Balsamic glazed mini meatloaf is the perfect solution for rushed weeknight dinners! These meatloaves cook up quickly thanks to their smaller size, are packed with kale, topped with crunchy bacon, and smothered in the best-ever balsamic sauce.

mini meatloaf topped with bacon on parchment paper beside roasted fries

We originally made a version of these mini meatloaves for our Cook Once, Eat All Week bonus eBook (you can grab your copy here) about a year ago, and I loved them so much that I found myself making them for dinner on a regular basis. I couldn’t get enough of the combination of tender beef, salty bacon, and sweet and tangy balsamic sauce – which quickly became one of my go-to marinades for everything from chicken to pork tenderloin. They come together quickly and bake in just 30 minutes, plus you can easily roast some fries or veggies alongside them for a nearly hands-off dinner.

The main reason I love making mini meatloaves over traditional meatloaves is because of the time savings! Traditional meatloaf can sometimes take over an hour to cook, which meant I used to only make this classic comfort food dish on Sundays. The miniature version bakes up faster, plus they are cute and everyone can have their own!

How to Make Mini Meatloaf

You’ll see that a lot of mini meatloaf recipes around the web are made in muffin tins, and while we love that idea, we found that depending on the fat content of the ground beef you use (and the bacon) you could often wind up with a super greasy, messy result. Baking the meatloaves directly on a sheet pan eliminates that problem! Here’s what you’ll need to do to make these:

  1. Mix the balsamic glaze. This glaze is a combination of dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, and garlic powder. Simply whisk it together for the perfect sweet, tangy, and savory topping.
  2. Chop the kale. In this recipe, we call for 2 cups of shredded lacinato kale, though you could also use curly kale or chop up spinach in its place! Wash and de-stem the kale, then finely shred it and set aside.
  3. Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients together. Next, you’ll add 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, the kale, 1/4 cup of the balsamic glaze, breadcrumbs, an egg, and a few simple seasonings to a bowl, then mix it all up with your hands until fully combined.
  4. Shape the meatloaves. Once the meatloaf mixture is ready, simply line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then divide the mixture into five and shape it into mini meatloaves. Top each meatloaf with a piece of bacon cut in half crosswise, then baste with the balsamic glaze.
  5. Bake. Place the meatloaves in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 F, then remove from the oven and serve!
mini meatloaf topped with bacon on parchment paper beside roasted fries

What to Serve With Mini Meatloaf

For this recipe, we decided to bake oven fries alongside our meatloaf. Simply cut about 1 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes into wedges, toss with one tablespoon of avocado or olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt, then spread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cook at 375 F for 40-45 minutes, until browned. You can make these on the lower oven rack while the meatloaf cooks on top! If you’re not in the mood for fries, here are a few more side dish ideas:

Free Ground Beef for Life!

Our favorite ground beef to use for these mini meatloaves comes from ButcherBox. I’ve used ButcherBox’s subscription service for years now and love how convenient it is to get grass-fed, pasture-raised, proteins delivered directly to your door! For more information on how the service works, check out our ButcherBox review. One of my favorite items in my monthly ButcherBox is their grass-fed ground beef because it’s perfect to have on hand for quick and easy dinners like this one, and it is cost-effective. Right now when you sign up for your first ButcherBox, you can get 2 pounds of grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef for free in each box – FOR LIFE.

Click HERE to get your ground beef!

Just for You

Beef Recipes

Want more recipes like this?

Mini Meatloaves with Balsamic Glaze

5 from 1 vote
By Cassy Joy Garcia
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
These mini meatloaves bake in just 30 minutes, are loaded with veggies, and topped with the most deliciously sweet and tangy balsamic glaze!

Ingredients  

For the Balsamic Glaze

  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

For the Meatloaves

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cups shredded kale – we used lacinato, but curly kale or spinach will work, too
  • Balsamic glaze
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or almond flour*
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 5 strips of bacon cut in half crosswise

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, kale, 1/4 cup of the balsamic glaze, breadcrumbs, almond flour, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper until it’s evenly combined, then set aside.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then shape the meat mixture into 5 small loaves. Top each mini meatloaf with 2 pieces of bacon, then glaze with the balsamic sauce.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tops of the meatloaves are browned and the internal temperature has reached 160 F.

Recipe Notes

You can use whatever breadcrumbs you prefer here! We used these for gluten free, but you can also make your own from bread, grind up oats, or use almond flour for a grain-free swap.
If you’d like your bacon to get a little bit more crisp, turn on your broiler and let the meatloaves cook for a few more minutes, but watch them closely to make sure that the meatloaves and the parchment don’t burn!

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1152mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2742IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 4mg

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 559
Keyword: balsamic, beef, gluten free, ground beef, meatloaf, mini, muffins, paleo

Like this recipe?

Leave a comment


About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


More Like This

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




14 Comments

    1. Just mixed together! It will caramelize while baking in the oven. ~Melissa

  1. 5 stars
    This was really good! Maybe the best meatloaf I’ve ever had. And the picky kids ate it up too. Oh, and we skipped the bacon and kale :/ because our supermarket was out of both. Still great.

    1. So glad you all loved this one, Jennifer! Thank you for letting us know!

  2. Quick question…..we get Butcher Box and LOVE it!!!! But, there ground beef is 85/15……is that what you use or should I buy a different one from the grocery store?