Beef & Kidney Bean Meatloaf Muffins
Beef & Kidney Bean Meatloaf Muffins take a familiar comfort food and quietly build in a little more nutrition. Ground beef stays at the center, while finely chopped kidney beans, spinach, carrot, onion, garlic, and ground flaxseed add fiber, plant nutrients, and moisture without turning the recipe into something that no longer feels like meatloaf.
Baking the mixture in a muffin tin gives you individual portions with plenty of glazed surface area and makes the recipe especially practical for busy weeks. Serve them with vegetables, a grain, or a simple salad for dinner, then refrigerate or freeze the extras for an easy heat-and-eat meal later.
They are also a good example of how keeping the grocery cart budget-friendly does not have to mean serving less food or sacrificing nutrition. Extending the beef with beans and vegetables helps one pound of meat go further, while the individual freezer-ready portions make it easier to get more meals from what you have already cooked.
Beef & Kidney Bean Meatloaf Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup kidney beans, rinsed and well drained
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
- Place the onion, carrot, spinach, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped, stopping before the mixture becomes a purée.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the processed vegetables and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of the excess moisture has cooked away.
- Meanwhile, place the kidney beans in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not completely smooth.
- Add the chopped beans to the skillet with the vegetables. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is fairly dry and well combined. Remove from the heat and let cool for several minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooled vegetable-bean mixture, egg, ground flaxseed, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently just until evenly combined.
- Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes so the flaxseed can absorb any remaining moisture.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each cup and shaping the tops lightly without packing the mixture too firmly.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon a little glaze over the top of each meatloaf muffin.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the centers reach 160°F.
- Let the meatloaf muffins rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
- Cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, arrange the cooled meatloaf muffins on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat individual portions as needed for an easy heat-and-eat lunch or dinner.