This Mini Crockpot Meatloaf is tender and juicy and so easy to make! Made with onions, garlic, spices and topped with a sweet and tangy sauce. This simple recipe makes the perfect amount to serve one or two people. Included in the recipe are instructions for converting a Crockpot or Crockpot style slow cooker into a single serving slow cooker.
I love a good meatloaf recipe – I consider it to be the ultimate comfort food.
When meatloaf is simple, full of flavor, and perfectly tender and juicy, it’s a winner.
We’ve got a wonderful Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf For One recipe here at One Dish Kitchen and trust me, it’s fabulous. This particular meatloaf is cheesy, filled with bacon and reminds me of a bacon cheeseburger without the bun.
But if you’re looking for a meatloaf recipe that’s a little more traditional and not at all cheesy, then this Crockpot Meatloaf recipe is one you’ll love.
Crockpot Meatloaf
You might wonder why someone would cook a meatloaf in a Crockpot or slow cooker when it could easily be cooked in the oven.
Well, cooking a meatloaf in an oven is of course, a great idea. But what if you’re busy all day and would love to come home to a home cooked meal already prepared and waiting for you?
That’s where a Crockpot meatloaf is the perfect meal.
You’ll find with this Crockpot meatloaf recipe that the meatloaf is tender and juicy. My method for tender, flavorful meatloaf involves a quick and easy extra step and is so worth it.
RELATED – 8 Healthy Home Cooked Single Serving Meals
Ingredients In Meatloaf
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- butter
- chopped onions
- garlic
- dried thyme
- salt
- black pepper
- ground beef
- Worcestershire sauce
- egg
- breadcrumbs (instead of breadcrumbs, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of oat flour or almond flour or use 4 tablespoons of old-fashioned rolled oats)
- ketchup
- molasses
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
How To Cook Meatloaf In A Slow Cooker
Follow these easy steps:
Be sure to scroll down for the complete ingredient list and instructions.
Step 1
Cut a 1-foot length of foil in half lengthwise. Fold each strip in half lengthwise to form two long strips.
Place the foil strips in the bottom of the Crockpot or slow cooker in a cross pattern.
Trim them so that they are even with the rim or below the rim so that they don’t get in the way of the Crockpot lid.
Spray the foil and slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Pro Tip: The reason I use foil is so that the meatloaf can easily be lifted from the bowl, leaving the oil behind.
Step 2
Cook chopped onions and a clove of garlic in a little butter in a small skillet. When the onions begin to soften, add in dried thyme, salt and black pepper.
Pro Tip: Cooking the vegetables in butter is the secret to a moist and juicy meatloaf.
Step 3
Pour the cooked onions and garlic into a large bowl and add in 1/2 pound of ground beef.
To the beef, add Worcestershire sauce, an egg and either bread crumbs, almond flour or oat flour to help hold it all together.
Mix the ingredients together, form the meat into a round or oval shape and place the meatloaf in your slow cooker.
Step 4
Cook the meatloaf on a low setting for 6 hours.
Step 5
When you have about 30 minutes left of cooking time, mix together 1/4 cup of ketchup combined with 1 tablespoon of molasses and spoon the mixture over the top of the meatloaf.
Put the lid back on the slow cooker and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Instead of using a Crockpot or a slow cooker, this recipe can also be made in an 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven and cooked for 50 minutes (see recipe notes).
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Best Size Crockpot To Use To Make Mini Meatloaf
The best size slow cooker to use to make this meatloaf recipe is a small, 1.5 to 3-quart slow cooker.
If you only have a large slow cooker, that’s fine too.
You can easily transform your large slow cooker into a small one by placing an oven safe bowl inside of the bowl of your slow cooker.
After the meatloaf has cooked, cover it and allow it to rest for five minutes before cutting into it. This will give the juices time to settle.
If you cut into the meatloaf too soon, the juices release and will make the meatloaf dry.
This meatloaf recipe will yield enough for one or two servings.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients left over from this meatloaf recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Ground beef: Goulash, Taco Salad, Salisbury Steak, Giant Italian Meatball
- Worcestershire sauce: Irish Stew, Minestrone Soup, Crawfish Etouffee, Beef Stroganoff
- Breadcrumbs: Meatballs, Chicken Tenders
- Ketchup: Sesame Chicken, Garlic Smashed Potatoes
- Molasses: Ginger Cookies, Granola, Sloppy Joe, Gingerbread
What To Serve With Meatloaf
You might like to consider serving any of these single serving side dish recipes with your meatloaf:
Other Single Serving Slow Cooker Recipes
If you like this slow cooker meatloaf recipe, you might also like to try these slow cooker recipes:
Enjoy!
For this meatloaf recipe, I used a 1.5-quart slow cooker.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Mini Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 ounces chopped onions (1/4 of a large onion)
- 1 clove garlic , chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (instead of breadcrumbs, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of oat flour or almond flour or use 4 tablespoons of old-fashioned rolled oats)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in the chopped garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for an additional 2 minutes. Remove skillet from the heat and set aside.
- Place the ground beef in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the onion/garlic/butter mixture over the meat. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, the egg and the breadcrumbs. Using a large spoon or your hands, mix the meat and all of the ingredients together until fully combined. Shape into an oval.
- Cut a 1-foot length of foil in half lengthwise. Fold each strip in half lengthwise to form two long strips. Place the foil strips in the bottom of the slow cooker in a cross pattern. Trim them so that they are even with the rim or below the rim so that they don’t get in the way of the slow cooker lid.
- Spray the foil and slow cooker with nonstick spray.
- Place the meatloaf on top of the foil lining the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours.
- Stir together the ketchup and molasses in a small bowl. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and spoon the sauce over the meatloaf. Cover the slow cooker again and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Carefully grasp the ends of the foil strips to lift out the meatloaf. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the meatloaf rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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If I doubled this for two people with, hopefully, lunch for one the next day, how much longer would I cook it?
Hi Tricia,
Cook the meatloaf for the same amount of time (about 6 hours on low). If you would like to check doneness with a thermometer, you will know that the meatloaf is fully cooked when it reaches a temperature of 165 degrees F when a thermometer is inserted in the center of the meatloaf.
Can you cook it on high for 4 hours
Yes, you can.
I love this meatloaf so much! Thank you for all the wonderful recipes. I didn’t have molasses so I used real maple and it was still wonderful.
I made this and it was awesome! I used meatloaf mix meat and it was moist, flavorful and so easy.
Tillia,
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the recipe. It makes my day!
have a wonderful week.
Joanie
This is genius! I love the flavors of the beef but it was the ketchup and molasses that puts it over the top for me, delicious. PLUS! Love your method for cooking the meatloaf inside the ramekin, I have never even thought of that.
This recipe for slow cooker meatloaf for one is AMAZING! So glad to have this up my sleeve for when my husband is away for the week or weekend!
I would never have thought to do this! I totally see this as an easy lunch in my future 😀
Meatloaf is a favorite of mine. My husband? Not so much. This is perfect, especially when a craving strikes me!
I absolutely LOVE this! I personally have a big family, but this would be an absolutely perfect option for my in-laws. The recipe sounds divine too! Passing this one along!