Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just blended.
Reserve 1/3 cup of the panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Add half the minced garlic, the parsley, and the thyme to the reserved crumbs and stir to combine.
Add the remaining panko and remaining garlic to the beef mixture and mix until evenly distributed.
Divide the beef mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a small loaf. Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheet.
Press the garlic herb crumb mixture firmly onto the top of each loaf.
Spoon or brush the ketchup evenly over the crumb topping on each loaf.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and the crust is lightly browned.