Taco Meatloaf Muffins

I love making meatloaf into muffins. I prefer this method to a traditional meatloaf for a few reasons: 1. It’s faster; 2. Muffins are way cuter than a loaf of meat; 3. It helps with portion control; 4. My boys love the novelty of getting their dinner in muffin form. The last one is a huge deal for us, since I have a toddler who’s becoming ever-so-slightly picky. Anything I can do to make dinner fun for him definitely helps.

He definitely enjoyed these taco meatloaf muffins; we all did. They’re incredibly flavorful, and I loved the idea of using salsa con queso on the top -- genius! If you’re making these for kids, just be sure you use mild versions of everything. I can’t think of a single way these could be improved upon. They work great as leftovers, too -- either between a couple of slices of bread, wrapped up in a tortilla, or chopped up and pressed in a quesadilla. This is definitely yet another yummy meatloaf recipe to add to my arsenal!

P.S. This Mexican sour cream rice is a family favorite and is the perfect side dish.

Taco Meatloaf Muffins
adapted from Lauren’s Kitchen, who got it from Running Mama Cooks

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons taco sauce
1/4 cup salsa con queso

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions until tender. Meanwhile, place tortilla chips in a plastic bag and crush until pieces are very small.

3. Mix all ingredients except for the taco and queso sauce until well combined. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Shape meatloaf into 12 balls and place in muffin tin. Brush top of each muffin with taco sauce.

4. Bake for about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, place salsa con queso in a microwave bowl and heat until hot. Once meatloaves are finished, drizzle hot queso over the top.