This was one of those “third time’s a charm” recipes. And I’m so glad I persevered because I really like how they turned out.
This month’s Recipe Redux contest, sponsored by The Mushroom Council, is to create a recipe either using mushrooms in place of some portion of meat using the “blendability method” or to replace all of the meat in a recipe to make it lighter and healthier. I went with the latter option to create completely meatless meatloaf muffins.
These meatloaf cups are seriously a cinch to whip together and I’ve been putting them in tupperware with brown rice and some extra veggies for lunch at work. If you exclude the chipotle peppers/chili powder I think they would also be a kid friendly meal option!
I don’t even think a gung-ho meat eater would be able to detect that these are completely meatless. They are that tricky and tasty. The black beans give them a heartier texture that when combined with chopped up baby portobello mushrooms will keep you full and satisfied after eating just one or two “meatloaf” cups.
The major change I made during my recipe testing to finally hit the jackpot was adding breadcrumbs. Do NOT exclude the breadcrumbs. They soak up the moisture from the egg and hold everything together so you can pop them out of the muffin tin without a mess.
I hope you enjoy this super healthy meat-free meal as much as I did!
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped in food processor
- 3 garlic cloves, minced in food processor
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 heaping cup sliced fresh baby portobello mushrooms
- 1 heaping cups roughly chopped raw broccoli
- 1 16 oz. can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed clean (about 1 and 1/2 cups drained)
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo or chili powder to taste
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray the muffin tin with non-stick spray or olive oil spray.
- In a food processor, add onion and garlic and pulse until chopped but not blended.
- Heat a large pan over medium low heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until transparent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Next, chop the mushroom and broccoli in the food processor. Add them to the pan with the onion and garlic and stir to combine.
- Finally, pulse the black beans in the food processor until they are very roughly chopped. Add to the pan.
- Mince the chipotle pepper and add to the pan as well.
- Add soy sauce and spices to skillet and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a separate bowl. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before continuing.
- Add whisked eggs and breadcrumbs to the cooled mixture and mix to fully combine.
- Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture into each muffin tin and push down with the back of a spoon to pack down. Spray the tops with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked throughout.
By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by The Mushroom Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
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Yum! You know I have actually had this weird craving for something meatloaf-like lately, but this seems like the perfect healthy substitute. Definitely going to make this soon 🙂
I totally know the feeling. I would love to know what you think if you make them!
Perfect little portion love it!
Portion control is the best!
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Such a great idea! I really like traditional meatloaf, but it’s just too heavy for me. Love this alternative!!
Isn’t that how it always is? The foods we love the most are so heavy yet so delicious.
What a neat idea. This we will have to try for sure!
These look great! Love that you made them completely meatless.
Thanks for stopping by, Marisa!