Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves

What if, I gleefully imagined, I combined lean ground beef with sweet BBQ sauce, melted cheddar cheese, and caramelized onions then formed them into petite, personal-sized meatloaves and roasted ‘em in a hot oven until golden brown and bubbly? I’ll tell you what happened – it turned into a dish that no kid, nor kid at heart, will be able to resist. Sweet, sweet meatloaf redemption!

Start the Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves by caramelizing 1 large sweet onion. Oh yeah! Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a large pot or skillet over medium heat then add the onion cut into slices, and a dash of salt. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft, golden brown, and unbelievably sweet. Set ‘em aside to cool while you work on the rest of the meatloaf.

In a large bowl, add 1lb lean ground beef and 1 whisked egg.

Next add 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce. This will give the ground beef a mouthwatering, savory-sweet flavah.

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs ensures the meatloaves will stay together, and a dash of pepper will give ‘em a nice kick.

Finally, add the slightly cooled caramelized onions, and 2 ounces cheddar cheese cut into 1/4″ cubes, which will stud the inside of the meatloaves like melted buried treasure.

Mix the ingredients together with your hands then form the mixture into 4 mini loaves. Spread 1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce over each loaf to keep them nice and moist in the oven.

Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Woo-weeee!

Pair the mini meatloaves with a side salad, or roasted broccoli like I did (instructions below!)

Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves

Print this recipe!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large sweet onion
1 Tablespoon butter
salt
1lb lean ground beef
1 egg, whisked
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce, divided
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs or almond meal or oatmeal
pepper
2oz low-fat cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
Directions:

Cut onion in half then each half into thin slices. Melt butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat then add onion and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Turn heat down if onions start to burn. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine ground beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce, panko bread crumbs, dash of pepper, cheese cubes, and caramelized onions, then mix until just combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal-sized portions then form into loaves on a foil-lined, non-stick-sprayed baking sheet. Spread 1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce over each loaf then bake for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center.

The flavors in here remind me of a summer BBQ, and, sorry, but meatloaf that oozes melted cheese when you cut into it?! I am not mad at that!

Now about that roasted broccoli. If you’ve never had broccoli this way, then you have GOT to give it a go. Bonus: it cooks at the same temperature as the mini meatloaves so you can roast them both at the same time.

Simply toss broccoli florets with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle of salt and pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet, then turn all the florets onto their crowns to get them extra crisp on top.

Roast for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees, or until golden brown and crispy. That’s it!

Better than french fries, I’m tellin’ ya! Salty, crispy, and not to mention, so much healthier. I made a couple sheets of roasted broccoli for a family dinner a couple weeks ago and it was a HIT amongst all in attendance. It just a fun switch from plain ‘ol steamed broccoli, know what I mean?