Turkey Meatloaf
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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.
Also important: I shape the mixture into two free-form loaves rather than baking it in a loaf pan, which has several benefits. It 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. Serve with mashed sweet potates and a green vegetable for an easy, comforting dinner.
“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
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 and freeze well, too.
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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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I have been enjoying this recipe and shared it with friends and family members. My sister-in-law has made some additions that I tried and found excellent to add taste and texture to the turkey meatloaf so I am sharing it with you. She adds grated carrots, diced celery and whatever vegetables she has in the house and the result is wonderful. Perhaps try it and suggest the additions to your readers.
Flavorful, healthy, and easy. I used fresh thyme and added one tablespoon of fresh parsley to the spice mixture. I also added half of an orange pepper and half of a red pepper to the onion and garlic to boost the flavor and add extra vegetables.
I made this recipe for dinner today, and it was delicious. I actually thought that it was better that a beef meatloaf. It just felt much lighter, not greasy, but was full of flavor. The bonus is that it was rather quick and easy to make compared to making a ground beef and pork meatloaf. Thank you for another winner!
I’ve been searching for a good turkey meatloaf recipe for a long time, this is the best. I add diced crimini mushrooms in with the onions and garlic during the sautee step for some extra flavor and it’s delicious.
My husband said “this is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had”. It’s not complicated and it didn’t dry out even using lean turkey. I omitted Worcestershire because I don’t like it, and the sauce turned out great!
I can’t remember if I already posted a comment or not…
1. Because I’ve been making this for a couple of years now
2. Even if I did already post a comment, it is THAT good that it deserves another one!
This is an amazingly delicious recipe! My family absolutely loves it and even requests it for their special birthday dinners – even if we do have it at least once a month!
I make little “baby” meatloaves in muffin pans and cook for around 15-20 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 165. Especially helpful on hot summer days when you really don’t want the oven on. I do add 2 celery stalks, 3/4 bell pepper and 1 carrot (minced) to the mix because well, why not? Do yourself a favor and make this for your family (or yourself-it freezes well!) you won’t be disappointed!
One of our favorite recipes for weeknight meals!
First time making a meatloaf I’ll let you know the results when I’m finished. Thank you very much for your input.
I don’t have Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Can I use plain breadcrumbs and if so, do I need to make any other change to the recipe ?
Hi Jay, you can get away with using plain breadcrumbs, but I’d add some seasoning to them – a bit of dried parsley, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper will give you the flavoring you need. Hope you enjoy the meatloaf!
Just delicious! Makes a big amount, too. I will definitely keep this recipe in my rotation.