This turkey meatloaf, a family favorite, has the same flavor and moist texture as one made with ground beef.
A fantastic approach to make meatloaf a little healthier is to use ground turkey instead of ground beef. Despite its advantages over ground beef in terms of fat content, ground turkey can sometimes be flavorless and dry. A decent turkey meatloaf should have flavor and moisture added without increasing fat, which would negate the whole lighter-than-before goal. To add flavor and moisture to this turkey meatloaf, I season it with sautéed onions and garlic and pour part of the sweet-tangy glaze right into the meatloaf mixture. If you’re cooking this for children, here’s a tip: cut the onions very small. From my observation, children find it annoying when they see onion (or really, any) bits in their meatloaf. Of course, leftovers are great for making meatloaf sandwiches.
Are you looking for additional methods to make your go-to ground beef recipes lighter? Taste my turkey meatballs, turkey chili, and skillet turkey burgers.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE TURKEY MEATLOAF
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1To start, prepare the glaze by combining the mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and ketchup in a medium-sized bowl.
Whisk to combine.
2Next, add the onions to a small pan with heated olive oil.
3Sauté until tender, then add the garlic and continue cooking for an additional few minutes.
4Meanwhile, mix the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper in a big bowl along with 1/4 cup of the glaze.
Whisk to combine.
Mix in the onion mixture.
Add the turkey and bread crumbs after that.
Toss everything together with your hands.
On a baking sheet, form two loaves.
5Finally, drizzle the leftover BBQ glaze on top.
6For 40 to 45 minutes, bake. Because it’s so much easier to clean up and allows all the excess fat to melt away during baking, I prefer this “free-form” meatloaf over ones made in a loaf pan.
7After removing the excess fat from the loaves, place them on a tray and cut them.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
FOR THE GLAZE
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 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 pounds ground turkey 93/7
- ¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- A few springs chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the middle position. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil before lining it with sturdy aluminum foil.
- Prepare the Glaze: Combine the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and ketchup in a medium-sized bowl. Put aside.
- To prepare the meatloaf, place a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring periodically, or until the onions are tender. Add garlic and simmer for an additional one to two minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
- Mix the eggs, ¼ cup of the BBQ glaze, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme, pepper, and mustard in a big bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add the onion mixture and stir. Using your hands, thoroughly mix in the breadcrumbs and ground turkey until well blended.
- Spoon the meat mixture onto the baking sheet that has been preheated in two equal stacks. About 1½ inches high, 6 inches long, and 4 inches wide, form into two long loaves. Drizzle the leftover BBQ glaze over the loaves, allowing it to slightly overflow the sides. Bake until the meatloaves are thoroughly cooked, about 45 minutes. After removing any excess fat from the sides of the loaves, move them to a tray. If desired, slice and top with parsley.
- freezer-friendly Instructions: You can freeze the cooked meatloaf for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge for a full day and then reheat it in an oven preheated to 300°F until it’s hot throughout.
