Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean)
1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more to taste for serving
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, and beaten eggs. These two simple mix-ins help the meat hold together and stay moist without a long ingredient list.
Using clean hands or a sturdy spoon, gently combine the ground beef with the breadcrumbs and eggs just until everything is evenly mixed. Try not to overwork the meat so the muffins stay tender.
Divide the meat mixture into 12 equal portions. Roll or press each portion into a rough ball or mound shape and place one into each muffin cup, gently pressing down so it fills the cup but isn’t packed too tightly.
Spoon or pour the BBQ sauce into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush (or the back of a spoon if you don’t have one), generously brush BBQ sauce over the tops and sides of each raw ground beef mound in the muffin tin, making sure they’re nicely coated.
Place the muffin tin on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the meatloaf muffins are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). The BBQ sauce will set into a sticky glaze.
Carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the meatloaf muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes. This helps the juices settle and makes them easier to lift out.
Run a small spatula or butter knife around the edges if needed, then lift each muffin out of the tin. Serve warm with extra BBQ sauce on the side, if you like.
Variations & Tips
To stretch the recipe a bit further or sneak in some extra nutrition, you can swap half of the ground beef for ground turkey or add a small handful of very finely minced onion or bell pepper into the meat mixture (just keep the overall texture fairly smooth so the mounds hold together). If you prefer a sweeter glaze, choose a honey or brown sugar BBQ sauce; for more kick, go with a spicy or smoky variety. You can also line the muffin cups with paper liners or strips of parchment for easier cleanup, especially if your beef is on the fattier side. For make-ahead prep, mix and mound the meat in the muffin tin in the morning, cover, and refrigerate; at dinnertime, brush on the BBQ sauce and bake. Leftover muffins reheat well in the microwave or air fryer, and they freeze nicely—just cool completely, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag and reheat straight from frozen until hot in the center.