[ recipe ] :: mini classic meatloaf

At our house, a good meatloaf is always appreciated. Especially when it is a mini meatloaf that serves 1-2 people, like these Mini Italian Turkey Meatloaves.

Last week, I discovered this Easy Freezer Meal Meatball recipe from One Hundred Dollars a Month and they were amazing, so The Hubs and I tried the Easy Freezer Meal Simple Meatloaf and were equally impressed! Try it. Now.

A few weeks ago, The Hubs and I picked up 40 pounds of glorious 93% lean beef from Zaycon Foods. We spent a few hours on a Saturday morning cooking and freezing the beef, and decided it would be awfully convenient to have a few meatloaves stashed in the freezer. Instead of making regular sized meatloaves, we made mini meatloaves so they would thaw in the fridge faster and we wouldn't be tempted to eat so much! 4 mini loaf pans equal one regular pan, so we ended up making 16 mini meatloaves from 6 pounds of beef.

I quadrupled the original recipe to use up some meat (the original recipe uses just 1.5 pounds of beef), but it can easily be sized-down to make a more manageable portion. Here is my take on the recipe to make two mini meatloaves. Since this recipe uses beef and is a bit higher in calories than the Mini Italian Turkey Meatloaves, The Hubs and I usually split one.

This recipe is perfect for a weekend meal, or you could double it to have meatballs for dinner later in the week!

Ingredients
Makes two mini meatloaves - serves 4




Meatloaf:
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic (about 1 large clove)
1/2 of a yellow onion, minced (I ran mine through the food processor)
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp ground mustard (or 1 tsp of mustard)
1/4 tsp pepper + a pinch to taste
1/2 tsp salt

Meatloaf sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce


For an Italian twist, add 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and substitute in Italian breadcrumbs. Instead of topping with a ketchup-based sauce, slather the meatloaves with marinara sauce before baking.







Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatloaf ingredients and mix well - using your hands works best. Mix the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl. Divide the meatloaf mixture between two mini loaf pans and top with the meatloaf sauce. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through (a meat thermometer should read 165 degrees when placed in the center of the loaf).

We enjoy meatloaf served with a big green salad and roasted vegetables, like squash or green beans. Today, we discovered meatloaf sandwiches and it totally changed the way we think about this food. Slice the meatloaf into 1/2" thick pieces, top with marinara (or your favorite sauce), toss on some veggies, and stick it between two pieces of bread. Holy cow. Delish. We had ours with a garlic remoulade, baby lettuce, and thick cut bacon atop sliced, toasted challah bread.

- Maggie White