These BBQ meatloaf muffins made with beef and quinoa make a delicious, healthy, and protein-packed dinner for the whole family! Baked in muffin tins and ready in just 40 minutes, you can serve this mini kid-friendly meatloaf as a main dish or make it ahead of time as a freezer meal! Each one is super moist, and they’re made without breadcrumbs, so they’re gluten-free, too!
Table of Contents
Beef and Quinoa Meatloaf Muffins
These BBQ meatloaf muffins come together in literally minutes with just a handful of ingredients, and they’re perfectly portioned. This recipe is even appropriate to serve to little ones, so you can truly nourish everyone with one simple meal!
Serve this mini meatloaf recipe as an easy dinner with healthy roasted potatoes and roasted ranch carrots for a well-balanced meal, or pop them in lunchboxes to add some extra protein to these sweet potato kale bowls. They also make a great finger food for babies and toddlers!
For more quinoa and beef recipes, be sure to also check out this Quinoa Chili with Meat and Ground Beef Quinoa Bowl!
Why You’ll Love This Beef and Quinoa Meatloaf Recipe
- Perfect Size: Because these mini meatloaves are made in a muffin pan, they’re the perfect individual servings for little ones (and they love them!) and you can easily serve them to adults too. Since they’re smaller, they also cook much faster than regular meatloaf and are fun to make and eat!
- Healthy: These meatloaves may be mini, but they pack a nutritional punch! Each “baby” meatloaf is around 125 calories and a whopping 14g of protein. You get a lot of vitamins and minerals including iron, potassium and B vitamins from the quinoa. They’re dietitian-approved!
- Make-ahead: I love to have a batch of these meatloaf muffins on hand since they keep well in the fridge for easy lunches and are also freezer-friendly. They make dinner time so much easier!
- Naturally gluten-free: A lot of meatloaf recipes will call for breadcrumbs to help bind the ingredients together and soak up any moisture. In this non-traditional meatloaf recipe, the breadcrumbs are replaced with quinoa. You still get a wonderfully juicy bite but without the gluten, which is perfect if anyone in the family has an intolerance. Plus, you get a whole load of nutrients from the quinoa too!
Ingredient Notes
- Beef: Use extra lean ground beef to reduce saturated fat. You can also sub in ground turkey or chicken.
- Quinoa: Cooked quinoa takes the place of bread crumbs and helps to bind the meatloaf together. You’ll need one cup of cooked quinoa for this recipe.
- BBQ sauce: Adds a great flavor and a nice smoky sweetness kids love. Try to find a BBQ sauce that’s lower in sugar with minimally processed ingredients. Look for one without honey if serving these bites to babies under the age of one.
- Parmesan cheese: For a little extra flavor. Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
- Onion: Shred the onion to add that oniony flavor without having large chunks of onion in every bite. This makes them more kid-friendly, too!
- Fresh garlic: You can also sub in pre-minced garlic or garlic powder if in a pinch.
- Egg: Helps to bind the meatloaf together and add extra moisture to the meatloaf muffins. You can skip the egg if there are any allergies or intolerances.
- Herbs and seasonings: Fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper add lots of flavor and a nice freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with silicone muffin liners. Alternatively, you can bake it in a loaf pan, if desired.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until well combined, reserving half of the BBQ sauce to spread on top of the meatloaf muffins.
- Divide the meatloaf mixture among 16-18 muffin cups using a spoon or large ice cream scoop. Spread the remaining BBQ sauce evenly over top of each of the meatloaf muffins.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Allow meatloaf muffins to cool before removing from pan.
NOTE: If you aren’t using a muffin pan with 24 cups, you may need to make a couple of batches. Or you can also use the remaining meatloaf mixture to form a mini meatloaf or a couple of burgers. It’s totally up to you!
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Use extra lean or lean beef. If you go with a higher fat variety, the grease will spill out of the muffin tin while baking.
- Do not over mix. This may result in dense meatloaf muffins. Instead, mix until just combined.
- Cook the quinoa before mixing. You can buy pre-cooked quinoa for ease, or cook dry quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes (follow the instructions on the package).
- To make quinoa: If you’re making the quinoa from scratch and don’t have some already made, you’ll need to cook 1/3 cup dry quinoa in 2/3 cup water or broth to get one cup cooked quinoa. If you decide to make extra quinoa, you can always use it to make my broccoli cheddar quinoa bites or sweet potato quinoa cakes or use it as a base for a quinoa salad (try this Greek quinoa salad with feta)!
- Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray or use silicone muffin liners. This will help prevent you from having to scrub the pan once finished cooking (you’ll thank me later)!
- Once cooked, let the meatloaf muffins rest to allow juices from meatloaf muffins to redistribute. This will result in juicier meatloaf!
- Be sure to make a double batch for easy freezer meals!
- To keep it gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free quinoa to avoid cross-contamination.
How to Store
Refrigerator: Once these mini meatloaves have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep well in the fridge for up to four days.
Freezer: These muffins are perfect to freeze for easy-to-grab meals. Place the cooled meatloaf muffins on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a large freezer bag or freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat:
- To reheat meatloaf muffins in the oven: Place your meatloaf muffins on the counter while your oven preheats. Pop them back into the muffin tin or line on a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
- To reheat meatloaf muffins in the microwave: Place a couple of muffins on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 60 seconds. If still not warm, continue to heat at 30 second intervals as needed until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
Feel free to use your favourite brand of BBQ sauce. I recommend trying to find one that’s lower in sugar with the least amount of processed ingredients wherever possible. You can also sub in a homemade BBQ sauce as well! I love the smoky flavor you get from the barbecue sauce. It makes the meatloaf so irresistible!
Quinoa makes a great alternative to bread crumbs since it helps to absorb some of the extra moisture and binds the meat mixture together. You can also use oats, crushed crackers or almond flour as other options to replace bread crumbs.
Eggs are commonly used as a binder in meatloaf to help keep all of the ingredients together so that they don’t crumble and fall apart. In particular, the egg yolk adds some extra moisture, in addition to protein, fat, and additional flavor to the meatloaf. That being said, you can leave out the egg if there are any allergies or intolerances or if you don’t have any eggs on hand.
Serving Suggestions
Eat these mini ground beef and quinoa meatloaf muffins as a quick meal with your favorite sides!
Try them with:
- Tossed Green Salad
- 5-Ingredient Mac and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon
- 3-Ingredient Tomato Soup
- Butternut Squash Barley Risotto
- Crockpot Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bites
- Kale Salad with Cranberries
- 4-Ingredient Pasta Salad
Meatloaf Variations
- Switch up the meat: Not feeling the beef? Try ground turkey or chicken instead!
- Add some veggies: Try adding some grated carrot, zucchini, or finely minced bell pepper.
- Switch up the herbs: Try cilantro instead of parsley or use dried basil or oregano instead of Italian seasoning.
- Add extra cheese: Melt some mozzarella or cheddar cheese on top for a fun bite!
- Switch up the binder: If you don’t have quinoa on hand, you can also use quick oats or bread crumbs.
- To make dairy-free: Leave out the parmesan cheese or replace it with some nutritional yeast.
- Spice it up: Use a spicy BBQ sauce or add a few dashes of hot sauce.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Meatloaf without Breadcrumbs
- Mini Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
- Chicken Meatloaf Muffins
- Zucchini Chicken Poppers
- Chicken Avocado Poppers
- Veggie Quinoa Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
BBQ Meatloaf Muffins {Beef and Quinoa}
Ingredients
- 2 pounds extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce divided
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with silicone muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until well combined, reserving half of the BBQ sauce.
- Divide the meatloaf mixture among 16-18 muffin cups. Spread the remaining BBQ sauce over each meatloaf muffin. If you aren't using a pan with 24 cups, you may need to make a couple of batches (or form a mini meatloaf or a couple of burgers out of the remaining mixture).
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Allow meatloaf muffins to cool before removing from pan. Garnish with a bit of additional BBQ sauce and a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use extra lean or lean beef. If you go with a higher fat variety, the grease will spill out of the muffin tin while baking.
- Do not over mix. This may result in dense meatloaf muffins. Instead, mix until just combined.
- Cook the quinoa before mixing. You can buy pre-cooked quinoa for ease, or cook dry quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes (follow the instructions on the package).
- To make quinoa: If you’re making the quinoa from scratch and don’t have some already made, you’ll need to cook 1/3 cup dry quinoa in 2/3 cup water or broth to get one cup cooked quinoa. If you decide to make extra quinoa, you can always use it to make my Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Cups or Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes or use it as a base for a quinoa salad (try this Greek quinoa salad)!
- Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray or use silicone muffin liners. This will help prevent you from having to scrub the pan once finished cooking (you’ll thank me later)!
- Once cooked, let the meatloaf muffins rest to allow juices from meatloaf muffins to redistribute. This will result in juicier meatloaf!
- Be sure to make a double batch for easy freezer meals!
- To freeze: place cooled meatloaf muffins on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a large ziploc bag or freezer friendly container.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted May 2020 and was updated in November 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.
These were amazing! Will definitely add this recipe to the weekly lineup. It was a big hit with the whole family.
So happy your whole family enjoyed them! Love that you’re adding the recipe to your weekly lineup :) I appreciate the kind rating and review!
A household favorite here! Love how simple this is – I also like to chop up some spinach to mix in with it-easy way to hide some vegetables!
So happy your family has been enjoying these meatloaf muffins! Love the addition of the spinach too – great idea!
I love the muffins they are delicious but, working 11 hour days it can be time consuming. What time and temp for this as a meatloaf? Please
Totally understandable! You could try baking it as a loaf at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until cooked through. Hope that helps!
Can we use ground turkey or ground chicken?
Yes for sure!
Any recommendation for an egg substitution? My daughter is allergic. Thanks!
You could try leaving the egg out. I don’t think it would affect the outcome of the recipe too much! Keep me posted on how it turns out if you decide to try it :)
I tried this recipe and omitted the egg and they came out great. Toddlers and husband loved them! Thanks!
So happy the family enjoyed the meatloaf muffins! Thanks for sharing the feedback about the egg too — glad to know the recipe turned out well without the egg!
I love the simplicity of these meatloaf muffins. Thanks for sharing, Elysia.
My pleasure Luna — so happy you enjoyed the recipe!