Mini Meatball Cupcakes
These Mini Meatball Cupcakes are a fun and delicious comfort food made with juicy baked meatballs topped with creamy mashed potatoes and finished with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and fresh parsley. Perfect for family dinners, parties, meal prep, or game day!
Servings: 12
Calories: 315kcal
Ingredients
- Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Mashed Potato Topping
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup warm milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Garnish
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons cooked bacon bits
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the meat mixture evenly among the muffin cups, pressing gently into each cup.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Drain any excess grease if needed.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–18 minutes, until fork tender. Drain well.
- Mash the potatoes with butter, warm milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper until smooth and fluffy.
- Allow the baked meatballs to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe decorative swirls onto each meatball cupcake. Alternatively, spoon the potatoes on top.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep the meatballs tender.
- Yukon Gold potatoes create the creamiest mashed potato topping.
- For a cheesy center, place a small cube of mozzarella inside each meatball before baking.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the meat evenly.
- Freshly mashed potatoes pipe more easily than cooled potatoes.
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- Calories: 315 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Potassium: 620 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Vitamin A: 380 IU
- Vitamin C: 9 mg
- Calcium: 145 mg
- Iron: 2.6 mg