Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is the best comfort food recipe you can make for dinner.
Ground beef and bacon served as mini meatloaf for individual portion sizes! Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf should appeal to all bacon lovers, and the mini meatloaf portion size should appeal to everyone.
You know I’m a bacon lover, so you can only imagine how much I love this Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf.
If you’re familiar with my blog, you’ll know that I cook with bacon all the time. There’s nothing quite like it on earth. I love it so much I think it should be its own food group. For that matter, parmesan should have its own as well.
I digress. Let’s get back to bacon.
Bacon can and should be enjoyed at any meal. Why should breakfast have dibs on bacon when there are so many wonderful things you can do with it? Take this meatloaf wrapped in bacon. I’ve made plenty of meatloaf in my day – it is one of the best comfort foods, after all. But when I make Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf, I wrapped each little mini meatloaf in thick wonderful bacon and topped it with crispy onion pieces – OH MY. I can’t even begin to explain how good it was.
Why this bacon wrapped meatloaf recipe is different:
I have to admit, I made the actual meatloaf portion different than I normally do. When I had made meatloaf in the past, I had mixed the ketchup in along with water and dried onion soup mix (with the egg and bread crumbs, of course).
I went in a pretty different direction this time by including onions and garlic that I had sauteed along with milk instead of water. At first, I was hesitant, but then I reminded myself how delicious my country sausage gravy is and I accepted that I was pouring milk on raw meat.
Secondly, I put the ketchup mixture on the top of the bacon wrapped meatloaf instead of mixing it in. I know that’s how a lot of people make it, but I had never done it that way. The crispy fried onions on the top added the perfect amount of crunch and flavor. But most of all, creating individual servings of mini meatloaf and then serving that meatloaf wrapped in bacon – ugh, it was just so darn delicious.
Reasons to make meatloaf with bacon:
Everyone knows a bacon wrapped filet mignon is pure decadent heaven, so it was a given that this meatloaf wrapped in bacon would be outstanding. Since we buy our beef direct from a local grass fed farm, I’ve become accustomed to cooking with grass fed beef. If you haven’t made the switch over to pasture raised beef, you’ll never go back. The main difference you’ll notice, beyond the incredible taste and health benefits, is that it’s usually leaner. This is why wrapping bacon around your mini meatloaf is an even better idea! Bottom line – meatloaf wrapped in bacon is not only super moist, but the flavor can’t be beat.
How to make Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf:
- This mini meatloaf recipe consists of three parts: the meatloaf, the topping, and the bacon.
- Most meatloaf recipes call for an egg to bind everything together and some kind of starch like breadcrumbs. In lieu of the breadcrumbs, you can try using crushed crackers or even cornmeal when you make this delicious bacon meatloaf. Take care when mixing all of the mini meatloaf ingredients so that you don’t overwork the meat. Use your hands to form the mini meatloaf patties.
- The sauce on top is very similar to a homemade barbecue sauce. It mixes up quickly and is the perfect addition on top of this bacon meatloaf.
- I have found the easiest way to wrap the bacon around the mini meatloaf is to use longer pieces of bacon if you can find them and then squeeze the mini meatloaf patty until the bacon ends meet. No need to secure them in place but you can use a toothpick if you wish. I have also made this meatloaf with bacon in a jumbo sized muffin pan instead of a baking sheet. The muffin pan helps the bacon wrapped meatloaf hold it’s shape, but it doesn’t allow for the grease to run off.
- I was a little unsure how long to cook the Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf and was tempted to increase the temperature, but I kept it at a solid 350 degrees for a full hour and fifteen minutes. I wasn’t worried one bit that it would dry out because the bacon and the sauce were keeping everything perfectly moist and flavorful. I just waited until the bacon reached perfection and then I served them up with some fresh green beans and mashed potatoes. YUM!
This post was originally published in July 2015, but I’ve recently updated it to include the recipe video. Enjoy!
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
RECIPE VIDEO
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 6 bacon slices
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 cup fried onion pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven or grill to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up.
- Melt butter in saute pan over medium heat. Cook onions until fragrant and slightly brown while stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and cooked onions and garlic. Use hands to mix well, but try not to over work the meat. Divide into six equal sized portions and shape into disks.
- Wrap bacon slices around edge of disks. Diameter of meatloaf should be so that the bacon ends just meet or slightly overlap.
- In a separate bowl, combine ketchup with mustard and brown sugar. Divide equally and spread over the tops of the mini meatloaves. Sprinkle tops with crispy fried onions.
- Bake in preheated oven or grill until bacon is just golden, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
This looks sooo yummy! Good call with the bacon. I’m definitely going to give this recipe and try.
I’ve never been a fan of traditional meatloaf but these mini bacon wrapped versions are definitely something I would LOVE to eat. They look so delicious.
The directions don’t say to add the egg to the meat mixture so when I made mine I accidentally left it out. Luckily it turned out fantastic anyway! Great recipe we loved it!
Hi Jasmine – Glad to know it still worked! The egg is just used as a binder to hold everything together. Hopefully the bacon blanket helped as well. 🙂 -Krissy
Can you freeze these?
Are you asking if you can freeze pre or post cooking?
Yes, they freezemwell.
I am thinking of trying this using a mini muffin pan. Bacon wrapped around the
Did you ever try this and did it work?
Try what?
Just made this, in the oven now. Smells great. I cant wait to try them.
Going to make this later in the week – looks delicious! The crispy onion strings didn’t get too dark being in the oven that long? Wondering if I should put them on top closer to the end…? Thanks for the recipe! xo Ash
Hi Ashleigh, putting on closer to the end is a great idea! -Krissy
I have them in the oven now, but I just peeked on them & the bacon has come loose 🙁 I even overlapped it. Next time I’ll either make smaller ones or use toothpicks to secure.
Yeah, that bacon can sometimes have a mind of its own. I think toothpics are a great idea! Hope it tasted delish!! -Krissy
I just made this recipe tonight and it turned out amazing! Whole family loved it!
There was 1 large egg listed in the ingredients but not used anywhere in the recipe. I assumed it was to be added in the ground beef mixture.
I am preparing this tonight for the first time..will review later.
Oh my God this recipe is amazing! It was so good I had to blog about it and link it to your recipe so all of my friends could try it! You rock!
You said you need 1 egg but in the directions it does not include the egg.
Doh! Sorry about that. I updated the recipe. Thanks!!! Krissy
Can the meatloaf be made ahead of time?
I didn’t, but I don’t see why you couldn’t! Krissy
Made this last night and it was a BIG hit! Ended up making mine a bit smaller so we could finish each without leftovers. All of us cleaned our plates. Topping really made this meatloaf, thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the comment, Terri! Glad you enjoyed!!! -Krissy
Instead of the sprinkled onion I just kept it traditional and made a sauce with ketchup, mild spices mustard and baked them and they look great!
Made this the other day and I would wait to put on the onion crispys till closer to the end and I used tin foil on the bottom of the pan and it was very hard to pick up without it sticking and burnt on the bottom. I’ll have to find another way like the rubber things because over all it was a good easy recipe.
I always put foil down too and then spray the top with Pam. Also since you brought this up as a possible problem I might put a rack on top of the foil/Pam lined baking sheet. I spray the rack and then place the meat on top.
Hi,
We loved everything about this recipe!!! And I love that is was also portion control. All the flavors went so good together and the topping was the best. I’m always looking for good recipes for two. This was perfect! Thanks, can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Awww, thanks Katie!!! Much appreciated, Krissy
I made this recipe before and it was delicious! I am going to make it again but this time for more people. Would you suggest doubling the recipe or making 2 separate batches?
Hi Stephanie! I think you could definitely double but might have to bake in separate batches depending on the size of your oven? -Krissy
Hi! I have ground venison. Is there anything I should do differently or add anything before baking? Venison is leaner than beef and I don’t want it to dry out during cooking. Really want to try this! Any suggestions?
Hi Melanie. Wow, that sounds amazing! I’ve never cooked with venison so I would only be guessing, but I will tell you that these little meatloaves are incredibly moist and I typically use grass fed/finished ground beef which is leaner than traditional ground beef. Sooo… I actually think it might work without any additions/substitutions. Please let me know! Krissy
This is my favorite venison recipe! The milk helps to tame the gamey flavor and the bacon keeps the meat moist. Keep the recipe exactly the way it is! (although I double it…my family can’t get enough!)
My entire family (including one very picky 12 year old) LOVED these! I agree with another post- they do stick to the foil. I’ve made these twice and both times the bottom portion came off and was completely stuck to foil. If anyone figures out another way please post it. Other than that, great recipe!
Hi Kelly, The only thing I can think of would be to spray the foil? Next time I make them, I think I’ll try them out on my baking stone. That way, if they stick, I can just jam my metal spatula underneath to release. Thanks! Krissy
Did you try this receipe on your stoneware yet and if so how did it work? Thanks.
I actually did cook it on my stone, just with foil. I love cooking on stone!
We made this tonight on the grill minus the onion topping. I also added jalapeño to the mix with the meat. We put Bbq sauce on top and grilled it for 45 minutes and it was beyond amazing!
Sounds amazing, Candis! I love me some jalapenos! -Krissy
I was looking for a new recipe to try with my ground beef. Came across this on Pinterest, and I am so glad I did! This recipe turned out amazing! The only thing I didn’t have is the spicy mustard, so I substituted with regular mustard, and a little extra brown sugar as we like the sauce a bit sweater. I will deffenetly be making this again, as it’s super simple and even the picky eaters in my family loved them!
This was amazing, absolutely my new go to meatloaf recipe! The fried onions really set it off!
I made mine in a standard cupcake tin. I lined each tin with a ring of bacon, then filled with meat mix. Topped with the ketchup sauce. I baked for an hour, added the fried onions and baked for the remaining 15 minutes. I was able to get a full batch of 12, I tupperwared the remaining meat mix and made 10 more little meat loafs 2 days later!
Did the bacon crisp up well in the muffin tin? This is how I’m considering making it as well but was concerned. Thanks!
I think if you use a metal tin, it might… curious if it worked too.
Delicious! Had to add a bit of oatmeal to bulk up the meat mixture as it was too wet. Also threw in some chopped left over mushrooms. The smell of meatloaf in the oven is always incredible, but with applewood bacon added- irresistible! Will definitely make this again.
When you say Fried Onion Pieces, do you mean like the ones you use on green bean casserole that come in a container? Or do you mean to fry onions?
Like what you put on green bean casserole. -Krissy
You said you fried the onions. Were those the ones you used on top? I am confused since you told someone to used the ones like are used on green bean casseroles. Would you explain? Thanks.
Yes – those fried onions that are on the top. You can buy them already fried. They add some great flavor and texture!
I WAS AS ABOUT TO ASK THIS SAME QUESTION!!!!! THANKS…so glad I don’t have to fry onions…….just go to my pantry!!!!!
I will try cooking in mu Nu-Wave oven I am really on a fat free Diet I think this will fine for me and company
I loved this recipe, but mine stuck to the foil and burnt the bottom SO bad, even after I sprayed the foil. Next time I’m going to try wrapping the whole thing in bacon, and flipping them half way through. Or reduce the cooking time. But I will definitely trying this recipe again!
Wrapping the whole thing in bacon will always win! Maybe you had it too low in the oven? Glad you’re gonna try it again! Krissy
it smelled so good but the meat is not solid..its still soft like when it was raw. i followed everything in the recipe…
Mine was definitely soft and tender but in a good way. You sure you cooked it long enough? Sorry it didn’t turn out. Krissy
I have made these for years, call them “Poor Man’s Filet Mignon”. Always a hit.
Best meatloaf ever!
Iam going to try this recipe tmrrw night. Hopefully my boys and enjoy it.
This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted. EVER. I’ve been cooking gluten free for almost a decade and have never tasted anything as savory as this. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It will be a weekly meal in our house!
Thank you so much for the kind words!!! -Krissy
Yum! Made this tonight for the family and even the finicky 15 yo liked it! Of course the bacon had something to do with it. Why do people cringe at the word “meatloaf”?!? This was fantasically flavorful and moist. I remembered to toothpick the bacon but forgot to Pam the foil. Pam the foil folks!. This will stick and don’t lose a morsel of this yummy goodness. Great recipe and and must make again one at that. Cheers!
OMG….amazing.
I can post a pic here but check out my IG @tarlentinoh. This will be a regular in my house from now on. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Would using parchment paper stop the sticking and burning? Thanks.
Can their be a substitute for milk?
We’re a dairy loving house, so I’m not sure what a good substitute in this particular recipe would be. Maybe just beef broth?
For the record, you can totally make these in cupcake tins. I just sprayed the tins with cooking spray before adding the bacon and meat mixture. I also used rolled oats instead of breadcrumbs, and omitted the onions and garlic (just used powders of each.) It was delicious and I will definitely be making it again!
thinking of making this tonight! ?
my concerns are about the meatloaf fully cooking and also is it easier to put it in a cupcake tin? just curious. I also read alot of complaints of the burning the bottoms and bacon coming apart was curious if the cupcake tin was thr better choice seeing as Pam spray and the tin would hold the mixture together??
thanks ?
Sorry for the late reply… been moving! I’ve made them in the muffin tin and they were fabulous. There’s just no where for the grease to drain so you have to set them on a paper towel when you remove them from the oven.
Would parchment paper be a good substitute for the foil?
yep!
Can I make them and refrigerate til tomorrow? Raw?
yep!
Can these made ahead of time and frozen before baking? And how would that change the baking time?
Made ahead of time and froze. Put ketchup sauce on right before baking and baked for 1hr at 400. Added fried onions last 15 mins. Very delicious! Lots of compliments and requests for recipe. Served with twice baked potatoes (also made ahead and froze) and strawberry/spinach salad. Great make ahead meal with little prep time on serve day! Thanks!
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Maybe? I’ve never tried.
These are amazing! My son HATES meatloaf. He ate 2 of these and consIdered a third until he decide he was full. I made eight of these and did half with the ketchup topping and the other half with BBQ sauce (son loves BBQ sauce) I cooked them on parchment paper and they came right up. Thank you so much for the recipe. Will be in my go to dinner rotation from now on.
Did anyone figure out a way to not have the bottoms burn? These were good but the burned bottoms killed it for me. I want to make them again!!
Parchment paper would help!
Yummy goodness. So glad I found your recipe on pinterest. I read through the comments and decided to use my silpat so I would have any sticky issues. Thanks so much for a great recipe.
This meatloaf looks delicious. I would be trying this recipe this fall. Thanks for sharing.
I made them tonight but made them way huge almost like hambergur paties! Whoops!! Anyways made with sauce but made more bacon and crubbled them up to make baken bits on top! hope it cooks the same in the amount of time listed with them being so big! Can’t wait to try!!
I made this with venison and it was awesome.
That sounds heavenly!
Great Recipe! Even the non-meatloaf lovers in the family clean their plates!
Glad you liked it!
This was absolutely delicious.
No salt???
Hi Angie, I find that the topping and bacon give enough salt, but if you’re a lover of salty foods, you can definitely add some. I prefer to undersalt my food and add it later, to taste.
Love this meatloaf!
These are such a fun idea! Ground beef is my go-to protein, and I’m always looking for new things to do with it to keep my kids interested. I’m making these tonight as I just happen to have some bacon defrosted in the fridge. Thank you for posting!
Bacon makes everything better in my opinion and my family adored this meatlaof and I can’t wait to make it again!
We call this meat wrapped meat and then laugh devilishly as we eat every bite! This is amazingly good and I am 100% with you, bacon is life.
You had me at bacon wrapped. This looks so comforting and perfect for the colder months.
Love the individual sized portions!
Cute and delish! What a great dinner idea!
xo Michael
Oh my, this looks fantastic! My family would really enjoy this!!
I am always a fan of wrapping bacon around just about everything!! This looks delicious!Sabrina
Wow! You just made my ultimate comfort food 1000x better! Can never wrong with bacon 🙂
How do you get the bacon crispy?
Hi Dani, If you like really crispy bacon, you can par bake it half way on a wire rack on top of a foil lined baking sheet. I would just cook it long enough to partially render the fat but it still has to be very flexible. If you do this step, your bacon will definitely get crispy when you bake the meatloaf.
I have made these a bunch of thymes (see what I did there? Haha) and my family LOVES THEM. The only thing I changed was less thyme. The first time I made them we found that it was too overpowering so now I just put a pinch and it’s perfect. Served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. 😊
I LOVE spice puns!
When using parchment paper, do you still spray it with Pam?
Nope! No need. It won’t stick if using parchment.
This sounds awesome, but is the milk necessary/what’s it for?
It just moistens the panko bread crumbs and helps keep the mixture all together.
I stumbled upon this recipe while searching for yet
again a worthy meatloaf recipe. This recipe will now
be my go to for meatloaf. Super easy, minimal ingredients
but the flavor is outstanding. The thyme is dead on,
and I caramelized my own onions for the topping
and they were delicious. Only addition to the recipe
was S & P but I’m sure we all do that. Thanks for this
recipe and you have a new follower!
Can the milk be substituted for anything else? Beef broth?
beef broth would work great!