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These Italian-style Paleo Mini Meatloaf Muffins are a convenient and hearty make-ahead meal prep option or a delicious dinner idea!
Gluten-free, low-carb, and quick to prepare, this mini meatloaf recipe is a family favorite!
Family-Friendly Mini Meatloaf Muffins
These Italian-style Paleo mini meatloaves are meal prep perfection! A fun twist on our gluten-free traditional meatloaf recipe, they’re bite-sized and easy to make. Plus, they’re loaded with veggies, spices, and a delicious sauce for a protein-rich option everyone in my house loves.
Even better, they come together with minimal prep time and a total time of just over 30 minutes. So, I love to prep a big batch at once to save for quick meals later in the week. Add a side of zucchini noodles, cooked spaghetti squash, a quick salad, or pasta, and you can’t go wrong!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Oil – I typically use extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe, but avocado oil will also work.
- Vegetables – Onion, Baby Bella mushrooms, garlic, and carrot add a savory, sweet, pungent taste, and picky eaters don’t even realize they’re there!
- Ground Beef – I always look for grass-fed ground beef like ground chuck, but any kind will work. I prefer to use lean ground beef, 80% or leaner for the best results.
- Egg – This acts as a binder, holding the mini meatloaf together.
- Marinara Sauce – This takes the place of ketchup in classic recipes, adding extra flavor and keeping the meatloaf muffins moist.
- Blanched Almond Flour – This takes the place of breadcrumbs, helping to tenderize the beef and add structure to the muffins while keeping the recipe gluten-free. It also adds a bit of fat to keep the meatloaf tender.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Himalayan sea salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes create a savory flavor with a touch of heat.
Where I Buy My Meat
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
How to Make the Best Mini Meatloaf Recipe
- Sauté: Heat oil in a small skillet, and sauté the onion, mushrooms, and garlic until translucent.
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine the slightly cooled onion mixture, beef, egg, carrot, marinara sauce, almond flour, and spices.
- Bake: Portion the meatloaf mixture evenly between 6 muffin tins greased with cooking spray, and bake until fully cooked. If the tops begin to brown too quickly, cover the pan with foil, and continue to bake.
- Serve: Let cool for a few minutes. Then, serve warm with the remaining tomato sauce, parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese, and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Use a meat thermometer
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of your meatloaf muffins reaches 160°F, meaning they’re fully cooked and safe to eat.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: Combine the meatloaf mixture, and press it into the muffin pan. Then, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to one day. Bake as normal when you’re ready to serve, adding a few minutes as needed.
- Refrigerator: Once cool, you can transfer leftover meatloaves to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Press the meat mixture into a muffin pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the meatloaf muffins to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight, and bake as normal.
FAQs
I like to serve this recipe with a side of zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or pasta. However, it’s also great with rice pilaf, dairy-free mashed potatoes, or grilled sweet potatoes. Then, add a quick salad, garlicky green beans, or air fryer Brussels sprouts, and you’re good to go. I’ve even been known to eat one cold while heading out the door!
Yes! Feel free to use ground turkey, ground pork, or ground sausage for different variations, if preferred. I don’t recommend using ground chicken as it tends to be too lean, causing the mini loaves to turn out dry and crumbly.
The moisture-rich ingredients should keep this recipe moist. Just be careful to avoid overmixing the ingredients, and keep a close eye on the oven, removing them as soon as they’re fully cooked.
More Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
Italian-Style Mini Meatloafs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup carrot grated
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce divided
- 2 tablespoons blanched almond flour
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes more to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil roughly chopped, for garnish
- Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and set aside a 6 cup muffin tin.
- Heat oil in a small skillet. Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic until translucent, let cool slightly.1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 onion, 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms, 1 clove garlic
- In one large bowl combine slightly cooled onion mixture, beef, egg, carrot, 1/4 cup marinara sauce, almond flour, and spices and mix well until completely combined.1 pound grass-fed ground beef, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup carrot, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons blanched almond flour, 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Divide the meatloaf mixture into 6 muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fully cooked through.
- Let cool for 3 minutes and serve with the remaining tomato sauce and garnish with fresh parmesan and fresh basil.1 tablespoon fresh basil, Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Make Ahead: Combine the meatloaf mixture, and press it into the muffin pan. Then, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to one day. Bake as no4rmal when you’re ready to serve, adding a few minutes as needed.
- Refrigerator: Once cool, you can transfer leftover meatloaves to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Press the meat mixture into a muffin pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the meatloaf muffins to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight, and bake as normal.
I have the same question. 1/4 cup or 2 tablespoons? Marinara Sauce or Tomato sauce? hmmmm….
This recipe looks delicious., but I have one question. How much tomato sauce is used in this recipe. The ingredients say 2 Tablespoons, but in the instructions it says to add 1/4 cup to the mixture and to serve the remaining tomato sauce.
How many mini-meatloaves does this make?
Lexie, I just made these — simply phenomenal!!! and so easy and quick to make. Thank you!
Hi Lexi, can coconut flour be used in this recipe instead of the cornmeal? Thank you!
Yes, any flour should be good!