Mouthwatering Ground Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Meatloaf gets a bad reputation for being boring weeknight food, but I’ve never understood that. A good meatloaf is comforting and satisfying, especially when you can grab one portion and go. That’s where these meatloaf muffins come in handy.

I started making these when I got tired of cutting slices for my kids’ lunches. The muffin tin portions everything for you, and they cook faster than a traditional loaf. Ground turkey keeps them on the lighter side, but the mozzarella center makes sure nobody misses the beef. Plus, they freeze really well for those nights when I forget to plan dinner.

Making meatloaf in a muffin tin might sound different, but trust me on this one. You’ll get crispy edges all around, no dry centers, and built-in portion control. My kids eat them cold in their lunchboxes, and my husband reheats them for quick dinners when I’m working late.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

You’ll find a few different options when shopping for ground turkey, and they’re labeled by their fat content. The most common varieties are 93/7 (93% lean) and 85/15 (85% lean), though you might also see 99% lean at some stores. For meatloaf muffins, I’d recommend going with 85/15 or 93/7 ground turkey since they have enough fat to keep your muffins moist and flavorful. The 99% lean option can work in a pinch, but your muffins might turn out a bit drier since there’s almost no fat to keep them juicy. If you do use the leanest option, just keep a close eye on them while baking so they don’t overcook.

Options for Substitutions

These meatloaf muffins are easy to customize with what you have in your kitchen:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap ground turkey for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even a mix of beef and pork. Keep in mind that turkey is leaner, so if using beef, you might want to drain excess fat after baking.
• Bread crumbs: Crushed crackers, panko, oats, or even crushed cornflakes work great as binders. Use the same amount and your muffins will hold together just fine.
• Milk: Any milk substitute like almond milk, oat milk, or even water will do the job here. You just need a little moisture to help bind everything together.
• Mozzarella: Feel free to use cheddar, provolone, or pepper jack if that’s what you have. You can also skip the cheese entirely for a lighter version.
• Dried herbs: Don’t have all the herbs listed? Use what you’ve got – Italian seasoning is a great all-in-one substitute, or just stick with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper for a simpler flavor profile.
• Tomato sauce: Ketchup, marinara sauce, or even barbecue sauce make tasty alternatives. Each will give your muffins a slightly different flavor, so pick what sounds good to you.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making turkey meatloaf muffins is overmixing the meat, which creates a dense, tough texture – mix just until the ingredients are combined, and handle the meat gently when packing it into the muffin tin.

Since ground turkey is leaner than beef, it can dry out quickly, so make sure you don’t overbake past the 165°F internal temperature, and consider checking a few minutes early with an instant-read thermometer.

When broiling at the end, keep a close eye on the cheese because it can go from perfectly melted to burnt in less than a minute, and position your oven rack so the muffins are about 6 inches from the heat source.

One more tip: let the muffins rest in the tin for about 5 minutes after broiling, which helps them firm up and makes them easier to remove without falling apart.

What to Serve With Turkey Meatloaf Muffins?

These meatloaf muffins are perfect with classic comfort food sides like creamy mashed potatoes or buttery egg noodles. I love pairing them with roasted vegetables like green beans, broccoli, or carrots – just toss them with olive oil and seasonings and pop them in the oven alongside the muffins. A simple side salad with ranch or Italian dressing also works great to balance out the richness of the mozzarella-topped meatloaf. If you want something kid-friendly, mac and cheese or sweet potato fries are always a hit at my dinner table.

Storage Instructions

Store: These meatloaf muffins are great for meal prep! Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They make such an easy grab-and-go protein option for lunch or dinner throughout the week.

Freeze: You can freeze these for up to 3 months, which is perfect for batch cooking. Let them cool completely, then wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap before placing them all in a freezer bag. This way you can pull out just what you need.

Reheat: Warm them up in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes, or pop them in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. If reheating from frozen, add a few extra minutes or let them thaw in the fridge overnight first.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1450-1600
• Protein: 125-140 g
• Fat: 65-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 65-75 g

Ingredients

For the meatloaf mixture:

• 1.6 lb ground turkey (I use Butterball for the best lean-to-fat ratio)
• 2 eggs
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp parsley
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1.5 tsp thyme
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I prefer Progresso Italian style for better seasoning)
• 2 tbsp milk (adds moisture to keep the turkey from drying out)
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (I use Hunt’s for a consistent classic flavor)
• 8 oz mozzarella (shredded thick to melt better during broiling)

Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment and Mise en Place

• Muffin tin
• Cooking spray or oil

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or oil.

While the oven heats, gather all your ingredients and measure them out into separate bowls—this ensures you can work quickly once you start mixing the meat mixture, which helps prevent the turkey from becoming overworked and tough.

Step 2: Build the Meatloaf Base Mixture

• 1.6 lb ground turkey
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp parsley
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1.5 tsp thyme
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp pepper

In a large mixing bowl, crack both eggs and whisk them together lightly.

Add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Using your hands or a fork, gently combine the mixture just until everything is evenly distributed—avoid overmixing, as this can make the meatloaf dense and dry.

I find that working quickly and stopping as soon as all ingredients are incorporated gives you the most tender result.

Step 3: Pack Meatloaf Mixture into Muffin Tin

• Meatloaf base mixture from Step 2

Divide the meatloaf mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each one to the top and pressing gently so the mixture holds together.

You should have about 8 filled muffin cups.

Pack them firmly enough that they’ll hold their shape when you remove them, but don’t compress them so hard that they become dense.

Step 4: Bake Until Nearly Cooked Through

• Filled muffin tin from Step 3

Place the muffin tin in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 23 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about 155°F when measured with a meat thermometer in the center of a muffin.

At this point, the meatloaves are nearly cooked through but not yet at the safe serving temperature—we’ll finish them under the broiler to add the cheese and sauce topping.

Step 5: Top with Sauce and Cheese, Then Broil

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 8 oz mozzarella, shredded

Remove the muffin tin from the oven and carefully spoon about 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce onto the top of each meatloaf muffin.

Then top each one with a generous handful of shredded mozzarella cheese, dividing it evenly among all 8 muffins.

I like to use thick-shredded cheese rather than finely shredded because it melts more slowly and creates those delicious golden spots during broiling.

Step 6: Broil Until Cheese Melts and Reaches Safe Temperature

• Topped muffins from Step 5

Switch your oven to the broil setting on high and return the muffin tin to the oven, placing it on the rack closest to the heating element.

Broil for 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the internal temperature of each muffin reaches 165°F.

Watch carefully during this step as broilers vary in intensity—if the cheese starts browning too quickly, move the tin down one rack.

Let the muffins rest in the tin for 2–3 minutes before removing them, which helps them hold together better when you lift them out.

Mouthwatering Ground Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Delicious Mouthwatering Ground Turkey Meatloaf Muffins recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 1525 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meatloaf mixture::

• 1.6 lb ground turkey (I use Butterball for the best lean-to-fat ratio)
• 2 eggs
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp parsley
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1.5 tsp thyme
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I prefer Progresso Italian style for better seasoning)
• 2 tbsp milk (adds moisture to keep the turkey from drying out)
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

For the topping::

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (I use Hunt's for a consistent classic flavor)
• 8 oz mozzarella (shredded thick to melt better during broiling)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or oil. While the oven heats, gather all your ingredients and measure them out into separate bowls—this ensures you can work quickly once you start mixing the meat mixture, which helps prevent the turkey from becoming overworked and tough.
• In a large mixing bowl, crack both eggs and whisk them together lightly. Add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Using your hands or a fork, gently combine the mixture just until everything is evenly distributed—avoid overmixing, as this can make the meatloaf dense and dry. I find that working quickly and stopping as soon as all ingredients are incorporated gives you the most tender result.
• Divide the meatloaf mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each one to the top and pressing gently so the mixture holds together. You should have about 8 filled muffin cups. Pack them firmly enough that they'll hold their shape when you remove them, but don't compress them so hard that they become dense.
• Place the muffin tin in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 23 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about 155°F when measured with a meat thermometer in the center of a muffin. At this point, the meatloaves are nearly cooked through but not yet at the safe serving temperature—we'll finish them under the broiler to add the cheese and sauce topping.
• Remove the muffin tin from the oven and carefully spoon about 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce onto the top of each meatloaf muffin. Then top each one with a generous handful of shredded mozzarella cheese, dividing it evenly among all 8 muffins. I like to use thick-shredded cheese rather than finely shredded because it melts more slowly and creates those delicious golden spots during broiling.
• Switch your oven to the broil setting on high and return the muffin tin to the oven, placing it on the rack closest to the heating element. Broil for 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the internal temperature of each muffin reaches 165°F. Watch carefully during this step as broilers vary in intensity—if the cheese starts browning too quickly, move the tin down one rack. Let the muffins rest in the tin for 2–3 minutes before removing them, which helps them hold together better when you lift them out.