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Juicy, flavorful, and topped with a tangy-sweet glaze, this turkey meatloaf recipe is easy enough for a weeknight and comforting enough for Sunday dinner.
The challenge with any turkey meatloaf recipe is keeping it moist and flavorful without relying on lots of added fat. My solution is to start with 93% lean ground turkey, sauté the onions and garlic before adding them to the meat, and mix some of the tangy-sweet glaze right into the loaf. The result is juicy, flavorful meatloaf with a beautifully glazed top.
The recipe makes two smaller loaves, which come in handy whether you’re feeding the family or cooking for fewer people. Serve both for dinner, or put one away for another night when you’d appreciate having the cooking already done.
“My husband gave this a 10, and I loved it too! I loved that I could freeze one for another night’s dinner.”
What You’ll Need For this Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
- Ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar & Dijon mustard: Make the tangy-sweet glaze that goes both into the meatloaf and over the top. The portion mixed into the meat adds flavor and moisture, while the rest caramelizes as the meatloaf bakes.
- Onion & garlic: Sautéing the aromatics before adding them to the meatloaf softens their flavor and ensures there are no crunchy bits of onion in the finished loaf. Chop the onion quite finely so it blends into the meat mixture.
- Paprika, thyme & Worcestershire sauce: Add savory depth and seasoning to the mild turkey. Worcestershire is especially helpful here for giving the meatloaf a richer, meatier flavor.
- Eggs & Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs: Bind everything together while helping the meatloaf stay tender. The seasoned breadcrumbs also add another layer of flavor.
- 93% lean ground turkey: The right balance for meatloaf—lean enough to keep things light but with enough fat to stay juicy. I’d avoid 99% lean turkey breast, which is much more prone to drying out.
- Fresh parsley: Optional, but it adds a nice pop of color and freshness when serving.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Why Make Two Smaller Meatloaves?
I shape the mixture into two free-form loaves rather than baking it in a loaf pan. This gives you more surface area for the glaze, allows the edges to brown nicely, and lets excess fat cook off rather than collect around the meatloaf. The smaller loaves cook more quickly, too. And if you don’t need both for dinner, you can freeze one for another night.
How To Make Turkey Meatloaf
Make the glaze: Stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and Dijon. You’ll use some in the meatloaf itself and save the rest for the top.
Cook the aromatics: Sauté the onion until soft, then add the garlic and seasonings and cook briefly until fragrant. Let the mixture cool a bit before adding it to the turkey—you don’t want to mix hot vegetables into the raw meat.
Make the meatloaf mixture: Gently combine the turkey with the cooled onion mixture, breadcrumbs, eggs, Worcestershire, and some of the glaze. Mix just until everything comes together; overmixing can make the meatloaf dense.
Shape, glaze, and bake: Shape the mixture into two free-form loaves and spread the remaining glaze evenly over the top. Bake until cooked through and nicely browned around the edges.
Rest and serve: Let the meatloaves rest briefly before slicing so they stay juicy and hold together nicely. Scrape the fat away from the loaves, transfer to a platter, and slice. (Leftovers make excellent meatloaf sandwiches!)
Video Tutorial
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Instructions
Make ahead: You can prepare and shape the meatloaves up to a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate them, keeping the remaining glaze separate until you’re ready to bake. The glaze can also be made up to 3 days in advance.
Storage: Leftover meatloaf will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat, loosely covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until heated through.
Freezing: Turkey meatloaf freezes well either before or after baking. Wrap the uncooked or fully cooled cooked loaves tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake uncooked loaves as directed, adding fresh glaze before baking, or reheat cooked loaves in a 300°F oven until heated through.
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the Glaze
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the Meatloaf
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 large eggs
- 2 lb 93% ground turkey
- ¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- A few springs chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil; grease the foil with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Set aside.
- Make the meatloaf: Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, eggs, and ¼ cup of the BBQ glaze. Whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the onion mixture. Add the ground turkey and breadcrumbs and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
- Transfer the meat mixture into two even piles onto the prepared baking sheet. Shape into two long loaves about 1½ in (4 cm) high x 6 in (15 cm) long x 4 in (10 cm) wide.
- Spread the remaining BBQ glaze over the loaves, letting it drip down the sides a bit.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until the meatloaves are cooked through. Scrape any fat away from the sides of the loaves, then transfer the loaves to a platter. Slice and garnish with parsley if desired.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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What To Serve With Turkey Meatloaf
Serve the meatloaf with mashed sweet potatoes or creamy mashed cauliflower, plus French green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts to round out the plate. A green salad with a tangy vinaigrette works well, too, especially alongside the sweeter mashed potatoes.
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My 96 year old aunt is a very picky eater. She absolutely adores this meatloaf. She asked me to make copies of the recipe and to send it to her friends. That is high praise from this very opinionated lady.
This recipe was easy and delicious! I love that it makes two – one for the freezer if it doesn’t all get eaten! My son was so surprised that it was turkey meatloaf! Great glaze and wonderful flavor. Everything I make from Once Upon a Chef comes out especially good! Thank you! Love your cookbooks as well!
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