MINI MEATLOAF RECIPE with CHEDDAR CHEESE (2024)

Published by Nellie on July 9, 2019

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Mini Cheddar Meatloaves made with just 6 common ingredients in under an hour! Mini Meatloaf is so easy to make- just shape and top with our special 3 ingredient sauce and bake. This meatloaf recipe is gluten free, low in carbs and absolutely delicious!

Mini Cheddar Meatloaves have become a new favorite dinner recipe at my house. A friend gave me this recipe quite a while ago and I admit that I kept putting it off because meatloaf has never been one of my favorites. I finally decided to try it and now my whole perspective on meatloaf has changed – this is absolutely amazing!

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How do you make a moist meatloaf?

I like to make a moist meatloaf by adding one simple ingredient- CHEESE! I would have never thought of adding cheese to the meat, but it adds a wonderful flavor and it keeps the meatloaf from being too dry. I used mild cheddar shredded cheese but any variety of cheese would probably be delicious. I think next time I will try a cheddar/Monterey Jack blend or maybe even mozzarella!

Another ingredient that adds moisture in this meatloaf recipe is milk. This recipe also does not call for bread crumbs like many other meatloaf recipes which I really love.

How long do you cook mini meatloaf?

I love the mini meatloaf concept – these meatloaves are pre-portioned making them easy to serve and they bake faster! These mini meatloaves bake for just 40-45 minutes. I think they look pretty on a plate too. I’m sure that you could make this recipe in a loaf pan and it would still be delicious, but this way you don’t have to slice the meatloaf in order to serve it.

How to make sauce for meatloaf

You only need three basic ingredients to make the incredible sauce that goes on top – ketchup, dried mustard and brown sugar. Don’t leave the sauce off either; it’s the best part of the recipe! The sauce recipe makes enough to drizzle over each mini meatloaf, but when I make this mini meatloaf recipe, my husband always asks me to double (or even triple!) the sauce because he loves it so much.

Ingredients in Mini Meatloaf Recipe with Cheddar Cheese

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp salt
1 lb. ground beef

How to make Mini Cheddar Meatloaves

Beat egg and milk together. Stir in cheese, chopped onion and salt.
Add the entire mixture to ground beef.
Shape into 8 small loaves. I have found that the easiest way to do this is to use my hands! Place the mini meatloaves in a greased 9×13 pan.
Prepare the sauce and pour on top of each loaf and then bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ingredients in Meatloaf Sauce

2/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar

How to make sauce for meatloaf

If you double the sauce, you can save some of it and warm it up in a saucepan to use as a dip also. It’s so simple, but it really is fantastic!

MINI CHEDDAR MEATLOAVES

Mini Cheddar Meatloaves made with just 6 common ingredients in under an hour! Mini Meatloaf is so easy to make- just shape and top with our special 3 ingredient sauce and bake. This meatloaf recipe is gluten free, low in carbs and absolutely delicious!

4.69 from 19 votes

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Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: meatloaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Mild Cheddar shredded cheese
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp salt
1 lb. ground beef

SAUCE

2/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Beat egg and milk together. Stir in cheese, chopped onion and salt. Add the entire mixture to ground beef.
Shape into 8 small loaves. Place in a greased 9X13 pan.
Combine ketchup, dried mustard and brown sugar to make the sauce.
Put sauce on top of each loaf and then bake for 40 minutes at 350°.

Video

Nutrition

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What to serve with meatloaf?

We love to pair meatloaf with potatoes! Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, fried potatoes, alfredo twice-baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes…for some reason, meatloaf just tastes better with potatoes! Add a green vegetable (asparagus, broccoli, green beans) and you have a complete, well balanced meal!

Is meatloaf gluten free?

This meatloaf recipe is completely gluten free. Some meatloaf recipes have breadcrumbs in them, but this recipe does not. This meatloaf is a wonderful low-carb, high protein meal option!

Need some other main dish ideas? We’ve got tons!

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Bacon Grilled Cheese
Easy Cheeseburger Recipe
Cheesy Meatball Bites
Easy Ranch Sausage Rolls
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Best Homemade Chicken Strips
Easy Salsa Chicken
Garlic Butter Pan Fried Steak
Easy Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken
Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Mini Cheddar Meatloaves are gluten free and low in carbs! This mini meatloaf recipe is made with just 6 common ingredients in under an hour! The special 3 ingredient sauce on top is amazing too!

ABOUT US

I began Butter, with a Side of Bread to delve deeper into my fascination with food! I love cooking easy, delicious recipes and trying out new products. Welcome and I hope you stick around!

MINI MEATLOAF RECIPE with CHEDDAR CHEESE (2024)

FAQs

Why milk instead of water in meatloaf? ›

Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.

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What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart? ›

In meatloaf, this is most commonly the eggs and breadcrumbs. Your binding ingredient is only second to the meat itself in your recipe and the reason why meatloaf crumbles. When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs.

What can I add to meatloaf so it's not dry? ›

Add one or two eggs per pound of meat for a moist texture. Make Use of Milk: Soak breadcrumbs in milk before adding them to your mixture. This will keep your meatloaf moist during baking. Slather on Sauce: Add a layer of ketchup, barbecue sauce, or a mixture of both on top of your meatloaf before baking.

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What does adding an extra egg to meatloaf do? ›

Sure, egg yolks add some rich flavor to a meatloaf, but the real reason we need eggs is for structure—to help bind the meatloaf together. This is especially important since we're making a free-form meatloaf, or one that you shape by hand, versus using a loaf pan.

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What happens if you don't put milk in meatloaf? ›

Milk adds richness and moisture, while the bread helps keep the meatloaf texture softer. So, omitting milk would omit some creaminess and moisture. Those can be easily subbed out by many other ingredients like chicken stock, cream, butter, etc.

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What can I use instead of breadcrumbs in meatloaf? ›

Crushed-up crackers make an excellent bread crumb substitute in baked dishes like meatballs or meatloaf. The crackers work just as well as the bread crumbs to hold the meat mixture together, and using varieties like salty saltines or buttery Ritz is a great way to add an extra burst of flavor to your dish.

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Should meatloaf be covered or not? ›

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

What is the basic meatloaf formula? ›

Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, onion, bell pepper, egg, tomatoes and oats together well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf. Topping: Mix ketchup, brown sugar and mustard and spread on loaf.

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How to make a Bobby Flay meatloaf? ›

directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. ...
Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. ...
Whisk together the remaining ketchup and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl then brush the mixture over the entire loaf.
Bake the meatloaf for approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

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Why did my meatloaf turn out mushy? ›

But what causes this to happen in the first place? The most common reason meatloaf is mushy is too much liquid added to the mixture.

What is the best binder for meatloaf? ›

If you don't have any bread, you can substitute it for breadcrumbs, crackers, cereal grains, oatmeal, instant rice, instant barley, or even potato flakes! However, bread is still the best choice of all the potential options.

Find Out More ›

Why do you add milk to ground beef? ›

As noted by Lifehacker, dairy has a pretty magical effect on meat, tenderizing it without making it mushy, and helping it stay juicy when cooked. And although ground meat doesn't need any additional tenderizing — grinding takes care of that aspect — it certainly can benefit from extra moisture retention.

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