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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This is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had! My family loved it. Even my picky eater 4 year old had three (!!!) helpings! I’ll definitely be making it again soon.
Ok I don’t even like meatloaf and this was AMAZING!! Seriously I usually avoid meatloaf at all costs but my toddler really likes ground meat and I’m trying to add in new things to serve him so I tried this out. It’s now going into my rotation of regular dinners!
This is a terrific recipe. I changed just a bit by doing half turkey half pork. I left absolutely true to the recipe. It’s so delicious you can serve for guests.
what temperature to bake?
Hi Corina, it should be baked at 350°F/180°C. Hope you enjoy!
I’m really enjoying cooking my way through this website. To be honest this is the first recipe I haven’t loved, but it’s purely a matter of preference. The meatloaf itself is very tasty, good consistency and the seasoning gives it such a hearty flavor that you almost forget it’s Turkey. My issue was the glaze… the BBQ sauce is very sweet. VERY sweet. I like a more zesty BBQ sauce and honestly the only thing I use it on are chicken tenders! But like I said this was a matter of preference, I wiped the glaze of before I put the leftovers away and enjoyed a few reheated meals throughout the week topped with Tabasco/Siracha sauce. Good recipe, prefer her Italian style Meatloaf.
Are there any flops on this website?! This was amazing as usual and an easy prep. Is this really how BBQ sauce is made? Took me 30 years to figure that out. Anyway, I was short for time so I skipped sautéing the onions and garlic. Will try that next time. Thank you for another goodie!!
I’ve been following OUC and cooking up her recipes for at least 10 years. Every recipe I’ve tried has been an absolute hit. This meatloaf recipe is one of my favorites. The flavor is out of this world! The juiciness is perfect. Everything is perfect. I’ve also made it by adding in some diced carrots, spinach, oats, or Irish oats. I change it up each time and each time it’s still perfect.
Currently trying this out in the Instant Air Fryer and hoping to get the temperature right. Currently going with 350 for 20 minutes.
I make this recipe for my family all of the time! It is perfect and they love it. I want to make something to bring to a sick friend and this would be perfect. I was wondering if I could substitute ground beef for the ground turkey as her husband doesn’t like anything but beef. Would anything need to be adjusted in the recipe if I did? Thanks for your help.
Glad you like this! Ground beef should be fine here with no adjustments. Hope they enjoy it too. 🙂
Is it possible to make this with ground chicken instead of ground turkey. If so do I adjust anything?
I’ve never made this with ground chicken, but a few readers have commented that they have, and have been happy with the results. Hope you enjoy!
This is so delicious – great texture and flavors. Not at all your average turkey meatloaf.
Had 3lbs of quality ground turkey meat and didn’t want to risk with the recipe. Of course it worked, turned out moist but not greasy. I had to do little math to scale measures for 3lb of meat. I used to make loaf from a random blog on internet before and it was never great.
hi Jenn – I love your recipes! I want to try this recipe for meatloaf. Could I bake this in mini-loaf pans to create little individual meatloaves? If so, how long would you bake them?
Jane, so glad you like the recipes! I do think you could make this in mini loaf pans. I’d start tracking them at about 35 to 40 minutes. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Hi Jenn,
I just made this meatloaf and it was a winner! Been making meatloaf for 40 years and I can honestly say this was absolutely the best. I’m going to stick with your recipe going forward. It was a hit with my family!
Your recipes never fail! Thank you!
Mary