These kid-friendly Whole30 Mini Meatloaves are a great way to get more protein into your little ones. My kids were turned off by a meatloaf but loved these more individual-sized ones! Protein can be a hard sell for kids and these make that more “bite-sized” ; ). Plus, making them into more of a meatball means they cook faster for an awesome busy weeknight dinner.
Why We Love These Whole30 Mini Meatloves
You can make these with only 10 ingredients you might already have! Also, I included the option to cook them in the air fryer or oven. They are Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free, with a nut-free option.
Additionally, they freeze great, and come together from start to finish in 30 minutes, what’s not to love?? We always double-batch these for my large family and with the hope of leftovers. Finally, they include a sweet sauce that really brings these to the next level without needing a dipping sauce.
Make it a Meal
Want ideas on how to turn this entree into a full meal? Here are some of our favorite sides, all Whole30 compatible as well, for a slam-dunk family meal. No making two separate meals for this mama!
Ingredients
- Ketchup – Be sure to choose one that meets your dietary needs. If on a Whole30, Primal Kitchen Ketchup is my favorite that I can find at my local Walmart.
- Mustard – I use just classic Yellow French’s Mustard, or the store brand equivalent. Check your ingredients, but most basic mustards are Whole30 compatible.
- Date Paste – A natural sweetener made of just dates and water and is Whole30 compatible. You can find instructions in the notes on how to make it, or there’s also a separate recipe for Date Paste here. Or I include a swap for coconut sugar if you aren’t on a Whole30.
- Pepper – Basic ground black pepper.
- Coconut aminos – What are coconut aminos? It’s a great Whole30 substitute for soy sauce and can be found in the soy sauce aisle. Trader Joe’s has the cheapest if you have one close to you, or I get this one from Walmart.
- Egg – Basic large egg works well here. I haven’t found an egg-free swap for this recipe. If you have one you use successfully in this recipe, please drop it in the comments!
- Almond Flour – I prefer “super-fine” almond flour to get the best texture. I like this one from Blue Diamond I can get at Sam’s Club or Amazon. See notes for nut-free option!
- Seasoned Salt – If you are on a Whole30, be sure to double-check the ingredients on your seasoned salt. Many of them unfortunately have dextrose or other forms of unallowed added sugar. Can’t find a compatible seasoned salt? You can make your own with a recipe like this one. Or, just swap out garlic salt or basic salt.
- Onion Powder
- Ground beef – I usually use 80-85% lean ground beef, but use whatever is accessible to you!
Whole30 Mini Meatloaves
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ketchup make sure it's compliant and no sugar added if on Whole30
- 1 squirt mustard
- 2 tablespoons date paste* see notes
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespooon coconut aminos
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup almond flour see notes for nut-free option
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound ground beef
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine ketchup, date paste, and mustard. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add 1/4 cup of the ketchup mixture to the meat mixture and stir till combined.
- Shape into mini meat loaves. For us, that looks like giant meatballs we cook on a cooling rack set inside a baking sheet, if cooking in oven (A cooling rack allows the grease to drain as they cook. You can also just bake them in a muffin tin). Size is totally individual and you can do more small meatballs if that works better for you. We do 12 mini meatloaves from this recipe.
- Cook in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or airfryer for 15 minutes, cooking until no longer pink in the middle. For the last 5 minutes, cook topped with remaining ketchup mixture.
- Freeze cooked meatballs in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Notes
This is hands down the best meatloaf! So simple and easy to make! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!
Is there anything I can substitute for the coconut aminos? I am having no luck finding them locally and online they are double the price!
If you are not on a Whole30, you can use the same amount of Worchestershire sauce. If you are on a Whole30, just leave it out – it creates a more full flavor but is still tasty without!
Hello! I would love to try this recipe! My daughter is allergic to tree nuts….what could you use as a substitute?
Thanks!
-Hilary
Hello! Of course, I know nut allergies can be tough. Please see the notes section – I would recommend dry potato flakes instead and share amounts and links. You could also potentially use a smaller amount of tapioca flour (I would guess a 1/4 cup) but I haven’t recipe tested it yet. Enjoy!
Regular rotation at our house. These are quick, foolproof, and great for meal prep!
A regular in our home. These are quick to make and SO delicious.
Another family hit! I made 12 in the muffin tin and they were so perfectly cooked, everyone scarfed them down. The ketchup sauce was especially delicious and helped my 3yo devour hers! This is a great Whole30 family recipe for sure.
How wonderful this was a family win, thank you!
Can you freeze this meal Looking to do ALOT of meal prep before we start the whole30.
Thank you!
YES! Definitely freezes well – most of my recipes freeze great and we do so on the regular. Good luck with your Whole30!
So easy and so delicious! And it’s a serious win for the whole family! *phew* This is a repeat in our house…I think I’ve even made it for my inlaws… 😄
Hooray for an easy and delicious whole-family win, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!
This was so good! I made it in mini loaves for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. My entire family loved it and we don’t even like regular meatloaf. So moist and a great weeknight meal.
Hooray for this family win! Thank you!
This meal has become my go to for a quick delicious dinner! My kids loved it as well, which makes dinner time easier and peaceful!
One of the first Whole30 recipes I made that was so easy!!! My family loved it and didn’t know we were all eating Whole30! It was a win in our house! Love all the recipes I’ve tried on Autumn’s website! I appreciate how easy they are and family friendly! Thank you 😊
We love having these for dinner, delicious! Great as leftovers the next day too!
We have tried several Whole30 meatloaf recipes. This one was our favorite! Easy and yummy! Thank you for being a great mentor for making good healthy food for boys.
It makes my mama heart happy to hear this has helped your family. Thank you!
This was one of your first recipes that I made for my family of 6, it was a hit all around. I make sure to always double the batch now. I loved learning about using dates to make date paste, too. Thanks for such great family friendly recipes!
THANK YOU for all the supportive reviews Deb, I truly appreciate it!
These are awesome! My kids loved them, and we had no leftovers. I have a couple kids who can be pretty picky, so I count these as a huge win! I’ve made them a few times, and my kids now only want meatloaf in mini loaf form. Great recipe!
Picky eater kid wins are the best, so happy to hear that. Thank you!
These are the most delicious meatballs and my kids LOVE them!
They get cooked several times a month at our home.
I’m so thrilled this is a family favorite your kiddos enjoy, thank you!
So easy and will satisfy the pickiest of eaters! I used 1 tbsp coconut sugar instead and they were great!
I love a picky eater win, wahoo! And thank you for letting me know on the swap!
I did not like meatloaf growing up but I love these!!! These are a favorite for my whole family.
I agree meatloaf can be a tough sell, but thrilled these are a family win!