Name: BBQ Bacon Mini Meatloaves
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 slices of bacon; 1/2 tablespoon olive oil; Half red onion (diced); 2-3 garlic cloves (finally minced); 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 large beaten egg; ½ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs (regular works too ); 1 tsp. smoked paprika; 1 tsp. garlic salt; ½ tsp. onion powder; ¼ tsp. mustard powder; Few dashes Worcestershire; ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese; ½ cup bbq sauce

These BBQ bacon mini meatloaves are an easy, wholesome, and flavorful weeknight dinner. These meatloaves are flavored with bold spices, sharp cheddar cheese, and smoky, delicious bacon and slathered in your favored BBQ sauce then baked to perfection. Served with baked sweet potato fries and a green salad for am awesome weekend night meal your whole family with love!

This is not your Mama’s meatloaf

Meatloaf gets a bad rap! It’s that dinner, when you hear your mama’s making it, you groan and feel disappointed. A loaf of meat? Um, no thank you!

Well, I’m here to change that notion. Meatloaf can actually be a very exciting and flavorful meal, if done right. Let me tell you, my BBQ Bacon Mini Meatloaves, it’s done right. These mini meatloaves are bursting with big, bold flavors, cooked perfectly to achieve a golden brown crust, slathered in rich, BBQ sauce, and stuffed with bacon and ooey gooey cheese. This is a meal you’ll going to want on repeat! It’s that good!

Ingredients in BBQ Bacon Mini Meatloves

bacon, adds a smoky, richness to the dish. I prefer to use a paleo kind or one without any added sugar or weird preservatives.
red onion and garlic, sautéed together in a little bacon fat to create wonderful depth of flavor to these mini meatloaves. Trust me, it’s worth this extra step as it adds so much flavor to the dish.
lean ground beef, the base of this dish. I like to use 93% lean ground beef so it’s less fatty and greasy.
egg, helps add moisture to keep these meatloaves juicy.
panko bead crumbs, helps bind the mini meatloaves together.
spices, to make these mini meatloaves extra flavorful!
cheddar cheese, goes so well with bacon and BBQ sauce and makes them ooey gooey when baked.
BBQ sauce, provides a nice saucy, crust to the tops of the meatloaves. I use one not chalked full of sugar and made with real, natural ingredients (check the ingredient list to find a good one!).

How to make BBQ Bacon Mini Meatloaves

Here’s a quick guide on how to make these:

Saute bacon, onions, and garlic: First, you’ll cook the bacon until rendered and crispy. Next, leaving a little bacon fat, you’ll cook the onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant. This combo adds a ton of flavor and smokiness to the meatloaves.
Make the meatloaf mixture: combine the ground beef, spices, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and onion garlic mix together. Gently combine with your hands until everything is well-combined. Be careful not to over mix or your meatloaves could end up tough.
Form into mini meatloaves: Divide the mixture into 5 balls. Gently press each ball into 5 mini meatloaves (see pic for details).
Slather in BBQ sauce: Top each mini meatloaf with desired amount of BBQ sauce.
Bake: Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes – the outside should be golden brown and the inside perfectly cooked and juicy.
Serve and enjoy: I like to serve mine with baked sweet potato fries and a green salad for a delicious, balanced meal.

Is this healthy?

This meal is what I like to call healthy-ish. What I mean by that is it has nutritious, wholesome ingredients that fuel you’ll body but also indulgent, crave worthy ingredients. Yes, the meatloaves contain cheese and bacon, more indulgent ingredients, but they are used in moderation. Also, I used sugar-free paleo bacon (so no weird hormones or other unwanted additives included) and a good, real cheddar cheese that I shredded myself (bagged brands use anti-clumping agents, so are not as fresh).

The meatloaves are made with a 93% lean ground beef, which contains less fat and is less greasy when cooked. I usually use whole wheat panko bread crumbs instead of regular as well as they contain more fiber and nutrients (you could also use a gluten-free kind, if preferred). Finally, I topped my meatloaves with a low-sugar BBQ sauce (I always recommend checking the sugar content of your BBQ sauces as some can be chalked full of of sugar – I stay away from those!)

Finally, I served my meatloaves with a fresh green salad and baked sweet potato fries, making this a wholesome, family meal.

Why You’ll Love this Meal

Easy and delicious!
The meatloaves and sweet potato fries can be made on one sheet man.
It’s a well-round, wholesome, family meal.
It’s a new way to do a classic family meal sure to please everyone!

Other delicious dinner ideas

Enjoy!

These BBQ Bacon Mini Meatloaves makes a delicious, easy, and wholesome family-friendly meal!

If you make these BBQ Bacon Mini Meatloaves, please leave a comment below. I absolutely love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest, cuz sharing is caring!