Never have dry and bland meatloaf again with this juicy and tender turkey meatloaf recipe. It’s packed with flavor and an easy meal that quickly gets dinner on the table. Made with lean ground turkey, it’s a lighter take on traditional meatloaf. Flavored with sautéed onions and garlic and brushed with a tasty ketchup topping, everyone will be reaching for seconds.
I love making this meatloaf as it’s comforting, satisfying, and hearty. It’s also a breeze to whip up, making it even better as the meatloaf comes together in only a few simple steps. Try my turkey meatballs recipe and turkey burger recipe for another healthier dinner recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Breadcrumbs — I use panko breadcrumbs as a binder for this turkey meatloaf recipe. Panko is larger and fluffier than traditional breadcrumbs and holds up better as traditional breadcrumbs may lead to a more mushy meatloaf.
Milk — for the best flavor and richness, use whole milk. The milk soaks into the panko breadcrumbs and helps keep the meatloaf moist.
Eggs — eggs help bind the meatloaf together and add moisture as well.
Turkey — you can use 98% lean ground turkey or 85% lean ground turkey for a little more richness.
Worcestershire sauce — this adds a rich, savory, umami flavor to the ketchup mixture brushed on top of the meatloaf.
Ketchup — you’ll need ketchup for that classic tangy meatloaf topping and flavor. The ketchup also helps prevent the meatloaf’s top from drying out as it bakes.
How to Make Turkey Meatloaf
1. Chop the onions and garlic.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the panko and milk. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until the onions are very tender and lightly browned around the edges before stirring in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool while proceeding.
4. Stir the eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt into the panko mixture.
5. Add the cooled onion mixture and the turkey. Using your hands, gently mix together until all of the ingredients are just combined, being careful not to squeeze the turkey with your hands.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Reserve 1 cup, cover, and set aside.
7. Turn the turkey meatloaf mixture out onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and shape it into a 9×4-inch loaf.
8. Brush the meatloaf with a third of the remaining ketchup mixture and place it in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes. Brush again with another third of the ketchup mixture and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Repeat the brushing one more time, and continue baking until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 165°F, about 35 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow the meatloaf to rest for 15 minutes. Serve warm with the reserved ketchup mixture.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Do not skip resting the turkey meatloaf before slicing, as it can fall apart.
- As ground turkey is so lean, I prefer to cook it at a lower temperature. This results in a better texture and juicier meatloaf. If you like a darker crust on the outside, turn the oven to broil when the meatloaf is done baking and broil until golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Try to shape the meatloaf as evenly as possible, so it cooks evenly in the oven.
- When shaping the meatloaf, gently squeeze the mixture into its shape, so you do not end up with air pockets.
- Make sure there are no cracks on the exterior of the meatloaf before baking. The small cracks will grow into larger cracks as it bakes.
- For a sweeter sauce for this turkey meatloaf recipe, you can add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the mixture before brushing it onto the meatloaf.
- If you’d like to add extra vegetables to the turkey meatloaf, you can stir in some finely chopped sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or carrots.
- To correctly measure the internal temperature of the meatloaf, insert the instant-read thermometer into the center of the meatloaf and wait 30 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I serve with meatloaf?
To keep dinner simple, I like to serve this turkey meatloaf recipe with my mashed potatoes recipe. Meatloaf also goes wonderfully with garlic bread, roasted carrots, baked mac and cheese, creamed spinach, sweet potato fries, dinner rolls, and baked potatoes.
Why is my meatloaf falling apart?
Usually, when a meatloaf falls apart, it means there were not enough binding agents in the turkey mixture. It’s important to measure everything and use the correct amount of eggs and breadcrumbs. These ingredients bind the meatloaf together.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover turkey meatloaf in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. It’s best to keep the meatloaf as whole as it’ll stay more moist than reheating sliced meatloaf.
Can I freeze this?
You can freeze baked or unbaked meatloaf. Once baked, simply wrap up the cooled meatloaf in plastic wrap and then tin foil and freeze for 3 months. Thaw before reheating. If unbaked, hold off brushing the ketchup mixture onto the shaped loaf, then flash freeze it on a lined sheet pan before wrapping it to freeze. Thaw the meatloaf, add the ketchup mixture, and bake as directed when ready to eat.
Can I double this recipe?
You can double the recipe and make two separate turkey meatloaves, so you do not have to adjust the baking time.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Turkey Meatloaf recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Turkey Meatloaf
Video
Equipment
- Skillet
- Mixing Bowls
- Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ large yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs (60g)
- ½ cup whole milk (120ml)
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 pounds ground turkey (900g)
- 1 ½ cups ketchup (360ml)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and lightly browned around edges, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool while proceeding.
- In a large bowl, stir together the panko and milk. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. (This allows the panko to absorb the milk for a juicy meatloaf.)
- Stir the eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt into the panko mixture. Add the cooled onion mixture and the turkey. Using your hands, gently mix together until all of the ingredients are just combined, being careful not to squeeze the turkey with your hands. Turn the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a 9x4-inch loaf.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and the remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Reserve 1 cup, cover, and set aside.
- Brush the meatloaf with a third of the remaining ketchup mixture and place in the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Brush again with another third of the ketchup mixture and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Repeat the brushing one more time, and continue baking until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 165°, about 35 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow the meatloaf to rest for 15 minutes. Serve warm with the reserved ketchup mixture.
Notes
- Do not skip resting the turkey meatloaf before slicing, as it can fall apart.
- As ground turkey is so lean, I prefer to cook it at a lower temperature. This results in a better texture and juicier meatloaf. If you like a darker crust on the outside, turn the oven to broil when the meatloaf is done baking and broil until golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Try to shape the meatloaf as evenly as possible, so it cooks evenly in the oven.
- When shaping the meatloaf, gently squeeze the mixture into its shape, so you do not end up with air pockets.
- Make sure there are no cracks on the exterior of the meatloaf before baking. The small cracks will grow into larger cracks as it bakes.
- For a sweeter sauce on the meatloaf, you can add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the mixture before brushing it onto the meatloaf.
- If you’d like to add extra vegetables to the turkey meatloaf, you can stir in some finely chopped sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or carrots.
- To correctly measure the internal temperature of the meatloaf, insert the instant-read thermometer into the center of the meatloaf and wait 30 seconds.
