by Holly
Turkey Meatloaf is made with lean ground turkey, seasonings and shredded veggies for moisture. It’s all topped off with a zesty sauce and baked until tender.
Much like a traditional Meatloaf, this easy turkey meatloaf recipe is perfect served with a pile of mashed potatoes and a generous serving of Homemade Creamed Corn.
To Make the BEST Turkey Meatloaf
Turkey Meatloaf is an easy meal and one my family requests all of the time! I switch between making our favorite easy Meatloaf made with beef and this turkey meatloaf recipe. Or recently, this delicious chicken parmesan meatloaf!
Meatloaf has been a favorite of mine since I was little but now that I’m older I try to balance my meals throughout the week… if I’m eating something indulgent (like my most favorite Mac and Cheese in the whole world) then I like to choose a healthier protein to go with it like this turkey meatloaf or Easy Grilled Chicken Breast.
Moist Turkey Meatloaf Tips
- Do not to overmix (this causes a tough/dense meatloaf)
- Cook it on a sheet pan instead of a loaf pan so it doesn’t steam
- Shredded veggies add moisture to lean meats
- Rest a few minutes after baking so it holds its shape
How to Make Turkey Meatloaf
- Combine breadcrumbs with eggs and tomato sauce (see recipe below).
- Gently mix in ground turkey (or chicken) and shredded zucchini or mushrooms.
- Form into a loaf on a baking sheet and bake.
Mini Meatloaf Muffins
To make turkey meatloaf muffins, prepare turkey meatloaf mixture as directed. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full with meatloaf mixture and bake 20-25 minutes or until 165°F.
What temperature is turkey meatloaf done?
I most often cook turkey meatloaf at 375°F. This allows the meatloaf to cook through without drying out and keeps the inside moist.
A ground chicken or ground turkey meatloaf should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. I always use a meat thermometer to helps ensure it’s done without overcooking. You can get an inexpensive instant read thermometer for under $10.
How Long to Cook Turkey Meatloaf
The times below can vary slightly so it’s best to use a thermometer (above). With ground turkey or ground chicken, you want to be certain the meatloaf reaches 165°F. (I usually take it out at about 162°F because it rises a couple of degrees while resting).
- Bake a 1 lb turkey meatloaf for 45-55 minutes.
- Bake a 2 lb turkey meatloaf for 50-60 minutes.
- Bake a 3 lb turkey meatloaf for 65-75 minutes.
Make sure you let your meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This will help ensure it doesn’t fall apart stays moist and juicy!
Why is this Meatloaf Recipe “Best?”
- It’s Leaner: The meatloaf mixture using ground turkey makes this easy meatloaf a healthier alternative to a traditional meatloaf as it’s a little bit leaner!
- It’s Moist: It’s also kept extra moist because it has shredded veggies added in.
- A Zesty Sauce: I love the zesty addition of Chili Sauce, but feel free to use ketchup in its place if you don’t have it! If you are not familiar with Chili Sauce, it is NOT spicy but is just a deliciously zesty sauce similar to ketchup but less sweet.
More Meatloaf Recipes
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe
- Mini Meatloaf Muffins
- Crockpot Meatloaf
- Homemade Patty Melt Recipe
- Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
Turkey Meatloaf
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Course Main Course
Cuisine AmericanIngredients
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 cup zucchini or mushrooms, finely shredded
- salt & pepper to taste
Turkey Meatloaf Sauce
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Cook onion and butter in a pan until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Cool.
- In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Let sit 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix just until combined, do not overmix.
- Form into a loaf about 4″ wide and 3″ high. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Combine Meatloaf Sauce Ingredients. Spread on top and bake an additional 20 minutes or until center of meatloaf reaches 165°F.
I enjoy meatloaf…. this was A+. I had left over Bella’s -perfect. Will share.
Hi!! Do you know if it would turn out okay using ground turkey breast? I prefer this usually but I know it can be hard to keep it from drying out… thank you so much!
We haven’t tried it with ground turkey breast yet but it will work. If you are worried about it being too dry try shredding your veggies as it will help keep the meat moist. Let us know how it goes!
Delicious meatloaf . It’s my go to meatloaf recipe.
what is chili sauce
There is some info in the post about the chili sauce:
A Zesty Sauce: I love the zesty addition of Chili Sauce, but feel free to use ketchup in its place if you don’t have it! If you are not familiar with Chili Sauce, it is NOT spicy but is just a deliciously zesty sauce similar to ketchup but less sweet.
I’d like to give this a 10 star rating!! This was hands down the best turkey meatloaf I’ve ever eaten. Maybe it was the saute’d onions or the tomato sauce but it’s was delicious! This is a now a family favorite! Can’t wait to explore some of your other recipes. Thanks for sharing.
That makes me so happy to hear Melinda! Glad your family enjoyed it :)
My family including my four- and seven-year old kids devoured this! I used zucchini and they didn’t even notice it.
I didn’t have chili sauce for the topping so I substituted it with cocktail sauce, which gave it a nice tang. I am gluten sensitive so I made my own gf bread crumbs with leftover gf bread and some Italian seasonings. We were going to use the leftovers for sandwiches, but we ate all of it tonight. I can’t wait to make this again! Thanks for this great recipe.
So happy to hear that is was gobbled up Betty!
This is the first time I made meatloaf “free-style” as I always used a loaf pan but thank you for explaining why.
It was delicious, even my 3 y.o. granddaughter liked it and she can be picky.
One question: can this be frozen? If so, would you recommend unbaked or baked?
Hi Min, you could freeze it before or after baking. If freezing after baking we like to freeze in individual slices for a quick and easy lunch or supper!
I made this recipe last night for dinner. It was delicious! I used green and red pepper. It’s was a big hit with the family. Also, just had left overs for lunch!
Oh yeah, this is it. The chili sauce/paste in the topping seals the deal.
Love this recipe! I just made this turkey meatloaf tonight. It was so delicious and moist and so flavorful. I made it because my guests only ate turkey meatloaf so I gave your recipe a try. I also made one keto by using the pork rinds for the breadcrumbs and for the sauce I used tomato sauce with monk fruit brown sugar. You could not tell the difference. Thank you for the delicious recipe and I will make this Keto again.
So glad you enjoyed it, thank you for sharing your keto tips!
Confused about the oven temp – Recipe calls for 400 degrees but you said in text, that you like to cook it at 375 degrees ‘most often’ — ? I’m making a 2# meatloaf like your initial recipe lists.
This particular turkey meatloaf recipe is baked at 400F. If you bake at 375F, it may take a little longer to reach the correct internal temperature. Enjoy Linda!
This was seriously delicious. I’ll be honest, I was shocked because I typically do not like turkey variations. I also HATE zucchini, but the end product came out amazing! It had flavor, it was moist, and the timing was spot on. Next time I think I’ll double the sauce and reserve/reduce half to put on toward the end. Also may do both zucchini and mushrooms, simply because I love mushrooms so much.
Thank you for the awesome recipe and healthier addition to our week.
So happy to hear you loved this recipe Brennen! Thanks!
This recipe sounds great however I live in Iceland and we only have chicken. Would this work the same with ground chicken or do you recommend adding/subtracting anything?
It should cook just the same.
How do you determine serving size? I want to make this for my meal preps
This recipe serves 8, so I cut the loaf into 8 slices.
Bacon was mentioned in the comments but not in the recipe. How much bacon did you add?
If you’d like to add bacon, mix in 3 chopped slices (uncooked). You can also add 3 slices on the top of meatloaf.
Made half the recipe tonight. Used mushrooms, skipped the zucchini (which I hate and never have on hand…maybe would try bell peppers next time). I pureed the onion, then added the mushrooms to the food processor (they ended up more of a fine chop than a puree), because my husband has a thing with the texture of onion bits. I used doctored-up ketchup for the sauce, because I was somehow out of chili sauce (how?? I always have a bottle). Turned out great. We ate a bit more than half, and are excited for leftovers tomorrow. It was more moist than my typical turkey meatloaf, and the sauce was tasty. A smashing success!
I am so glad you were able to use what you had on hand to make a dinner you enjoyed Mia!
Is the bacon cooked before you add it to the mixture? I know the ones you add to the top are most likely raw, but wasnt to sure about the bacon mixed in, thank you in advance!
The bacon inside was raw as well. The little bit of fat helps keep the turkey moist. :)
Does this recipe call for ground ..raw turkey?
Yes, ground raw turkey.