Turkey Meatloaf Recipe

Ground Turkey Meatloaf sliced on a plate

This Ground Turkey Meatloaf is a leaner take on the American classic meatloaf we all love. This healthy meatloaf recipe is moist, low-carb, and so easy to make.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Halal

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings slices

Calories 176kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Vegetable Filling:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 medium-sized carrot shredded (approximately ½ cup)
2 cloves of garlic minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Turkey Meatloaf:

1 ¼ pounds of ground turkey 93%
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
¼ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped - more as garnish
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Ketchup Glaze:

⅓ cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar

Instructions

To make the vegetable filling: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add in onion and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add in the shredded carrot and cook for a few more minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until aromatic. Add in salt and pepper, transfer to a plate* and let it cool completely.
To Make The Turkey Meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees (176 C degrees). Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Place the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add in the now-cooled vegetables. Mix them together with a large spoon or your hands.
Transfer the mixture into a mound onto the baking sheet and shape into a 9X3 inch freeform loaf.
Place in the oven and bake until it registers 165 F degrees when a thermometer is inserted in the middle, 30-35 minutes.
Turn the broiler to low.
To Make The Glaze: Make the glaze when the turkey meatloaf is baking. Mix together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup in a small bowl.
Spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf in a thick even layer. Place the meatloaf in the broiler and broil until the glaze begins to bubble, 5 minutes or so.
Remove from the oven. Let it sit for 5 minutes on the kitchen counter. Garnish with fresh parsley, slice, and serve.

Video

Notes

This recipe makes ~ 8 slices of turkey meatloaf. The serving size includes 2 slices per person.
Ground Turkey: A few of our readers asked to see if they can make this recipe using 1-pound ground turkey (mostly sold in stores). We tested it, and it worked well, and no adjustments to the rest of the ingredients were necessary.
You can spread the vegetables on the plate to make them cool faster.
To Make Ahead: Bake the turkey meatloaf fully, bring it to room temperature, and place in an airtight container. When ready to serve, heat it in a 325 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed throughly. Spread it with the glaze and broil for 5-7 minutes.

To Meal Prep: Make it for meal prep by simply doubling (using 2 pounds of ground turkey) the recipe and baking each loaf on two baking sheets. Enjoy one for dinner and completely cool, slice, and freeze the other in an airtight container or plastic freezer storage bag with small squares of parchment between each slice. To reheat, bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed through.
To Store Leftovers: Bring leftovers to room temperature and place them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3-4 days. Slice and make into sandwiches for lunch throughout the week.
To Freeze: Bring it to room temperature. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze up to a month. To thaw, let it defrost in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve, bake in a 350-degree oven until warmed thoroughly.
A quick note on cooking time: There is a direct correlation between the meatloaf "log" size and cooking time. This recipe has been tested for a 9 by 3 inches log. If your log is a different size, then the cooking time might be different. The best way to tell doneness is by checking it with a thermometer.

Nutrition