How to Make Turkey Meatloaf (Easy Recipe)

How to Make Turkey Meatloaf (Easy Recipe)

Learn how to make turkey meatloaf that is low-fat, moist and delicious. 

Close up of slice of turkey meatloaf on white plate

Meatloaf gets a bad rap for being bland, dry and boring.

But this turkey meatloaf is full of flavor and good for you.

This dinner is healthy because it’s made with lean ground turkey and plenty of fresh vegetables.

Meatloaf is such a comforting dish when the weather outside is dreary. As delicious as my Copy Cat Diner Meatloaf, this turkey meatloaf can be in the oven in about 15 minutes.

Serve it with my Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Provencal Vegetables. Prefer burgers instead? Try my Chicken and Zucchini Burgers for dinner.

The leftovers make wonderful hot sandwiches the next day. Get the recipe for my Grilled Meatloaf Melts and enjoy every last bite!

How to make turkey meatloaf moist

The key to moist turkey meatloaf is the addition of diced mushrooms and zucchini squash.

Many recipes feature milk and bread crumbs to add texture and moisture, but this turkey meatloaf uses vegetables to create a juicy meatloaf that everyone in my family loves.

Slices of turkey meatloaf on wooden board next to red sauce brush

Healthy Turkey Meatloaf

  • Preparing the meatloaf takes about 15 minutes. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator to make dinner time easy.
  • Cook the onion, zucchini and mushrooms in a skillet until soft.
  • Stir together the ground turkey, vegetables, breadcrumbs and egg until well combined.
  • Form the meat mixture into a loaf pan, add barbecue sauce on top and then bake.

Helpful hints for making meatloaf

There are many tips and variations for meatloaf but these are my favorite.

  • Slow and low. Meatloaf is best baked at a low temperature of 350°F for about an hour and 15 minutes.
  • Add moisture. Sauté the onions, zucchini and mushrooms for full flavor before combining with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Take it easy. Mix all the ingredients carefully and gently. You don’t want to overwork the  ground turkey.  
  • Add Worchestershire sauce.  It adds intense umami flavor and adds a savory punch to this meatloaf recipe.
  • Finish with barbecue sauce. Simple combination of ketchup and brown sugar brushed over the top of the meatloaf adds just enough flavor to finish the recipe.
Slices of turkey meatloaf on a wooden board

Do you cook meatloaf covered or uncovered?

No foil is necessary for this recipe. There is enough moisture and flavor and baking meatloaf uncovered allows the barbecue sauce on top to thicken and caramelize to perfection.

Can you freeze meatloaf?

Yes. Meatloaf can be prepared and frozen ahead of time. Hold off on adding the barbecue sauce until you are ready to bake. Allow the frozen loaf to thaw in the fridge for up to eight hours before cooking according to the recipe directions.

It also can be cooked before being frozen. Just allow the cooked meatloaf to cool first. Freeze the cooked meatloaf in a freezer safe container. Allow it to thaw for eight hours in the fridge before being slowly warmed up in the oven.

Other comforting dinner recipes

Individual chicken pot pies

Baked stuffed zucchini

Slow cooker lasagna soup

Braised beef short ribs

Turkey meatloaf on a white plate with mashed potatoes and green beans

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Slices of turkey meatloaf on a wooden board

How to Make Turkey Meatloaf

Ali Randall
Learn how to make turkey meatloaf that is low-fat, moist and delicious.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 4 large mushrooms, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare a loaf pan using cooking spray.
  • In a large skillet, sauté the onion, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic for about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the turkey, the cooked vegetables, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs and egg until combined.
  • Place the meat mixture into a loaf pan or alternately, form the mixture into a loaf and place on a prepared baking dish.
  • Mix together the ketchup and brown sugar and brush over the loaf. Make the meatloaf for one hour and 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted reaches a temperature of 160°F.
  • Allow the meatloaf to cool for five minutes before slicing and serving.
Keyword Turkey Meatloaf
How to Make Juicy Turkey Meatloaf | Learn how to make ground turkey meatloaf that is low fat, moist and delicious.

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11 thoughts on “How to Make Turkey Meatloaf (Easy Recipe)”

  • 5 stars
    We love meatloaf in this house and this is soon to be our favorite! Can’t wait to give this a try! Looks so delicious and tasty!

  • 5 stars
    I’ve been looking for healthier recipes to make for dinner, and this is just the thing! My family will love this meatloaf and I can’t wait to make it!

  • We really enjoyed the meatloaf. We often make turkey meatloaves but like to switch up our recipes for variety and this version was great. The combination of the mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce really gave it a nice umami flavor.

  • A turkey meatloaf recipe that is low-fat, moist, and delicious is a scarce find on the net. I’m going to make this tonight for dinner since I have pretty much everything on hand. I hope mine turns out just as good as your images look. Have a great day,

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