Description
Make Halloween dinner fun with these spooky, silly, and delicious Monster Mini Meatloaves! This recipe transforms a classic, comforting mini meatloaf into a playful main course. The meatloaves are incredibly moist and flavorful, topped with a tangy-sweet sauce, and decorated with olive eyeballs and cheesy fangs, guaranteeing giggles and delight from the whole family.
Ingredients
For the Mini Meatloaves
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Meatloaf Sauce
½ cup ketchup
⅓ cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Monster Decorations
Sliced black olives
Candy eyeballs, sour cream, or cream cheese for the pupils
White cheese (such as provolone or mozzarella), cut into small triangles for teeth
Instructions
Prepare the Meatloaf Mixture:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, gently mix the ground beef, panko, onion, egg, barbecue sauce, mustard, and seasonings until just combined. Do not overmix.
Form and Bake the Loaves:
Divide the meat mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg for the sauce. Spoon the sauce over each mini meatloaf. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
Create Your Monsters:
Let the meatloaves cool for a minute after removing them from the oven. While still hot, place two sliced black olives on each meatloaf for eyes. Add a tiny candy eyeball or a dot of sour cream in the center of each olive for pupils.
Add the Fangs and Serve:
Carefully press the small triangles of white cheese into the front of each meatloaf to create spooky, jagged teeth. Serve your monsters immediately while they are still warm.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tip:
You can prepare the meatloaf mixture and the sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator, then assemble in the muffin tin and bake when ready.
Keep Them Moist:
Use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs, as they absorb more liquid. Be careful not to overmix the meat mixture to ensure the meatloaves stay tender and moist.
Creative Decorations:
For a different look, you can shape the mixture into one large “monster head” on a baking sheet. You can also use small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) with a piece of olive pressed in the center for eyes.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini meatloaf
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: monster meatloaf, Halloween dinner, mini meatloaves, kid-friendly recipe, spooky food, ground beef recipe