Turkey Meatloaf
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Make the BEST Turkey Meatloaf with this easy recipe! It only takes 10 minutes of prep time to toss this recipe together for a simple meal that’s full of flavor. Say goodbye to dry, bland meatloaf forever and hello to moist, tender and flavorful meatloaf!
Table of contents
If you’ve never thought of turkey meatloaf as an exciting dinner option, then think again! This turkey meatloaf is full of flavor, including a secret ingredient that makes it oh-so-flavorful!
What’s the secret you ask? It’s my homemade turkey seasoning! Filled with all of the herbs and spices that you think of with a Thanksgiving turkey, but added to this delicious meatloaf recipe.
This recipe is in the regular dinner rotation at our house. It’s healthier than a traditional pork and ground beef meatloaf, but just as juicy and flavorful!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s so easy to make! In just 10 minutes, you’ll have it prepped and in the oven.
- It tastes like Thanksgiving, but it’s easy enough to make for a weeknight meal anytime!
- This meatloaf is moist and tender! It isn’t dry or hard as a hockey pock. On the contrary, it’s fall-apart tender and so juicy!
Ingredients
- Olive oil – or your favorite vegetable oil.
- Onion – I prefer a yellow onion in this recipe for it’s nice, neutral flavor.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
- Ground turkey – I recommend using lean ground turkey that contains 7% fat. Using extra lean ground turkey that only contains 1% fat will not give you enough fat to make a tender, juicy meatloaf.
- Panko breadcrumbs – if you want to make a keto meatloaf, use pork panko.
- Eggs – you’ll need 2 large eggs for this recipe. They’re used to add moisture to the meatloaf and as a binder to keep the meatloaf together.
- Turkey seasoning – this is the secret ingredient used in this meatloaf that makes it better than any other turkey meatloaf! My homemade seasoning blend is so flavorful and easy to mix up in less than 5 minutes, with herbs, spices and pantry staples like salt and black pepper. Click the link to grab the recipe and make it in advance. You can store it in the pantry for up to 6 months and use it in several different recipes!
- Worcestershire sauce – this amazing condiment adds so much flavor to the meatballs. It’s sweet, salty, tangy and adds a wonderful umami flavor to the dish. If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce in the kitchen, you can use soy sauce instead.
- BBQ sauce – use your favorite brand of bbq sauce to glaze the meatloaf, or for alternative options for glazing the meatloaf, refer to the section below on ways to glaze the meatloaf.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Combine the meatball ingredients. Start by cooking the onions and garlic to soften them. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Cook diced onions and minced garlic in the olive oil, then set the skillet aside. Add ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, turkey seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce to a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked onions and garlic.
- Form the meatloaf. Use your hands, or a spatula, to combine all of the ingredients. Once the ingredients are combined press the mixture into a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan. I highly recommend a meatloaf pan with a removable tray. It makes it so easy to remove the meatloaf after it’s cooked, without it falling apart. It also collects all of the grease from the meatloaf below the tray so that the grease doesn’t pull on top of the meatloaf.
- Bake the meatloaf. Place the meatloaf in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes.
- Glaze the meatloaf. After 25 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven. Spread the bbq sauce on top of the meatloaf, then return it to the oven to bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing it.
Ways to glaze the meatloaf
BBQ sauce is a traditional way to glaze meatloaf, and pairs well with the flavors of this turkey meatloaf. But if you want to switch things up, you can try any of these other options for glazing the meatloaf.
- Pepper jelly – this is the most popular glaze for my smoked meatloaf. If you’re looking for something just a little different, yet totally delicious, give this a try!
- Homemade sauce – for a basic meatloaf with a more traditional meatloaf sauce, try this recipe. Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons meatloaf seasoning. This simple sauce makes a flavorful glaze for this turkey meatloaf.
- White bbq sauce – If you’re looking for a glaze that’s creamy, peppery and tangy, definitely try this sauce on top of the meatloaf.
- Honey mustard – for a sweet and tangy glaze, try topping the meatloaf with honey mustard sauce.
- Marinara sauce – to make an Italian-style turkey meatloaf, top it with your favorite marinara sauce.
You can also omit the glaze, and top the meatloaf with brown gravy after you bake it and slice it. This will truly give you the taste of Thanksgiving, anytime of the year! Follow the 4 simple steps below to whip up homemade gravy while the meatloaf rests.
How to make brown gravy
- Using the same skillet that you cooked the onions and garlic in for the meatloaf, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add ½ cup onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Pour 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce in with the onions and garlic, and toss to combine.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and once it’s melted, sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour evenly over everything in the skillet. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the flour starts to brown.
- Pour 2 cups beef broth into the skillet, then add 2 teaspoons dijon mustard and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine everything. Bring the gravy to a simmer. After the meatloaf has rested, slice it up, add 1-2 slices to a plate and pour the gravy over the meatloaf.
If I’m serving the meatloaf with gravy, I like to pair it with egg noodles or mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food meal!
Recipe tips
- Do not over mix the meatloaf mixture. Overworking the meat will result in a tough texture. Use your hands, or a spatula, to stir the ingredients together just until they’re combined.
- You can make the meatloaf ahead of time. Mix up the meatloaf ingredients, press it in a loaf pan, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days before you bake the meatloaf.
- This recipe makes 8 slices of meatloaf. I recommend planning for 2 slices of meatloaf per person, so this recipe will serve 4 people. If you’d like to double the recipe and make two meatloaves, simply click the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredient amounts will automatically update and the only thing you’ll need to do differently is form the meat mixture into two meatloaves and press them into two separate loaf pans.
- If you don’t have a loaf pan, you can make this recipe on a sheet pan. Just freeform the meatloaf into a loaf shape, then place it on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Follow the other instructions as listed in this recipe.
Storage and reheating
Store turkey meatloaf leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Reheat the leftover meatloaf in slices on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven.
To reheat slices of meatloaf on the stove, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add slices of meatloaf and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until heated through.
To reheat slices of meatloaf in the microwave, place them on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 2 minutes.
To reheat the meatloaf in the oven, wrap part of the meatloaf, or slices of meatloaf, in foil. Place in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
You can also use the leftover turkey meatloaf to make this Meatloaf Hash. It’s one of my all-time favorite breakfast recipes, and one that I always make when I have leftover meatloaf.
Make it keto
This turkey meatloaf recipe contains 18 total carbs per slice. To reduce the carbs to 10 1/2 total carbs and 8 net carbs per slice, use pork panko instead of traditional panko bread crumbs. And glaze the meatloaf with this sugar-free bbq sauce recipe.
This will also make the recipe gluten free.
What to serve with it
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes are a perfect match. But so is turkey meatloaf and stuffing! Honestly, there are so many great combinations, I’ll leave you with the tough decision of deciding which delicious side to serve with your turkey meatloaf.
More ground turkey recipes
After making the best turkey meatloaf recipe, don’t miss these other delicious ground turkey recipes!
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground turkey, 93% lean 7% fat
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons turkey seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup bbq sauce, *see the notes section below for alternative toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onions and cook for 4 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, eggs, breadcrumbs, turkey seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce, along with the cooked onions and garlic.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan.
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread the bbq sauce over the meatloaf.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- I highly recommend using a meatloaf pan with a removable tray for this recipe. It makes it so easy to remove the meatloaf after it’s cooked, without it falling apart. It also collects all of the grease from the meatloaf below the tray so that the grease doesn’t pull on top of the meatloaf.
- Refer to the section, ways to glaze the meatloaf, in the blog post above for other ways to top the meatloaf instead of bbq sauce.
- If you don’t have a loaf pan, you can make this recipe on a sheet pan. Just freeform the meatloaf into a loaf shape, then place it on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Follow the other instructions as listed in this recipe.
- Store turkey meatloaf leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Reheat the leftover meatloaf in slices on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven.
Nutrition Facts
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