WW Recipe of the Day: Southwest Meatloaf Muffins for Two
On a recent trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, I saw these Southwest mini meatloaf muffins on a cafe menu and was delighted with my meal. Hearty and delicate at the same time; the demure size and spicy flavor are a good match.
WW Friendly Southwest Meatloaf Muffins
I've used ricotta cheese in lieu of any fillers like oats or breadcrumbs which helps to keep these meatloaf muffins gluten-free. The cheese adds a richness to the lean meat and egg whites.
The Dijon mustard gives an added bite and enhances the texture of the lean ground turkey, which can at times be pretty dry.
This humble meatloaf—in its dressed up muffin form—is an ideal supper, however also makes an easy, big-group appetizer or main course.
A few days ago I doubled the recipe, made 12 muffins and served them piled onto a larger serving platter for a buffet. They were gone in minutes!
How Many Calories and WW Points in these Mini Meatball Muffins?
According to my calculations, each serving (3 meatloaf muffins) has 208 calories and:
6 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
6 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
6 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
5 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
How to Make Mini Southwestern Meatballs Muffins Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather all ingredients and preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Ingredients for making Southwest Meatloaf Muffins
Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly.
Mixing Southwest Meatloaf Muffins
Southwest Meatloaf Mixture
Step 3: Spray a 6-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray and fill each with ⅓ cup of the meatloaf mixture.
Ready to bake meatloaf muffins
Step 4: Baked for 25-30 minutes, or until muffins are cooked through.
Step 5: Remove from the muffin tin and serve hot.
Baked Southwest Meatloaf Muffins
Recipe Notes
As the muffins cook, they'll give off some juice from the salsa and meat. They may look liquidy when you take them from the oven. This is fine. As the muffins sit for a few minutes, the juices absorb and the muffins will just be juicier.
Make up the meatloaf mixture up to 1 day in advance, fill the cups and cook when you're ready to serve.
I used liquid egg whites which I love for convenience sake. Also, it avoids leftover egg yolks which oftentimes just get thrown away.
If you're a real fan of spicy food, up the salsa heat to medium or hot.
Feel free to add a tablespoon of chopped cilantro for added color, flavor and authenticity.
Serving Suggestions
A bottle of ketchup or BBQ sauce are what I serve. Extra salsa or mustard are also good toppers.
Serve alongside a big vegetable salad, or crunchy slaw, and maybe a plate of skinny baked fries.
Ways to Use Leftovers
Leftovers meatloaf muffins are great cold or hot. Try slicing them in half and topping with mustard and ketchup as a low carb bread free sandwich.
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Southwest Meatloaf Muffins
Ingredients
- 8 ounces lean ground turkey
- ¼ cup pico de gallo or mild salsa
- ¼ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 egg whites
- 1 scallion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon chile powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix all of the ingredients thoroughly.
- Spray 6-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray and fill each with ⅓ cup of the meatloaf mixture.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until meatloaf muffins are cooked through.
- Remove from the tin and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
If you like this recipe for Southwest Meatloaf Mini Muffins, you might also like:
- Skinny Meatloaf Muffins
- Quinoa, Zucchini and Turkey Meatloaf
- Classic Slow Cooker Homestyle Meatloaf
- Paula Deens' Meatloaf Made Lighter
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Hallie is a chef-teacher who eventually found her way to Provence, France, where she gave food and wine tours of the region.
In addition to writing more than a dozen cookbooks, she has also been teaching both professional and recreational cooking classes since 1978.
Hallie looks forward to sharing some of her favorite easy, healthy recipes with you here on Simple Nourished Living.
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Marilyn
Is there a reason you don’t use the whole egg?
Martha McKinnon
You can use 1 whole egg in place of 2 egg whites if you prefer. ~Martha
Jamie
Hi - Can I assume this can be doubled, and that it freezes well? Thank you!
Martha McKinnon
Hi Jamie, Yes and yes.