Small Meatloaf Recipe (Mini for Two or Full Size)
Old-fashioned meatloaf is easy, delicious, and comforting. This easy small meatloaf recipe uses ground beef and a few simple ingredients for classic homemade flavor we’ve loved for nearly 50 years.
Make a 1-pound mini meatloaf for two, a 2-pound family meatloaf, or adjust the size to fit your needs.
⏱️ Quick Answer: How Long to Cook Meatloaf
At 350°F, bake meatloaf until it reaches 165°F internally:
- 1-pound meatloaf: 40–50 minutes
- 2-pound meatloaf: 60–75 minutes
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Featured Comment by Catherine:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Great Recipe. I grew up making this and remember fondly my mother and grandmother making this. “
👨🍳 TL;DR (Recipe Summary)
What it is: An easy small meatloaf recipe with classic flavor—make a 1 lb mini meatloaf for two, a 2 lb family-size meatloaf, or adjust the size as needed.
Why you’ll love it: Simple ingredients, old-fashioned flavor, and a ketchup glaze that caramelizes perfectly.
How to make it: Mix, shape, top with ketchup glaze, and bake at 350°F to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Jump to the Recipe Card or keep reading for tips, photos, and size options.
🐄 Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Egg
- Onion
- Bread crumbs
- Ketchup
- Milk
- Seasoning salt and black pepper
⏰ How Long to Cook Meatloaf
A 1-pound meatloaf baked in a 350°F oven will take 40–50 minutes, while a 2-pound meatloaf will take about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Always cook to a final internal temperature of 165°F, not just by time.
Approximate cooking times at 350°F:
- ½-pound meatloaf: 30–40 minutes
- 1-pound meatloaf: 40–50 minutes
- 2-pound meatloaf: 60–75 minutes
- 3-pound meatloaf: 75–90 minutes
These times assume a loaf that is 1–1½ inches thick. Thicker loaves take longer, and thinner loaves cook faster. Time is only a guide—use 165°F as the true endpoint.
🐄 Ingredient options and variations
Meat options:
Use ground beef (80/20 suggested), which gives the best moisture and flavor. Leaner beef works but will be a little drier. You can also mix in ground pork, or make a turkey or chicken meatloaf.
Vegetable options:
Onion and garlic are often included in seasoning salts but can be added fresh. Other additions include celery, green bell pepper, or carrot—just chop them small so they cook through.
Glaze options:
Ketchup is the classic glaze, but you can dress it up with brown sugar, mustard, bacon, or barbecue sauce.
Seasoning options:
Seasoning salt (Lawry’s suggested) plus ketchup offers the classic flavor. You may also add thyme, Worcestershire sauce, or tomato sauce—but if using tomato sauce, add extra seasoning since it’s milder than ketchup.
↕️ How to Scale This Meatloaf Recipe
This recipe is written for a 1-pound meatloaf, but you can scale it from a ½-pound loaf (2 servings) up to any size. We usually bake a 2-pound loaf for our “for two” household—one dinner and a couple of rounds of leftovers.
- Adjust servings in the recipe card to the amount you want.
- Use the ingredient amounts from the adjusted ingredient list (round up to a whole egg if needed).
- Form a 1–1½ inch thick loaf in a baking pan that doesn’t crowd the sides.
- Bake to 165°F, using the cooking times listed above as a guide.
🤔 Mini Meatloaf (Individual Cupcake Style)
Cupcake meatloaf is an easy way to make smaller portions or freeze individual servings for later.
- Prepare the mixture: Make the amount of meatloaf you want.
- Portion: Divide the mixture into the wells of a cupcake or muffin pan, forming each portion about 1–1½ inches thick.
- Bake: Cook at 350°F for 20–30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Choose leaner meat: Use leaner ground beef or poultry, since you can’t drain fat from a cupcake pan after cooking.
❄️ How to Store Leftover Meatloaf
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For freezing, slice the meatloaf, wrap the pieces well, and freeze for up to 4 months.
❓ FAQs
Plan on ¼ to ⅓ pound per serving. We usually make a 2-pound loaf for our “for two” home—one dinner and a couple of rounds of leftovers. A 1-pound loaf makes four larger servings.
No. Meatloaf should be baked uncovered. It will stay moist without foil.
It depends on the size:
• A small onion (lemon-sized) gives about ½ cup
• A medium onion (baseball-sized) gives about 1 cup
• A large onion (grapefruit-sized) gives about 2 cups
For this recipe, you’ll generally want about ½ cup per pound of meat.
A meatloaf is a mixture of ground meat combined with a panade (bread, crumbs, oats, or crackers soaked in liquid) to keep it moist and tender. The mixture is shaped into a loaf and baked. It became popular during the Great Depression as a way to stretch inexpensive ground meat.
A panade is a mixture of bread, breadcrumbs, oats, or crackers soaked in a liquid like milk or broth. When added to ground meat, it provides moisture and prevents the finished meatloaf from becoming dense or dry.
📖The Recipe Card
Small Meatloaf Recipe (Mini for Two or Full Size)
Easy small meatloaf recipe with classic flavor and simple ingredients. Make a 1 lb mini meatloaf for two, 2 lb for the family, or any size needed.
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- ½ cup of chopped onion = one small or half a medium onion.
- Good ketchup matters—use Hunt’s or Heinz for the best flavor.
- When scaling the recipe, use one egg per pound of meat. Round up if needed when adjusting servings.
- Reheats well in the microwave when sliced; also great cold for sandwiches.
- Store in the refrigerator for 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
- You can make it ahead and refrigerate for a day before baking.
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Calories : 292 kcal (15%)Carbohydrates : 15 g (5%)Protein : 26 g (52%)Fat : 13 g (20%)Saturated Fat : 5 g (25%)Cholesterol : 115 mg (38%)Sodium : 423 mg (18%)Potassium : 514 mg (15%)Fiber : 1 g (4%)Sugar : 7 g (8%)Vitamin A : 206 IU (4%)Vitamin C : 2 mg (2%)Calcium : 64 mg (6%)Iron : 3 mg (17%)
Editor's Note: Originally published on February 17, 2010. Updated with refreshed photos and a total rewrite with options and variations.
