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Home » Recipes » Turkey

Turkey Meatloaf

Published: Mar 30, 2020 · Modified: Feb 26, 2024 by Scott · This post may contain affiliate links.

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This easy turkey meatloaf is moist and flavorful and every bit as tasty as the classic beef version but a little lighter and healthier. It's topped with a sweet, tangy glaze, and it's a true family favorite. Plus, it's really easy to make, too!

Sliced turkey meatloaf on platter.
Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • What Ground Turkey to Use for Meatloaf
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Recipe Tips and FAQs
  • More Comfort Food Favorites
  • 📖 Recipe
  • You MayAlso Like

Why This Recipe Works

Meatloaf is a classic comfort food dish and always a family favorite. This homemade turkey meatloaf recipe swaps out the usual ground beef in favor of ground turkey to make a slightly healthier dish, but the recipe will also work with ground beef if you prefer.

The turkey is mixed with breadcrumbs and flavorful seasonings, then mixed with milk and eggs to bind it all together. Finally, it's topped with a sweet and tangy sauce to balance the savory flavors of the meat.

The result is a moist, flavorful meatloaf that will surely be a family favorite for years to come!

What Ground Turkey to Use for Meatloaf

I like to use 92-93% lean turkey (the percentage varies slightly by brand) in this recipe. It's got a little more flavor and a little more fat, which helps produce a moist meatloaf. The leaner 99% lean ground breast meat tends to be fairly bland and will dry out too much.

Ingredient Notes

  • Ground Turkey - you'll need 2 pounds of 92-93% lean meat
  • Onion - 1 medium onion finely diced
  • Bread crumbs - plain bread crumbs work great, but you can use Italian flavored if that is what you have on hand.
  • Eggs - 2 large eggs
  • Milk - Just a ¼ cup needed. You can use chicken broth if you prefer a dairy-free alternative.
  • Seasonings - For this recipe, you'll need salt, pepper, dried thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • For the topping, you'll need ketchup and brown sugar.
Glazed turkey meatloaf in loaf pan.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for around 4 minutes until it's softened and translucent. Remove from the heat and allow the onion to cool for a few minutes while you gather the remaining ingredients.
  2. Add the turkey, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, thyme, eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and the cooked onion to a large mixing bowl and stir thoroughly until well combined.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or form into a loaf on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray.
  4. Mix the ketchup and brown sugar in a small bowl then spread evenly over the loaf.
  5. Bake the meatloaf at 325 degrees F for around one hour until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
  6. Slice the turkey meatloaf and serve warm. It goes great with green beans and mashed potatoes, or if you want to lighten up the sides too, mashed cauliflower is a great choice.

This recipe is also great for making turkey meatloaf muffins. Just use a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan and reduce the cooking time to 30-45 minutes. Again cooking to an internal temperature of 160°F. These meatloaf muffins are perfect for meal prep!

Sliced turkey meatloaf on platter.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time?

If you want to make the meatloaf ahead it's best to combine all of your ingredients in step 3 and then cover the bowl and refrigerate up to a day. When you're ready to cook remove the mixture and proceed.

Storage and reheating instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through or reheat individual portions in the microwave.

What temperature to cook turkey meatloaf

This meatloaf should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Avoid going over as the meat will begin to dry out.

Try it with BBQ sauce!

For a different flavor try topping the turkey meatloaf with BBQ sauce instead of the sweet ketchup based sauce. This gives it a smokier flavor.

More Comfort Food Favorites

  • Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Tomato Soup
  • Homestyle Chili
  • Classic Beef Stew
  • Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
  • Baked Macaroni and Cheese
  • Easy Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

If you try this recipe, don't forget to leave a RATING or COMMENT below. I would love to hear from you!!! And FOLLOW me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest recipes!

📖 Recipe

sliced turkey meatloaf on platter

Turkey Meatloaf

An all time family favorite, this meatloaf is lightened up using ground turkey, but still every bit as delicious as the classic.
Author: Scott
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 475kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground turkey, 92-93% lean
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Topping

  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F
  • In a medium sized pan sauté the onion in olive oil for 4-5 minutes until softened then allow to cool slightly.
  • Add onion to a large mixing bowl along with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Add mixture to a 9x5 loaf pan or form into a loaf on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray.
  • Mix ketchup and brown sugar until well combined then spread evenly on top of loaf.
  • Bake for around 1 hour until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Slice and serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 52gFat: 21gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 626mgPotassium: 660mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g

* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating above and mention @disheswithdad or tag #disheswithdad on social media!

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About Me

Hello, I'm Scott! I'm a former professional cook and an experienced home cook. I created this space to share my favorite quick and easy, family-friendly recipes and hopefully inspire you to try some of them for yourself!

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