Turkey Meatloaf
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Looking for the best turkey meatloaf recipe? This one’s packed with flavor, perfectly juicy, and topped with a sweet-tangy glaze. It’s kid-friendly, too.
Swapping ground turkey for ground beef is a great way to make meatloaf a little healthier, but ground turkey can be tricky—it’s often dry and bland. The key to a good turkey meatloaf recipe is adding flavor and moisture without adding fat, which would defeat the whole purpose of making it lighter. I season my turkey meatloaf with onions and garlic, and also add some of the sweet and tangy sauce directly to the meatloaf to make it extra flavorful and juicy.
One tip if you’re making this for kids: chop the onions very finely—most kids aren’t fans of finding bits of onions (or anything else!) in their dinner. Serve the meatloaf with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes or mashed cauliflower for comforting meal.
“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, dark brown sugar, apple cider vinegar & Dijon mustard – These make up the glaze: ketchup adds that classic tomato flavor, brown sugar brings sweetness, vinegar adds brightness, and Dijon gives it a tangy kick.
- Olive oil, yellow onion & garlic – The aromatic and flavorful base of the meatloaf.
- Paprika, dried thyme & Worcestershire sauce – These seasonings add warmth, smokiness, and umami, enhancing the flavor of the turkey.
- Eggs & Italian seasoned breadcrumbs – Bind the meatloaf together and keep it moist and tender with the right amount of structure.
- Ground turkey (93/7) – Lean but not too lean; 93/7 gives you a moist, flavorful meatloaf.
- Fresh parsley – For a pop of color and fresh finish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and mustard until smooth.
Step 2: Cook the aromatics. Next, heat the olive oil in a small pan and add the onions. Cook until they’re softened, then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Step 3: Make the flavor base for the meatloaf. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the glaze, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and eggs until well combined.
Step 4: Add the rest. To mixing bowl, add the onion mixture, bread crumbs, and turkey.
Step 5: Mix it all together. Use your hands to mix everything until well combined.
Step 5: Shape the meatloaves. Form two loaves directly on a foil-lined baking sheet and spread the remaining BBQ glaze over top.
Pro Tip: Skip the loaf pan—free-form meatloaf is easier to clean up, and the excess fat has room to cook off for a healthier meatloaf.
Step 6: Bake. Pop the meatloaves in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through.
Step 7: Slice and serve. Scrape the fat away from the loaves, transfer to a platter, and slice. The cooked meatloaf will keep in the fridge for several days and can be reheated in the microwave. Leftovers make excellent meatloaf sandwiches and freeze well, too.
More Ground Turkey Recipes You May Like
Video Tutorial
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.
Notes
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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Hi Jenn! My husband LOVES meatloaf, so I’ll be making this recipe to surprise him for his 40th birthday. So many of your recipes have become classics in our dinner rotations (chicken kabobs are my FAVORITE).
Quick question: What do you suggest I add to the glaze to spice it up a bit?
Hi Anjali, So glad your husband likes this! I’d add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the glaze to give it a little heat. Hope he has a great birthday! 🙂
I love this recipe for the entire family. I cheated and used store bought bbq sauce but aside from that followed the recipe. Have made twice and highly recommend!!
I made this tonight and everyone loved it! So flavorful. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hi Jenn: Do you think that I could use ground dark meat chicken instead of turkey in this recipe? Also, I’m looking for a dish I can make ahead, freeze, and then reheat in a microwave (we won’t have access to an oven). Would those two substitutions work?
Thanks so much. I really enjoy your site and trust your recipes.
Leslie
Sure, Leslie, both of those should work. Hope you enjoy!
Bought a 1 lb package of ground turkey bc it was on sale even tho I never cook with it but I thought it might be a good substitute for ground veal in meatloaf. OUAC is my go-to for anything since I can always count on Jenn’s recipes. I wanted to make the recipe as written so I searched my freezer and found a 3/4 lb package of ground pork and one Katana beef burger and used that with the turkey. My husband – who doesn’t like meatloaf – said it was really good and asked me to make it on a regular basis. I served it with baked sweet potatoes and an ice berg lettuce salad with blue cheese dressing. Really easy clean up and leftovers make this a great recipe.
Absolutely delicious. I’m not a big fan of ground turkey but I’m trying to substitute it more into our diet and man was this was winner! I couldn’t believe how flavorful and moist it was without any need for sausage added. Next time I will cut the thyme in half for my family’s preference but everything else was perfect. This was a major kid friendly meal for our family and very affordable. Thank you!!
Made this last night and we all loved it! This we be a monthly meal for our family!
I have meatloaf mix in the fridge wondering if I can substitute for the turkey?
Thank you – Kathleen
Sure, Kathleen, that should work. Hope you enjoy!
If you are looking for comfort food that feeds the soul, look no further! This is the BEST meatloaf. It is super flavorful and the BBQ glaze is like the icing on a cake…delish!! My family loves this with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. Another winner, Jenn!!
Best meatloaf ever! I am a fan of meatloaf but my husband does not have fond memories of it from his childhood. I tried this recipe and he loves it! The sauce is fabulous and it is so much healthier being made with turkey. Served with mash potatoes and broccoli. It’s a keeper!