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Delight your whole family with this mini meatloaf recipe without eggs! Each mini meatloaf is the perfect size to serve young eaters, and they’re made without eggs or bread crumbs to make them suitable even for those with allergies or intolerances!
Homemade Meatloaf Recipe – No Egg
Meatloaf is such a classic comfort food! It can be made on the weekend and reheated for a quick homemade meal on those busy weeknights.
Unfortunately, finding yummy meatloaf recipes that are safe for kids and other family members with an egg allergy can be hard.
This delicious mini meatloaf recipe is made with no eggs and uses oats instead of breadcrumbs for an easy eggless meatloaf you’ll want to make again and again!
Why We Love This Healthy Meatloaf Recipe with Oats
- Quick & easy: Once you mix the meatloaf ingredients together, you just need to form each mini meatloaf and bake! They’re so simple to make, and you can even mold them in fun shapes (like hearts) to appeal to picky eaters.
- So tasty: This egg-free meatloaf recipe has so much flavor thanks to the seasonings and simple ingredients. Each bite is juicy and moist, even without bread crumbs!
- Convenient: Since it’s made without eggs and bread crumbs, you can make this easy meatloaf recipe with the everyday ingredients you already have in your pantry. Also, because they’re individually portioned, they’re perfect for meal prep!
Ingredient Notes
For the meatloaf:
- Quick oats: Instead of bread crumbs or crackers, this meatball recipe is made with oatmeal, which will absorb the excess moisture for the perfect meatloaf texture. Such an easy swap!
- Milk: Milk helps you bind the meatloaves together since there aren’t any eggs in this recipe. You can use any fat percentage, or sub in a milk alternative if necessary.
- Ground beef: I prefer to use lean ground beef for a lower fat content. You could also use ground turkey or chicken.
- Finely shredded carrot: This is optional, but shredded carrot adds a little color and extra nutrients to this yummy meatloaf recipe.
- Shredded onion: Minced onion adds a delicious savory flavor to this meatloaf without eggs recipe. I recommend shredding it so that it dissolves right into the meatloaf for kids who aren’t a fan of onion.
- Ketchup: Ketchup will add a little moisture and lots of flavor.
- Mustard: I love to add a little mustard to this spin on the traditional meatloaf recipe for even more flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: Don’t forget to season your flavorful meatloaf minis! They will have so much more flavor with a little salt and pepper.
For the glaze:
- Ketchup: To reduce the sugar, look for a no sugar added or low-sugar ketchup at the grocery store.
- Coconut sugar: Stir coconut sugar or brown sugar into the glaze for a little extra sweetness.
- Worcestershire sauce: This will add a savory flavor that makes this delicious eggless meatloaf taste really satisfying.
- Mustard: Add extra mustard to the glaze to balance the other flavors.
How to Make Meatloaf without Eggs – Step-by-Step
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a wire rack on top of the parchment paper if you have one.
- In a large bowl, add the milk to the oats and allow it to soak for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the ground beef, shredded carrot, shredded onion, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal sections.
- Form the mixture into 8 round loaves and flatten each loaf slightly. Place loaves on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- While the loaves are baking, combine the ketchup, coconut sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.
- Take the meatloaves out of the oven and spoon about a tablespoon of sauce over each loaf. Bake for 5-7 additional minutes. Allow the meatloaf to sit for 10 minutes.
- Garnish the finished meatloaves with freshly chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
RECIPE TIPS
- Use leaner ground beef. Lean beef (80/20) will still provide a juicy and tender meatloaf, without all the excess grease.
- Use a wire rack over a baking sheet if possible. By cooking the meatloaf on a rack, it allows the grease to drip through the rack, resulting in a crispier exterior.
- Do not over mix the meatloaf mixture! Over mixing may result in more dense meatloaf.
- Allow the meatloaves to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving them. This allows the juices to redistribute evenly.
- Meatloaf leftovers make a great base for other meals! Serve the mini meatloaves on buns for meatloaf sliders, packed in pitas for easy lunches, or crumbled onto pizza, or in soups!
- Use an instant read meat thermometer to take the internal temperature of the meatloaf before removing it from the oven. They should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you have picky eaters, replace the shredded onion with half a teaspoon of onion powder.
- For smaller pieces of oats, blitz them for 1-2 seconds in your food processor before combining them with the meat mixture.
Recipe FAQs
You typically need breadcrumbs to serve as a binding agent in your favorite meatloaf recipe. Fortunately, there are lots of great substitutes out there that you can use instead of regular breadcrumbs, like gluten free breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or even oatmeal.
You almost always see milk in your favorite meatloaf recipes because the milk saturates the breadcrumbs, or in this case oats, giving the cooked meatloaf a fluffy, tender texture. Non-dairy milk is a great alternative.
Although eggs help hold the meat mixture together, you don’t have to use them in your meatloaf recipes. Instead, you can use your favorite egg replacement or skip this ingredient completely! With the right proportions of the other ingredients, you’ll still have a tender, moist meatloaf even without the eggs.
Storage Guidelines
- Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Be sure to reheat it well by microwaving it on a microwave-safe plate or baking your leftovers at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes or until fully reheated.
- You can also freeze leftover mini meatloaf. Let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag. Let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Meatloaf is a perfect protein to serve during your dinner or lunch. To turn this meatloaf recipe without breadcrumbs or eggs into a delicious meal, try serving your mini meatloaf with these sides:
- 5-Ingredient Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Zucchini Fritters
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
- Homemade Air Fryer Veggie Tots
- Mashed Sweet Potato Fritters
- Butternut Squash Cakes
- Tomato Alphabet Soup
- Almond Flour Cornbread Muffins
- Mashed potatoes
- Homemade French fries (or try these Roasted Heart Potatoes)
- Green beans
- Steamed carrots
- Roasted veggies
Recipe Variations
- Add more veggies: Finely dice some red or green pepper or strained shredded zucchini to sneak in even more nutrients.
- Make meatballs: Adjust this twist on classic meatloaf by shaping the meat however you’d like! You can make meatballs, a whole meatloaf, or individual sized mini meatloaf muffins.
- Add barbecue sauce: Instead of making a glaze, brush the meatloaf with a low sugar barbecue sauce for a delicious glaze that will get dinner on the table even faster.
More Easy Meal Ideas
- Turkey Burger Sliders Recipe
- Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Salmon Cakes with Leftover Salmon
- Chili Con Carne with Vegetables
- Apple Chicken Meatballs
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Mini Meatloaf Recipe without Eggs
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot about one medium carrot (optional)
- 1/4 cup shredded onion
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the glaze:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or sub in brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a wire rack on top of the parchment paper if you have one.
- In a large bowl, add the milk to the oats and allow it to soak for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the ground beef, shredded carrot, shredded onion, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal sections.
- Form the mixture into 8 round loaves and flatten each loaf slightly. Place loaves on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- While the loaves are baking, combine the ketchup, coconut sugar, worcestershire sauce and mustard in a small bowl.
- Take the meatloaves out of the oven and spoon about a tablespoon of sauce over each loaf. Bake for 5-7 additional minutes. Allow the meatloaf to sit for 10 minutes.
- Garnish the finished meatloaves with freshly chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use leaner ground beef. Lean beef (80/20) will still provide a juicy and tender meatloaf, without all the excess grease.Use a wire rack over a baking sheet if possible. By cooking the meatloaf on a rack, it allows the grease to drip through the rack, resulting in a crispier exterior
- Do not over mix the meatloaf mixture! Over mixing may result in more dense meatloaf.
- Allow the meatloaves to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving them. This allows the juices to redistribute evenly.
- Meatloaf leftovers make a great base for other meals! Serve the mini meatloaves on buns for meatloaf sliders, packed in pitas for easy lunches, or crumbled onto pizza, or in soups!
- Use an instant read meat thermometer to take the internal temperature of the meatloaf before removing it from the oven. They should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you have picky eaters, replace the shredded onion with half a teaspoon of onion powder.
- For smaller pieces of oats, blitz them for 1-2 seconds in your food processor before combining them with the meat mixture.