Dinner & Meal Ideas

Let’s be honest—sometimes, the only thing we need after a long day is a fast and fresh plate of comfort food. Here’s where this classic cooking staple—with a twist!—comes out to shine: meatloaf in individual portions, fingerling potatoes, and crunchy green beans made in a one-sheet pan.

You read that right! One-sheet pan dinners have become very popular in the last few years given the easiness and little-to-none prep time. Chop it, season it, throw it in the oven, and in less than an hour you’ll have a nutritious homemade meal filled with color. The best part? The kitchen clean-up will be a breeze!

This mini meatloaf recipe is the right size for children and adults. The fantastic combination of barbecue sauce and spices give ground beef tons of flavors without making it dry. While a comforting side of roasted potatoes and tender, yet crisp bites of green beans are all you need to have a balanced family meal that everybody will love.

This meatloaf and potatoes recipe is freezer-friendly, which means you can make your sheetpan meatloaf ahead for a speedy dinner on weekday nights. Follow the instructions below, and once the meat has cooled down, place them in a freezer bag or container for up to a week. You can do so with the green beans and potatoes, but keep in mind the texture might change after reheating them.

Mini Meatloaf Cooking Tips

You can make delicious mini meatloaves, no matter how much experience you have in the kitchen. All you have to do is keep these helpful tips in mind:

• Avoid using small pans and baking dishes. It's best to use a large baking dish or sheet pan when cooking meatloaves so the meat has some breathing room. This will cause the edges to caramelize nicely.
• Don't be afraid to swap out your bread crumbs. If you aren't a fan of bread crumbs, or have simply run out of them, there are plenty of substitutes you can use, from pretzels to crackers to crushed cornflakes.
• Avoid overmixing your ingredients. Your meatloaf will firm up in the oven, so avoid mixing your ingredients too much. If you make this mistake, then the meatloaf will grow dense and dry. To help prevent overmixing, you can use your hands instead of a powerful electronic mixer. To avoid having the mixture stick to you, simply grease your hands with a small amount of oil.
• Don't slice into your finished meatloaves too soon. Even though you might be eager to dig into your meal, you need to let it rest after cooking so the juices get locked in. To keep it hot, simply place foil over the top until 10 minutes have passed.

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Place the potatoes in one half of prepared pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, stirring once.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine next four ingredients (through garlic powder). Add the ground beef; mix lightly until combined. Shape into four 3 1/2x2-inch meatloaves.

3. In a medium bowl drizzle the green beans with 1 tsp. oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Place loaves and green beans in pan with potatoes. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes more or until loaves are done (160°F) and potatoes and beans are tender.

4. Spoon 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over meatloaves; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with potatoes and beans.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)