yield: 8 mini meatloaves (2 per serving)
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes

Meatloaf wasn’t my favorite growing up, but it grew on me as I got older. Now I love it! Most people who eat low-carb stay away from meatloaf because it usually contains breadcrumbs. These little breadcrumb-free meatloaves are so yummy, and they’re wrapped in bacon, too, so there!

• 8 slices bacon, partially cooked (see Notes)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup sugar-free ketchup, plus extra for the tops
• ¼ cup chopped dill pickles
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease 8 wells of a standard-size 12-well muffin pan or line with parchment paper.

2. Wrap a slice of partially cooked bacon around the side of each prepared muffin well.

3. Place the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to combine the ingredients until just blended, being careful not to overmix.

4. Divide the meat mixture evenly among the bacon-lined wells of the muffin pan, filling each well to the top of the bacon. Brush the tops of the meatloaves with ketchup.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160°F when inserted in the middle of a meatloaf. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes:

The bacon should be cooked just long enough that it releases some of its fat (so that you don’t end up with meatloaves sitting in pools of bacon drippings) but remains bendy; do not cook the bacon until it’s crispy.

You can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook at low speed to make mixing easier.