Mini Volcano Meatloaves
Believe it or not, this recipe started out as a literal school project. When we were in elementary school, my sister was tasked with making a volcano for a project at school. While most kids made theirs using baking soda and pop or vinegar, my mom helped her create an edible version. My family centers everything around food, so it’s not surprising that my sister’s volcano was constructed from ground meat and a sweet and tangy tomato sauce, with cheese as the exploding lava. Because who wants a boring exploding plaster volcano when you can have one that tastes as good as it looks!
I have made this one my own and weeknight friendly by creating mini versions of the one my mom made when I was a kid. These mini volcano meatloaves still pack a ton of flavor and combine all the best parts of my mom’s recipe, just in a smaller package that cuts down on cook time. Each one gets its own cheesy center and plenty of that sweet and tangy sauce on top, making them perfect for a quick dinner with already portioned leftovers.
Gourmet Mommie Tip#1: Taste the Sauce
Taste the sauce before it goes into the oven. These proportions are usually just right, but this is your chance to make it yours. Add a little more garlic pepper, salt, black pepper, or brown sugar to taste.
Gourmet Mommie Tip #2: Veggie Shortcut
If you don’t want to chop the vegetables, substitute 1½ cups frozen diced onion bell pepper and celery blend for the fresh onion, bell pepper, and celery.
Gourmet Mommie Variation - Volcano Meatloaf
Instead of portioning the meatloaf mixture into individual balls, form the mixture into a loaf and place in a loaf pan or oblong baking dish. Using your fingers, create a long cavity down the center of the meatloaf that reaches about halfway through, extending nearly from end to end and leaving about a 1-inch border at each short end. Take an 8-ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese and cut it in half lengthwise. Place 1 half of the block into the cavity. Pour the sauce over the meatloaf, cover, and bake at 375°F for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until browned, cooked through, and the center reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
And yes: both ingredient paragraphs are now safe for the delimiter setup you described. Every comma represents the end of one complete ingredient and the beginning of the next; there are no commas embedded within individual ingredient entries.
Notes
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01 | Prepare Meatloaf Mixture: Add the ground meat, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion, bell pepper, celery, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Using your hands, mix until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
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02 | Portion Meatloaves: Using a large cookie scoop, divide the meatloaf mixture into even portions. Roll each portion between your hands to form a large meatball, then set aside.
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03 | Make Sauce: Add the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup to a separate bowl. Whisk until well combined and the brown sugar has dissolved.
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04 | Assemble Mini Meatloaves: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a jumbo muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon about 2 tablespoons sauce into the bottom of each cavity you are using. Place a meatloaf ball into each sauced cavity, leaving about ½–1 inch of space between the meatloaf and the top of the cavity. Press 1 cube of cheddar halfway into the center of each meatloaf, leaving the top of the cheese visible and roughly level with the top of the meatloaf. Spoon another 1–2 tablespoons sauce over each one.
Add 2–3 tablespoons water to any empty muffin cavities to prevent the pan from burning.
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05 | Bake Meatloaves: Place the jumbo muffin pan on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any drippings. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the meatloaves are browned, have pulled slightly away from the sides of the cavities, are cooked through, and have reached an internal temperature of 160°F.
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06 | Finish Sauce & Serve: While the meatloaves bake, pour any remaining sauce into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened. Remove the meatloaves from the oven and serve immediately with mashed potatoes and the warm sauce alongside.
Instructions
2½ lb ground meat
2 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
½ tablespoon garlic pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ medium yellow onion (finely diced)
½ green bell pepper (finely diced)
1 celery stalk including leaves (finely diced)
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (cut into equal cubes)
Meatloaf
¼ cup light brown sugar
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup ketchup
Sauce
Gourmet Mommie
Jazzmyne Buckels
MINI VOLCANO MEATLOAVES
8-10 Servings
455 Calories / Serve
PREP
15 M
COOK
20-25 M
REST
5 M
TOTAL
45 M
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