Turkey Meatloaf

This Turkey Meatloaf recipe is made with ground turkey, plenty of veggies, and a delicious tangy glaze. These mini meatloaves are so easy to make and packed with good-for-you healthy ingredients. You can make it ahead of time, and leftovers store well (a great weekly meal prep option).

We love pairing these turkey meatloaves with Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and this Italian Salad.

Healthier meatloaf 

My boys are obsessed with mini meatloaves (this is one of their favorite meals) and with how often I make them, it was about time I created a healthier version. This version has ground turkey and plenty of hidden veggies. I’ll admit I was a little hesitant to serve these (not because I didn’t think they were completely delicious), but because they’re pretty different from the other ones they’re used to. Turns out, they like these ones even better! 

These little Turkey Meatloaves are packed with good ingredients — tons of veggies and ground turkey, which is a rich source of low-fat protein.

How do you make an EASY meatloaf?

By making it miniature, of course!

Preparing Turkey Meatloaves in a muffin tin takes out so much of the guesswork for baking time, plus they bake much quicker than a full loaf.

Mini meatloaves are also easier and quicker to shape than a full-sized turkey meatloaf. And finally, it’s fun for everyone to have their own individual meatloaves–kids especially love that.

But now let’s talk step by step about making the actual meatloaves.

How do you make Turkey Meatloaf?

1. Sauté veggies: To get a really nice flavor (and keep the meatloaves from being crunchy), we sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and mushrooms. This veggie mixture bulks up the meatloaves, adds nutritional benefits, and increases the flavor.
2. Mix: Add those sautéed veggies to a bowl with Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, egg, and panko breadcrumbs. I like to mix everything really well before adding the meat since you want to mix the meat as little as possible (to preserve the moistness).
3. Add ground turkey: Mix in the ground turkey until just combined with the other ingredients.
4. Bake: Evenly divide the mixture between the 12 cups of a muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Glaze: While the meatloaves are baking, prepare the tomato glaze. Spoon the glaze over the mini meatloaves and let them bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Turkey Meatloaf Cooking FAQs

How long do you cook Turkey Meatloaf?

Turkey Meatloaves bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for a total of 30 minutes. The first 15 minutes will be without the tomato glaze, then after 15 minutes you will pull them out of the oven and add the tomato glaze and cook for another 15 minutes.

What temperature should turkey meatloaf be?

Ground turkey needs to be cooked until the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees F to be considered food safe. Make sure to test in the thickest part of the meatloaves.

Do you cover the meatloaf?

You don’t need to cover these Turkey Meatloaves while baking them.

Is it OK if my meatloaf is a little pink?

Yes — so long as a food thermometer confirms the internal temperature of these meatloaves is 160 degrees F. It’s not uncommon that this kind of meat may maintain a little bit of pink due to the myoglobin in meat.

Meal prepping Turkey Meatloaves 

I recommend adding two or three mini meatloaves to a meal prep container along with a medley of your favorite roasted vegetables. They will keep for 3-4 days and are a healthy, veggie-packed meal prep.

Turkey Meatloaf tips

• Sautéing vegetables adds an amazing flavor to Turkey Meatloaves while also keeping a perfect texture.
• Don’t over-mix the meat: Once the ground turkey has been added, gently mix the mixture with your hands just long enough so everything has been incorporated. Overmixing will create denser loaves.
• Use good quality ingredients: Choose a good quality ground turkey (Butterball’s® all natural is my fave) — you’ll want to make sure to get 93% fat-free ground turkey to ensure the integrity of these mini mouthfuls of deliciousness. I also recommend a good ketchup brand — that top glaze makes a huge difference to the overall flavor.

What goes well with mini Turkey Meatloaves?

• Cucumber Salad loaded with veggies!
• Funeral Potatoes cheesy potato casserole
• Panzanella Salad with a balsamic vinaigrette
• Quinoa Salad with a lemon vinaigrette
• Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan cheese

SaveSaved Pin Print

4.94 from 15 votes

Turkey Meatloaf

By Chelsea Lords

Turkey Meatloaf is loaded with veggies, lean ground turkey, and a tangy glaze. Easy to make, packed with healthy ingredients, and perfect for meal prep!

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 mini turkey meatloaves

Equipment

• Large pan
• Muffin pan

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated yellow onion 1 small
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated carrots 2 medium
• ▢ 1 cup finely chopped baby bella mushrooms
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ Cooking spray
• ▢ 1 pound ground turkey 93% lean; I use Butterball all natural
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 3/4 cup ketchup divided
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 3/4 cup panko next to breadcrumbs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions 

• Prepare veggies by grating the onion with a grater, using the largest holes, mince the garlic, grate the carrot (with the grater again; peel first), and finely chop the mushrooms.
• Heat a large pan to medium-high and add olive oil, onion, garlic, and shredded carrots. Sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté veggies until they release their moisture and the liquid evaporates. After veggies are dry and tender, transfer them to a large bowl and let cool about 5 minutes. (Adding the egg to the hot veggies will cook it.) Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a muffin pan generously with cooking spray.
• Once veggies have cooled, add Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, egg, and panko to the bowl. Season to taste; I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Add ground turkey and use your hands to gently mix everything together, being careful to not overmix.
• Evenly divide meat mixture among the 12 cavities of the prepared muffin pan. Bake mini loaves in the 375°F oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. After meatloaves have baked, remove from oven and spoon this glaze evenly over each meatloaf. Return them to oven and bake another 15 minutes.
• Allow the meatloaves to rest 5 minutes, then carefully lift out with a fork (use a knife to loosen edges if needed). Enjoy while hot.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Once the ground turkey has been added, gently blend the mixture with your hands—just long enough to incorporate the ingredients. Overmixing will create dense loaves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.3g | Protein: 8.2g | Fat: 4.9g | Cholesterol: 41.6mg | Sodium: 206mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!