Cheesy Mini Meatloaf

Cheesy Mini Meatloaves are the perfect portions of meatloaf.   These meatloaves are filled with cheddar cheese, vegetables, and tons of flavorful spices then are topped with ketchup for a tasty dinner.

Let's talk a little bit about meatloaf.   I don't really know what to say about this one.  Growing up we didn't have meatloaf very often and when we did it wasn't ever one of my favorite meals.  My husband, on the other hand, grew up really enjoying his mother's meat loaf. 

Early on in our dating and marriage I tried making a few different version for him but they turned out either dry or not very good.   Since then I've made two version that have been pretty good and really flavorful but we never eat the entire thing because it's way too much.

So when I found a cheesy mini meatloaf recipe in my Cooking Light magazine I thought I'd give it a try.  It has a lot of ingredients in it which can be intimidating but it has a great flavor.

Ingredients:

• breadcrumbs
• onion
• garlic
• ketchup
• fresh parsley
• Parmesan cheese
• prepared horseradish
• Dijon mustard
• Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• cheddar cheese
• ground beef

To make the mini meatloaves I started by sauteing the onions and garlic until they were soft.  Then I combined all of the ingredients, except a bit of the ketchup, and mixed them gently with my hands.  You do not want to overmix meatloaf or it will become dry in the oven.

After mixing everything together I divided the mixture into 6 portions and shaped each one into a mini loaf.   I put them on a baking sheet and then brushed them with the remaining ketchup.

After about 25 minutes they were ready to come out.  I had to admit they smelled really delicious.  My husband was excited about them as well.  I took a bite and was shocked by how flavorful they were!

I could really taste the horseradish, Dijon, and the cheese.  I don't know about you but cheese makes everything taste better and that's no exception in these Cheesy Meatloaves. 

 I like that these came together so easily and I was able to put them in the oven and concentrate on my side dishes.  It's a great idea for a weeknight meal because there isn't a lot of prep work and you can make the meat loaf, potatoes, and a vegetables in under 30 minutes.

Pro Tips and Substitutions:

• Don't want to shape these yourself?   Spray a muffin tin and roll into 8 balls and place them in the cups.
• Try a different cheese!   While cheddar is great switch it up and use blue cheese, Gruyere, or even mozzarella.
• You can certainly use different types of meat in the base of this.  I would stick with using at least half beef but you can use ground pork, veal, or lamb as the other half.

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Cheesy Mini Meatloaf

Yield: 6 mini meatleaves

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Ingredients

• ½ c. Panko breadcrumbs
• ½ c. chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅓ c. ketchup, divided
• ¼ c. fresh parsley, minced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan
• 1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ c. cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 ½ lb. lean ground beef (I used 85/15)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add in 1 teaspoon of olive oil and add onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes then remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl combine the onion mixture, breadcrumbs, ¼ cup of ketchup, parsley, Parmesan, horseradish, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, and ground beef. Mix together with your hands.
4. Shape the meatloaves into 5 or 6 patties and place on a greased baking sheet. As an alternative, shape into 8 balls and place in a greased muffin tin.
5. Brush each meatloaf with the remaining ketchup.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the meatloaves are cooked through.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 353Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 623mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 36g