The BEST Turkey Meatloaf

We eat A LOT of ground turkey throughout the week and after a while, it can become pretty monotonous: turkey tacos, Chipotle-inspired turkey bowls, Italian turkey “meat sauce” etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love using turkey because it can be such a versatile protein and it’s also so lean, but because of the low fat content, it can be a bit dry, especially when it is reheated.

I wanted to brainstorm and create a turkey meatloaf recipe that would be so flavorful and moist, it would rid of all the turkey meatloaf skeptics! We now make it ALL the time!

Since ground turkey can be a bit dry and bland after it’s cooked, I needed to add ingredients that keep the inside moist and that added flavor. The trick to the best meatloaf lies in the vegetable section: mushrooms!

Thanks to tiny pieces of chopped mushrooms, the turkey meatloaf is moist and has unbelievable flavor.

If you aren’t the biggest mushroom fan, it’s okay! Mark REFUSES to eat mushrooms regularly and he asks me to make this recipe all the time! The meatloaf doesn’t end up tasting like mushrooms, I promise! Instead, the mushrooms add a lovely savory flavor to the turkey.

How to make the turkey meatloaf:

Just like when making classic beef meatloaf, the method for this recipe is pretty simple. Here’s an overview of how to make turkey meatloaf (the full recipe is below):

1. Cook chopped mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a skillet until soft.
2. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and ketchup.
3. Re-hydrate breadcrumbs in some milk, which adds tenderness and moisture to the meatloaf.
4. Mix the mushroom mixture with the breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, and ground turkey.
5. Form the mixture into a loaf on a baking sheet, spread a little extra ketchup on top, and then bake.

I bake the meatloaf in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 50 minutes. You can tell when it is done when an internal thermometer inserted into the middle reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook chopped mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a skillet until soft.

Stir in Worcestershire sauce and ketchup.

Re-hydrate breadcrumbs in some milk, which adds tenderness and moisture to the meatloaf.

What to serve with the meatloaf:

• Classic mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes
• Riced or mashed cauliflower
• Roasted vegetables

The best turkey meatloaf

This turkey meatloaf is full of flavor, moist in the middle, and has become a reader favorite! You would never guess this meatloaf is packed with mushrooms, but that’s what makes it so YUMMY! Lots of finely chopped mushrooms add flavor and moisture, which is often missing from the typical turkey meatloaf. When choosing which mushrooms to add, white button mushrooms will work perfectly fine. For more flavor, try one or a combination of brown cremini, portobello, or shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms need to be very finely chopped. You can do this by hand or use a food processor.

• PREP TIME: 35 minutes
• COOK TIME: 55 minutes
• TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and very finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 7 tablespoons ketchup, divided, try our homemade ketchup
• 1 cup (60 grams) panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 pound ground turkey (93% lean)

DIRECTIONS:

PREPARE MEATLOAF:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet (or 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan) lined with aluminum foil.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms, a 1/2-teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4-teaspoon of pepper. Cook until the mushrooms give off their liquid and it boils away; about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the onions and mushrooms to a large bowl, and then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and 3 tablespoons of the ketchup. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl.
6. Stir the breadcrumb mixture and the eggs into the mushrooms and onions. Using a fork or your hands, gently mix in the turkey, a 1/2-teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. The mixture will be very wet.
7. Form the meatloaf into a 9-inch by 5-inch oval in the middle of the prepared baking sheet.
8. Spread the remaining 4 tablespoons of ketchup on top.

BAKE MEATLOAF:

• Bake the meatloaf until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meatloaf registers 170 degrees F, about 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

The Best Turkey Meatballs

These turkey baked meatballs are so delicious! a very SIMPLE and easy recipe. Very tender and flavorful!

Ground turkey can become pretty monotonous after a while, especially if it is being cooked the same way over and over again. It is one of the meats I keep in the house at all times because it is easy to cook for last minute dinners and is usually enough to last Mark and I a couple days; it really depends whether or not he’s it’s bulking or cutting season though… LOL.

With ground turkey, I consistently make tacos, homemade Chipotle bowls, and taco salads, with fajita veggies because it is such an easy meal and I also love Mexican food. A couple weeks ago, Mark asked after the gym if I’d make something different with turkey “just for one night… please?!” Alright, alright, I will admit sometimes I get into a rut with my cooking, especially since weekdays are so busy and tiring.

Hmmm I thought… MEATBALLS. They can be so versatile. Not only can they be eaten Italian style, but I’ve also made Hawaiian meatballs and Korean BBQ meatballs, both of which are very delicious.

I wanted a recipe that was healthy, easy to make, and created flavorful and tender meatballs… which can be tough when using a meat so low in fat content. Mark LOVED them and he’s always britally honest (which is better in the long run…LOL). But I could EASILY throw down the entire batch of these turkey meatballs in one sitting, but I guess that would defeat the whole purpose of healthy eating, wouldn’t it? But, these are that good.

Turkey meatball recipe:

To start, you’ll heat up a medium-sized frying pan with olive oil. Once hot, you’ll add the onions and begin to cook them down. Add the minced garlic, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and let the onion and garlic mixture cook down until the onions are soft.

Meanwhile, you’ll add some ground turkey (or chicken if you would prefer chicken meatballs!) and bread crumbs to a mixing bowl.

We’re going to add flavor with a lot of fresh parsley, a little Italian seasoning, and don’t forget the salt and pepper. We will add the minced onion and garlic mixture once it cooks down, and that adds lots of flavor!

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Mix that all up using either a wooden spoon or your hands. Either works.

Use a large cookie scoop or a large spoon to scoop out balls of the meatball mixture and then roll it into a nicely shaped ball in the palms of your hands.

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Place your meatballs on a large baking sheet that you’ve sprayed with non-stick spray and then pop them in a hot oven.

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These will take about 15 minutes to bake, I always check poultry with a thermometer before serving. These should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1 and 1/2 pounds 93/7 ground turkey (the package I used was just under 1 and 1/2 pounds and it turned out great)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced or 2-3 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced parsley
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray (I always line the pan with foil to help with cleanup).
2. Heat a medium-sized skillet with about tsp or so of olive oil. Add minced onion. When it begins to sizzle, add the minced garlic and cook down until the onions are soft and cooked through.
3. While the onions are cooking, add all other ingredients to a large mixing bowl including turkey, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add cooked onions and garlic and mix all ingredients until combined.
4. Use a large cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop out equal sized portions of the meatball mixture. Roll into uniform balls using your hands.
5. Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 14-20 minutes or until the thermometer reads 165 degrees.
6. Serve hot.

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