Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
If you’ve ever had a dry, flavorless turkey meatloaf, I get it. It’s one of the most common complaints about cooking with ground turkey. Turkey is naturally leaner and milder than beef, which means it needs a little extra love to shine. That’s exactly what I set out to fix with this recipe, and I’m so happy with how it turned out. This turkey meatloaf is tender, juicy, and packed with flavor from sautéed veggies and a sweet, tangy honey balsamic flavored meatloaf glaze.
I have a lot of experience working with ground turkey and making it juicy, moist and tender. Many of my readers love my turkey burgers for that reason, as well and my turkey meatballs.
My Turkey Meatloaf is So Good!
This isn’t your average ground turkey meatloaf. A few key techniques make all the difference between a dry loaf and one that’s genuinely juicy and satisfying:
- Sautéed vegetables – Cooking the onion and bell pepper before adding them to the meat adds both flavor and moisture to the loaf. Raw veggies can make the texture uneven and release too much liquid during baking.
- Milk-soaked bread – A classic panade (bread soaked in milk) keeps the meatloaf incredibly tender and moist from the inside out.
- Mayonnaise – adds richness and helps keep the turkey from drying out in the oven.
- A flavorful glaze – The honey, balsamic vinegar, and ketchup topping caramelizes beautifully in the oven and adds a pop of sweet-savory flavor that takes this meatloaf to the next level.
Key Ingredient Notes and Tips
This turkey meatloaf uses simple, pantry-friendly ingredients, but each one plays an important role in keeping the texture tender and the flavor balanced:
- Ground Turkey – I use 93%/7% ground turkey, which has just enough fat to keep the meatloaf moist without being greasy. Avoid extra-lean ground turkey breast (99% lean), it tends to dry out.
- Bread & Milk – Don’t skip this step! Soaking the bread and squeezing out the milk before mixing it in creates a binder that keeps every slice soft and tender.
- Bell Pepper & Onion – This adds a lot of flavor and cooking it will avoid adding extra liquids the meatloaf.
- The Meatloaf Glaze – Ketchup, honey, garlic, and balsamic vinegar come together into a sticky, glossy topping that’s so much more interesting than plain ketchup. The balsamic adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the honey perfectly.
How to Make Turkey Meatloaf – A Visual Guide
The process is simple and straightforward, no mixer needed, just a bowl and a loaf pan.
Step 1 – Sauté the vegetables. Dice your onion and bell pepper and cook them in a little oil over medium to medium-low heat until soft and golden. Let them cool slightly before adding to the meat mixture so they don’t cook the eggs.
Step 2 – Soak the bread. While the veggies cook, break the bread into pieces and let it soak in the milk for a few minutes. When you’re ready to mix, squeeze out the excess milk and crumble the bread into the bowl.
Step 3 – Mix the meatloaf. Mix all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Don’t overmix, just mix until everything comes together.
Step 4 – Spread mixture in the greased 9×5 loaf pan. Spread the meat mixture in the pan evenly, so the meatloaf baked evenly. Bake at 350°F for about 55 minutes.
Step 5 – Glaze and finish. While the meatloaf bakes, stir together the glaze ingredients. Spread it over the top and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 6 – Rest before slicing. Let the meatloaf rest for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing. This step is important because it lets the juices redistribute so every slice stays moist.
Lyuba’s Expert Tip: Always use a meat thermometer! Since turkey is a leaner meat, the line between perfectly cooked and overcooked is thinner than with beef. Some make sure to check your internal temperature rather than time alone!
How to Keep Turkey Meatloaf from Drying Out
These are a few things that will help you avoid dry meatloaf and keep it juicy and moist instead:
- Use 93% turkey (not 99%), more fat will meat juicier and more moist results.
- Don’t skip the panade.
- Sauté vegetables first.
- Don’t overmix.
- Pull at 165°F (plus 5 or so degree is fine but not too much over or it will be dry.)
What to Serve with Turkey Meatloaf
This meatloaf pairs perfectly with classic comfort food sides. Some of our favorites:
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Roasted vegetables like roasted cauliflower, honey roasted carrots, roasted zucchini, or roasted mushrooms
- Green beans or haricot verts
- Creamy parmesan rice
- A simple side salad like Greek salad or Caesar salad
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
- Store: Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered air-tight, for up to 4 days.
- Reheat individual slices in the microwave, individual slices in the cooking pan over medium-low heat, or warm the whole loaf in a 300°F oven.
- Freezer: Turkey meatloaf freezes beautifully but without the topping. Let it cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Add the topping when reheating.
- Meatloaf sandwiches: Cold or warmed meatloaf makes an incredible sandwich on a Brioche bun, I highly recommend!
Recipe FAQs
Turkey is leaner, so the texture is lighter and a little softer.
The flavor of ground turkey is milder, which means it benefits from extra seasoning and aromatics.
It needs added moisture (like sautéed veggies and a panade) to stay juicy.
When made properly, turkey meatloaf is just as satisfying as beef meatloaf, but with a lighter, less heavy feel.
You can, but the meatloaf will be drier. If you only have 99% lean turkey breast on hand, add an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise and make sure not to overbake it.
Yes! You can use any color bell pepper, or swap it for diced zucchini, mushrooms, or even shredded carrot.
I strongly recommend it. Raw onion and pepper release steam as they cook, which can make the meatloaf fall apart and affect the texture. Sautéing first also adds more flavor.
Totally normal! A little cracking on the surface doesn’t affect the flavor or texture. The glaze will cover most of it anyway.
Yes! Swap the regular bread for a slice of gluten-free bread and you’re all set.
Absolutely! Press the mixture into a greased muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, or until they reach 165°F internally.
Yes! You can shape the meatloaf into a loaf on a lined baking sheet instead of using a loaf pan. Baking it free-form allows more air to circulate around the meat, which creates better browning and caramelization on the outside. Just keep an eye on the internal temperature and pull it at 165°F to prevent it from drying out. (Bake time will be different, usually much faster, so start checking after 30-35 minutes!)
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Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
Equipment
- Medium cooking pan
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey 93%/7%
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oz slice of bread can use gluten free if needed
- 2 Tbsp milk to soak bread
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp coarse kosher salt more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper more or less to taste
Topping:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×5 loaf baking pan.
- Dice onion and bell pepper and sauté then with some oil over medium to medium-low heat until soft and golden brown. Take off heat.
- While the veggie are cooking, break up the slice of bread into pieces and let it soak for a few minutes in some milk.
- In a metal mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, eggs, sauteed veggies, pressed garlic, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. Squeeze the milk out of bread and crumble the bread into the mixing bowl (discard the milk).
- Mix everything thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Transfer the meatloaf mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Bake for about 55 minutes.
- While meatloaf is baking, mix the ingredients for the topping and set aside.
- Spread the topping over the top of the meatloaf evenly and bake another 7-10 minutes. (Make sure the until internal temperature of the meatloaf reached 165℉)
- Let the meatloaf rest 10-15 minutes before taking it out of the baking dish and slicing.
Notes
- Use 93% lean ground turkey for juicy and tender meatloaf that is not dry.
- Don’t skip sautéing the vegetables. Cooking the onion and bell pepper first builds flavor and prevents excess moisture from affecting the texture of the meatloaf.
- Soak and squeeze the bread. The milk-soaked bread (panade) keeps the meatloaf tender. Be sure to squeeze out the excess milk before mixing it in. (Use gluten free bread if needed!)
- Mix gently. Overmixing can make the meatloaf dense and firm. Stir just until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Cook to 165°F. Use a meat thermometer and remove the meatloaf from the oven as soon as it reaches 165°F. Turkey can dry out quickly if overbaked.
- Let it rest before slicing. Resting for 10-15 minutes allows the juices to redistribute so each slice stays moist and holds together beautifully.
- Free-form option. You can shape the meatloaf on a lined baking sheet instead of using a loaf pan for more browning and caramelization.
- Storing leftovers. Store cooled meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing. Wrap the fully cooled meatloaf tightly in plastic wrap and foil, or store in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating tip. Reheat slices gently in the microwave, or in a cooking pan over medium-low heat, or warm the whole loaf covered in a 300°F oven until heated through to prevent drying.
- Meal prep tip. Slice the cooled meatloaf and portion it into containers with a simple side like roasted vegetables, potatoes, or rice for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.
Nutrition
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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
