re cooking for one or two.

Other easy ground beef recipes

Easy Shepherd’s Pie
Easy Baked All-Beef Meatballs
Southwestern Veggie-Packed Turkey Meatloaf.
Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) with Herb Butter

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Mini Meatloaves

Mini Meatloaves cook up in HALF the time of a whole meatloaf – an easy, fast gluten-free recipe made with oats instead of breadcrumbs.

5 from 29 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Elizabeth Lindemann

Equipment

Ingredients

1 onion grated
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons soy sauce (gluten-free if necessary)
2 lbs. ground beef preferably 80/20
ketchup or barbecue sauce for topping, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or grease a rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish.
In a large bowl, add the grated onion, quick oats (1 cup), milk (1/2 cup), 2 eggs, kosher salt (1 teaspoon), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and soy sauce (2 teaspoons) and mix until well combined. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes while the oats absorb some of the moisture.
Add the ground beef (2 lbs.) to the bowl. Mix well- for best results, use hands.
Divide the mixture into eight parts and form them into loaf shapes. (I like to flatten the mixture in the bowl and use a knife to portion it out into 8 "wedges," kind of like slicing a cake, to get even amounts).
At this point, you can wrap the mini meatloaves in plastic wrap or flash freeze to store in the freezer, or refrigerate until you're ready to bake (see notes for more info on this). Otherwise, proceed to cooking.
Place the mini meatloaves on the prepared baking sheet or casserole dish (as many as you want to cook – if frozen, defrost completely before cooking). Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees).

Notes

This recipes yields 8 mini meatloaves. For a smaller batch, the recipe is easily cut in half. To feed a crowd, it’s easily doubled.
For a larger portion/serving size,make 6 meatloaves from the mixture instead of 8 and bake for a few minutes longer.
Make-ahead / freezer directions: After all the loaves have been formed, wrap the ones you don’t want to cook right away like burritos in plastic wrap. They can be kept in the fridge for a few days until you are ready to cook, or freezer for up to 6 months. Before cooking, make sure you defrost in the fridge for at least 24 hours to fully unfreeze the meat, otherwise you risk overcooking the outside and undercooking the inside.
Ingredient substitutions:Old-fashioned oats can be used instead of quick(let them sit for a couple minutes longer in the milk/egg mixture).3/4 cup breadcrumbs may be used instead of oats. Lean ground beef, ground turkey, or even ground lamb, or a mix of ground beef/sausage can be used (they will be a little less juicy with leaner meats).Milk can be omitted or replaced with a plant-based milk for a dairy-free version. 1/2 teaspoon more salt can be used in place of soy sauce.

Nutrition

Nutrition Information Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:

Very Well Fit Nutrition Information Calculator

My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutrition Calculator

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Reader Interactions

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Comments

Cath.
June 08, 2023 at 5:11 pm
How do you cook them once defrosted
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  June 12, 2023 at 8:17 am
  This is answered in the post – here you go! Just bake them as directed in the original instructions once they are defrosted.
  After you’re done forming the mini meatloafs, you can wrap them tightly in plastic wrap like a burrito and stick them in your freezer.
  Before baking, make sure the mini meatloaves are fully defrosted. I like to unwrap them when they’re frozen, place on a buttered baking dish or casserole dish, cover with foil, and place in the fridge to defrost. Then I can just top them off with ketchup and stick them in the oven- no unwrapping necessary!
  For a plastic wrap free option, you can flash freeze freeze the meatloaves on a baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer the meatloaves on a larger container or bag and take them out to cook as needed.
  Reply
Beverly
October 20, 2022 at 9:02 pm

I made this recipe for mini meatloafs and loved it! I don’t usually like meatloaf but these were so delicious that I enjoyed every bite. I used high quality grain fed beef and left out onions (I am allergic) but otherwise followed the directions as written. This recipe is replacing all the other meatloaf recipes that I have ever tried. Thank you so much! ❤️
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  October 22, 2022 at 12:27 pm
  So glad you liked it!
  Reply
Lynn
September 07, 2022 at 9:22 pm

This is the only way I make meatloaf! My husband is a big fan. I use ground moose meat, and freeze extras for another meal. We love it with sweet potatoes and green beans.
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  September 20, 2022 at 11:01 am
  So glad you liked it!
  Reply
Margie Council
September 02, 2021 at 6:58 pm
I have made these several times. Just love to make small ones. We don’t eat as much as we use to. With potatoes and black beans tonight. Thank you for your recipe.
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  September 07, 2021 at 9:36 am
  So glad you liked it!
  Reply
Michelle Lourcey
February 04, 2021 at 9:20 am

This recipe was absolutely delicious, and I even substituted impossible meat (meat substitute) for the beef and my family loved it. So yummy and good!
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  February 08, 2021 at 10:33 am
  Oh wow, great to know it works with impossible meat substitute! Thanks for the tip, and glad you and your family liked it :-)
  Reply
Peri Caylor
January 25, 2021 at 8:37 pm

Love the instruction details and the pared down prep and cook time! Ground beef, chicken, and turkey make such great weeknight meals, but a single meatloaf takes too long to bake.
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  January 27, 2021 at 1:33 pm
  So glad you liked it!
  Reply
  - Ann Cotter
    April 10, 2021 at 12:20 pm
    I think your nutrition info is off
  - Elizabeth Lindemann
    April 11, 2021 at 6:30 am
    Thanks for catching this! I calculated it with lean ground beef, but just adjusted it to reflect my recommendation of 80/20 ground beef. The new calculation shows 356 calories / 25 grams of fat per meatloaf; for those interested, using lean ground beef will yield 224 calories / 8 grams of fat per meatloaf. Keep in mind, much of the fat cooks out of the meatloaf and is left on the baking sheet, so it will likely be a little lower in the end, and also I am not a nutritionist and I use an automatic nutrition calculator for my best estimate, so take these numbers with a grain of salt (I always recommend running your own calculations or consulting with a nutritionist if you need very accurate results!).
Kathi
January 19, 2021 at 5:06 pm

Great recipe but since I do not have a problem with gluten – I used french bread crumbs instead of the oats. Also added: 1teaspoon of mustard, 1/2 a teaspoon each of oregano and Thyme and a tablespoon of minced garlic as your recipe was to bland for my taste. I made the recipe for 4 servings and now have enough for meat loaf sandwiches for the rest of the week. Thank you so much for posting.
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  January 22, 2021 at 6:24 am
  So glad you liked it! This is definitely a simple, baseline recipe and I’m glad you were able to add some different spices and flavors to yours – everything you did sounds delicious!
  Reply
Monica Smith
February 06, 2020 at 9:20 am
Would it be a problem to use steel cut oats, or possibly quick cooking oats?
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  February 10, 2020 at 9:16 am
  I wouldn’t use steel cut oats, as they will likely not cook or become soft, but quick cooking oats should work perfectly! You can also use breadcrumbs for a more classic alternative :-)
  Reply
  - Margie Council
    January 10, 2021 at 4:29 pm
    I just love this recipe. I made it a few times. So easy to pull from freezer already mixed. Love the bbq toping. Thank you
  - Elizabeth Lindemann
    January 11, 2021 at 11:09 am
    So glad you like the recipe!
Althea in WY
December 31, 2019 at 8:58 pm

Just had these for dinner tonight and they were DELICIOUS!!! Thanks for a great tasting dinner idea.
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  January 06, 2020 at 8:58 am
  You’re welcome- so glad you liked it and it worked out for you!
  Reply
Hotwheels 1714
December 18, 2019 at 4:09 am

Just bought mini loaf pans from target, they were $4.99. I hadn’t tried the recipe, but looks delicious. Can’t wait!
Reply
- Hotwheels 1714
  December 18, 2019 at 4:11 am
  
  The pans were in the Christmas cooking section, I love them. I am wondering about timing of them being cooked all together.
  Reply
  - Elizabeth Lindemann
    December 19, 2019 at 9:03 am
    You shouldn’t have to adjust the timing if they all cook together! You can always stick a meat thermometer in if you are concerned- the temp should be 155-160 degrees F. Thanks for the tip on mini pans in the Christmas cooking section!
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  December 19, 2019 at 9:03 am
  Thanks for the tip on where to find the mini loaf pans! Love that idea! :-)
  Reply
roberta clark
October 18, 2019 at 11:30 am
Hi I am cooking for an xmas event with 20 people… could your recipe be made in cupcake baking pans.
thanks roberta
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  October 21, 2019 at 2:09 pm
  I don’t see why not! That’s a great idea. You may want to check out Rachel Ray’s “Meatloaf Muffins” recipe for cooking time and other suggestions :-)
  Reply
  - Jaimie
    January 20, 2021 at 12:18 pm
    If I wanted to add a little carrot and zucchini to the mixture do you think that would work? Would I need to adjust anything else (cooking them, etc)? Thank you!
  - Elizabeth Lindemann
    January 22, 2021 at 6:23 am
    I think you could add grated carrot to the mixture with no problem! Zucchini is a bit watery so you might have a little more trouble with it. If you add it, I recommend grating it, placing it in a mesh sieve over a bowl, and sprinkling salt on it. Allow the salt to draw out some of the moisture for 5-10 minutes, and then place the grated zucchini in a clean towel and wring the heck out of it to get as much water out as you can. Then, add the grated zucchini to the meatloaf. I think that should work! If the mixture seems a little too wet and it’s hard to form the loaves, you can add some more oats (or breadcrumbs) to help absorb some of the moisture. Hope that helps and good luck! I think this is a great idea!
deborah Smith
June 24, 2019 at 9:31 am

Great recipe; easy to make,freezes well and is super tasty!
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  July 05, 2019 at 3:12 pm
  So glad you liked this recipe! :-)
  Reply
Sherry Pennington
May 27, 2019 at 2:35 pm

Yum !!! Love this recipe. Will make again soon.
Reply
- Elizabeth Lindemann
  May 28, 2019 at 9:10 am
  Thanks! So glad you liked it!
  Reply
Kelly Stone
June 02, 2016 at 8:53 am
Just popped 4 into the oven! Looking forward to dinner tonight!
– Kelly
Reply
- Elizabeth
  June 02, 2016 at 9:31 am
  Hope dinner was awesome! :-)
  Reply
mike
January 27, 2016 at 9:22 pm
yum
Reply

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