Turkey Meatloaf
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Looking for the best turkey meatloaf recipe? This version is packed with flavor and moisture, thanks to sautéed onions, garlic, and a sweet-tangy glaze—perfectly delicious and kid-friendly, too!
Swapping ground turkey for ground beef is a great way to make meatloaf a bit healthier. However, for all its merits as a low-fat alternative to ground beef, ground turkey can be dry and bland. The key to a good turkey meatloaf recipe is adding flavor and moisture without adding fat, which would defeat the whole purpose of making it lighter. I season this turkey meatloaf with sautéed onions and garlic, and also add some of the sweet and tangy glaze directly to the meatloaf mixture, making it extra flavorful and juicy.
One tip if you’re making this for kids: be sure to chop the onions very finely. My experience is that kids do not like finding flecks of onions (or flecks of anything, really!) in their meatloaf. The dish pairs well with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or mashed cauliflower and a vegetable (think French green beans, roasted carrots, or roasted Brussels sprouts). Naturally, leftovers make excellent meatloaf sandwiches.
Table of Contents
“This meatloaf was delicious. It was moist, tasty, and so easy to make. My husband gave this a 10, and I loved it too! I loved that I could freeze one for another nights dinner.”
Looking for more ways to lighten up your classic ground beef recipes? Try my turkey chili, skillet turkey burgers and turkey meatballs. Or for more meatloaf recipes, check out my classic and Italian versions.
What You’ll Need To Make Turkey Meatloaf
- Ketchup – Forms the base of the glaze, adding a classic, slightly sweet tomato flavor.
- Dark brown sugar – Adds rich sweetness and depth to the glaze.
- Apple cider vinegar – Brings acidity to balance the sweetness in the glaze, brightening the flavor.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a tangy kick, enhancing both the glaze and the meatloaf.
- Olive oil – Used to sauté the aromatics, adding richness to the meatloaf.
- Yellow onion and garlic – Add moisture, mild sweetness, and an earthy aroma as the savory foundation.
- Paprika and dried thyme – Bring a warm, smoky, and earthy flavor that complements the turkey.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds umami and richness, enhancing the meatiness of the turkey.
- Eggs – Bind the meatloaf together, providing structure and moisture.
- Ground turkey (93/7) – Use 93/7 for a lean yet tender meatloaf.
- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs – Add body and help absorb moisture, keeping the meatloaf juicy and firm.
- Fresh parsley – For a fresh, colorful garnish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the glaze: in a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and mustard.
Whisk to combine.
Next, in a small pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions.
Cook until softened, then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the glaze with the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and eggs.
Whisk to combine.
Mix in the onion mixture.
Then add the bread crumbs and turkey.
Use your hands to mix it all together.
Form two loaves on a baking sheet.
Then spread the remaining BBQ glaze over top.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. I prefer this “free-form” meatloaf to those made in a loaf pan; clean-up is so much easier and all the extra fat is able to ooze out during baking.
Scrape the fat away from the loaves, transfer to a platter, and slice.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions
To make this turkey meatloaf ahead of time, start by preparing both the glaze and the meatloaf mixture as instructed. Shape the meatloaf into loaves on a foil-lined baking sheet, but hold off on adding the glaze. Cover the unbaked loaves tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven, remove the plastic wrap, and spread the glaze over the loaves. Bake as directed, keeping in mind that you may need a few extra minutes since the meatloaf will be cold from the fridge. The baked meatloaf can also be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it in a 300°F-oven until hot in the middle.
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Video Tutorial
Turkey Meatloaf
Looking for the best turkey meatloaf recipe? This version is packed with flavor and moisture, thanks to sautéed onions, garlic, and a sweet-tangy glaze—perfectly delicious and kid-friendly, too!
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
- Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. 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 medium 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 high x 6 in long x 4 in 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.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked meatloaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat it in a 300°F oven until hot in the middle.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 413
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Sugar: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Sodium: 1086mg
- Cholesterol: 166mg
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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This was amazing! The apple cider vinegar and baking on a cookie sheet set this apart from other meatloaf recipes. Also, you have a good variety of flavorings added, which is sometimes missing in other meatloaf versions.
I did not have Dijon on hand, so I substituted a leftover honey mustard dip with horseradish and bacon. This recipe would also work great with any fun mustard a person might want to try or have left over. Next version will have a leftover gifted truffled mustard seed dip. Fun!
This was the best turkey loaf ever!
The glaze that went on top really topped it off. This recipe is going into my favorites,
My husband who is especially hard to please, really enjoyed it and the left over loaf was also a hit.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Maddie in Arizona
Can you make this the day before, refrigerate, then bake the next day?
I’ve made this recipe numerous times, and everyone loves it. In fact, it’s one of my picky eater son’s favorite meals! I usually use all ketchup instead of making the bbq sauce (I like it a little less sweet).
Glad it’s a hit with your family! Yes, it’s fine to assemble it a day ahead and refrigerate.
Wow. Cut the recipe in half but messed up by using 2 eggs instead of one so I added extra bread crumbs along with some grounded flax seed and honestly this was such a hit with my husband and MIL. She even asked for the recipe! Really excited to be adding this to our monthly menu!
Hot out of the oven. Can’t wait to try this recipe, seems to have perfect notes for delicious enjoyment!
I never had good luck with turkey meatloaf, but one of my 2024 promises to myself is eating better and taking better care of myself not only physically but mentally. I made this recipe this morning to freeze for meals after my knee surgery (today starts the 2 week countdown). OMG ! It is absolutely delicious. I did add additional breadcrumbs because it seemed very wet, but followed the rest of the directions. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Hi Jenn,
I just made this, it’s in the oven, though I did use a loaf pan instead of the baking dish with foil and I only made one, it’s about 2 inches high, should I be cooking it longer?
Yes maybe just a bit. Enjoy!
Would like to know if the meatloaf recipe can be made ahead of time, put in the freezer and then baked?
Sure, Dorothy, that will work.
I made this recipe with part turkey and part ground pork as I only had 1 lb. ground turkey. I also had to improvise for the glaze and I know it didn’t come out right. And, the ground pork had too much liquid to be able to put it on the baking sheet, so I put part of it in a Pyrex baking dish lined with foil sheet and then poured a bit of the glaze on top. Then I filled a smaller Pyrex loaf pan and put that in the oven along with the larger one. The rest is in the freezer in 2 quart size freezer bags. I also used red onions as they were already chopped–but not really small and used minced garlic to save time rather than mince whole. I tasted a bite just now and I am sure it is okay. For the glaze I just had to use what was handy–light brown sugar, BBQ sauce, Salsa, the liquid from the mushrooms, no Thyme so used Basil.
Next time I will see if I can round up the ingredients for the entire recipe. It seems like a good glaze, but I don’t always keep Apple cider vinegar on hand and I had stopped using ketchup to save on sugar. Maybe just not redo the recipe and try something else. I am sure the glaze recipe here is a good one; I just didn’t have everything called for.
Oh my gosh! I don’t really like meatloaf but I had some ground turkey and googled best meatloaf. I settled on this recipe, halved it for just the two of us, changed nothing. OK, well I did few a few drops of Gravy Master as I was scared of the loaf being pale. It was so very tasty, not dry. The glaze was a great component.