How to make the BEST Healthy Turkey Meatloaf that is moist, super flavorful, and packed with hidden veggies! All topped with the most delicious tomato glaze!
If you’re anything like me, you grew up eating meatloaf and while some of you may not be a fan, I absolutely loved it. Meatloaf was one of my favorite comfort meals my mom made as a kid which she made with ground beef, buttery Ritz crackers for the breadcrumbs and slathered it all in ketchup. Well, I have your dinner tonight! This turkey meatloaf recipe has all the basics of a classic meatloaf recipe, but is a much healthier version using lean ground turkey, whole wheat breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and veggies, along with making our own delicious tomato glaze! I’ve tried many meatloaf recipes and I’ll never go back.
Why You’ll Love This
- This is the BEST turkey meatloaf recipe made with lean turkey, hidden veggies and the sweetest tomato glaze!
- This simple recipe can easily be prepped ahead of time for weeknight dinners the whole family will love.
- Such a good meatloaf recipe for kids so they get that extra boost of nutrition.
- Great for meal prep as it makes the best leftovers! This ground turkey meatloaf tastes even better the next day.
Here’s What You’ll Need
- ground turkey – I used 93% lean ground turkey, but you could also use ground chicken or ground beef.
- onion – I grated half a medium white onion, but you could use a small onion too. Yellow onions, red onions or green onions work in this as well. You could also finely chop the onion rather than grating it if you want bigger chunks of onion in your meatloaf.
- carrots – I love grated carrots in my meatloaf because not only is it a great way to add some moisture to lean ground turkey, but you’re also adding in those hidden veggies. I bet your kids won’t even notice!
- garlic – all you need are three cloves garlic, but feel free to add more if you want more garlic flavor. You could also substitute the garlic with about a teaspoon of garlic powder, but I think fresh always tastes best.
- eggs – I used two eggs in this which help to bind the meatloaf together.
- tomato paste – to get that tomato flavor without using sugary ketchup.
- worcestershire sauce – I love the sweet, tangy flavor this adds to the meatloaf! A little dijon mustard would taste great too.
- bread crumbs – I used whole wheat panko breadcrumbs to help bind the meatloaf, but you could also use rolled oats if gluten-free or even gluten-free bread crumbs.
- milk – since we’re cooking with lean meat, the milk (and other wet ingredients) help to keep the meatloaf nice and moist when baking. Any type of milk will work in this recipe, or you could use a little chicken or veggie broth if you don’t want to use milk.
- fresh parsley – I love adding in fresh herbs to my meatloaf and you could also add in some fresh thyme or rosemary.
- seasonings – combination of Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and black pepper.
Tomato Glaze Ingredients:
- tomato paste – this is a healthier alternative to using ketchup, which is loaded with sugar. If you don’t have tomato paste, a few tablespoons of ketchup will work.
- white vinegar – this adds a touch of acid to the glaze and a nice tangy flavor. You could also use apple cider vinegar if that’s all you have on hand.
- maple syrup – for a little sweetness since we’re not using ketchup, you could also use honey, brown sugar or even a little BBQ sauce.
- worcestershire sauce – for more of that delicious sweet, tangy flavor!
- seasonings – a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.
How to Make Turkey Meatloaf
- Mix all the ingredients. Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients together and mix until just combined. Over-mixing this can result in a dense, more tough meatloaf and we want this to be nice and tender!
- Form into a loaf. Once all the ingredients are mixed together, spray a sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray (or line with parchment paper) and form the meatloaf mixture into a loaf shape making sure that the loaf is even on all sides so that it cooks evenly. You could also press the meat mixture into a greased pyrex loaf pan and bake it that way.
- Bake to perfection! Pop the meatloaf into the oven and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes (then we’ll top it with the delicious tomato glaze and pop it back in).
- Make the tomato glaze. While the meat loaf is baking, time to make the glaze! In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, vinegar, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings.
- Top with glaze and bake. After about 45 minutes, take it out and spread the tomato glaze evenly all over the top of the meatloaf. Pop it back into the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
- Serve and enjoy. Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf sit for about 10 minutes to seal in all that flavor, slice and enjoy!
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
- Don’t over mix – this can result in a dense, more tough meatloaf. We want this to be nice and tender. Make sure to add ALL the ingredients into the bowl and then mix everything at once rather than mixing the ingredients as you add them.
- Too dry – since we’re using lean ground turkey breast in this recipe, the wet ingredients are really important. If you have dry meatloaf, simply add in a little more milk next time.
- Too wet – on the flip side, if your meat mixture seems really wet, feel free to add in more breadcrumbs so that it’s easier to work with.
- More veggies – feel free to add in other veggies like shredded zucchini (just make sure to really squeeze any water out first), finely diced red bell pepper or mushrooms. I recommend using a food processor to quickly chop all the vegetables and sauté them in a large skillet with a little bit of olive oil on medium heat.
- Low carb – you can easily swap out the breadcrumbs with another binding agent such as an extra egg or even some shredded cheese!
- Spicy – want a little kick of heat? Add in some hot sauce, chili sauce or sriracha.
- Let it rest – make sure to let your meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This will seal in all that flavor and juices as well as help hold the shape of your meatloaf.
How to Serve
- With potatoes – this pairs perfectly with my healthy mashed potatoes for that classic comfort food meal. You could also serve with my creamy mashed cauliflower for a low carb option which honestly tastes just as good as buttery mashed potatoes. These roasted sweet potatoes would taste amazing with this meatloaf as well.
- With veggies – serve with other favorite sides such as green beans, baked asparagus, or these roasted brussels sprouts for and easy weeknight meal.
- As a sandwich – you could make a meatloaf sandwich using leftovers, this is my husband’s favorite meal!
- Make muffins – you can easily turn this meatloaf recipe into mini muffins for individual serving sizes (great for kids!) by simply dividing the meat mixture up into muffin tins. This is a great time-saver too as meatloaf muffins only need about 20 to 25 minutes!
- Make meatballs – this recipe also makes great turkey meatballs! Check out this turkey meatball recipe on baking times.
Prepping and Storage
To Store: Meatloaf leftovers will last in your fridge in a sealed, airtight container for 3 to 4 days. You could also wrap up individual slices and wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
To Freeze: The great thing about this healthy recipe is that it freezes really well too! Mix all the ingredients together, form the loaf (or place it into a loaf pan) and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Then just place it in the freezer and it will keep for up to 3 months.
To Thaw: When ready to bake, thaw it out completely overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed or reheat individual slices in the microwave.
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More Ground Turkey Recipes
- Honey Sriracha Glazed Meatballs
- Healthy Turkey Lettuce Wraps
- Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
- Hawaiian Turkey Burgers
- The BEST Turkey Chili
Hope you all enjoy this Healthy Turkey Meatloaf and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
The Best Healthy Turkey Meatloaf
How to make the BEST Healthy Turkey Meatloaf that is moist, super flavorful, and packed with hidden veggies! All topped with the most delicious tomato glaze!
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground turkey, I used 93% lean
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped or grated
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3/4 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
For the Tomato Glaze:
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray a baking sheet (or loaf pan) with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients together and mix until just combined, making sure not to over-mix.
- Form the meat mixture into a loaf making sure that the loaf is even on all sides so that it cooks evenly and place on the baking sheet. You could also press the meat mixture into a greased loaf pan. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
- While the meatloaf is baking you can make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Set aside until meatloaf is ready.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread the tomato glaze evenly all over the top. Pop it back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees with a digital thermometer.
- Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf sit for about 10 minutes to seal in all that flavor, serve and enjoy!
Notes
*Leftovers will last in your fridge in a sealed, airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8th of recipe | Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.3g | Protein: 25.4g | Fat: 10.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Sodium: 327.7mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 4.7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Absolutely outstanding! I love this recipe! This is the second time I have made it. It is so versatile with respect to the addition of veggies (this time I used carrots but last time I used zucchini). Tonight I served it with fresh green beans and creamy mashed red, gold, and purple potatoes with the skins on. So nice to be able to prepare and partake of such a healthy meal without sacrificing amazing taste! Thank you!
This was delicious! I ended up halving the recipe but keeping the garlic, Italian seasoning, and worcestshire the full amount in the loaf itself. I’m saving it to make it again. Thank you!
Thanks for the recipe it was delicious
Swap breadcrumbs with oatmeal for a fiber kick and extra moist meatloaf!
This was delicious meatloaf. Moist I stuffed the center with chopped spinach. Would recommend and will make again.
This turkey meatloaf is amazing! I didn’t have carrots on hand and don’t believe it affected the quality of the loaf. Followed the recipe exactly otherwise. Definitely recommend!
We tried this last night – wow! So moist and delicious. I can’t wait for the meatloaf sandwiches today… 🙂
this was an excellent turkey meatloaf