This incredibly juicy Healthy Turkey Meatloaf is going to be the best recipe you will want to make again and again. Packed with nutritious veggies like bell peppers and carrots plus gluten free breadcrumbs and garlic that give it a great punch of flavor. It is moist and so tender on the inside with a sweet tomato glaze that really makes the whole thing.
Confession, whenever I make this healthy turkey meatloaf my husband and I could literally eat the whole thing, it is that good. Now, I don’t recommend that, plus it is more like he eats half of it and I enjoy a couple of slices but we really do love it!
My kids are starting to try it (they are still into the beige colored foods with some fruits and veggies mixed in, lol), which is great since there are loads of veggies in this recipe that make this meatloaf so nutritious.
It is also perfect for entertaining and is a dish that will really impress your friends and family. The flavor is insane, thanks to the combination of the sautéed veggies, garlic, chicken stock, and worcestershire sauce in the meatloaf as well as the sweet tomato glaze that is everything.
It is tangy yet sweet and is the perfect topping for this meatloaf.
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s pretty easy to make and pretty tough to mess up.
- Contains lots of veggies and protein, so it’s very nutritious
- Can be ready in 30 minutes
- Stores great and is a wonderful meal prep recipe
- It is gluten free!
- So, so much amazing bright and warm flavors.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
How to make healthy meatloaf with ground turkey
- Cook up the veggies. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add some olive oil. Add in the diced peppers and onion and cook them until soft. Add in the garlic and carrots and cook for a few more minutes. Season everything with salt and pepper and let it all cool. Place the ground turkey into a mixing bowl and add the egg, breadcrumbs, chicken stock, worcestershire sauce, parsley, and some more salt and pepper. Mix it all together until fully combined.
- Add the veggies and mix well with your hands to form the meatloaf mixture.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the turkey mixture to the pan. Form the mixture into a loaf that is about 8.5×5 inches. Bake the meatloaf in the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- While the meatloaf is cooking, mix up the ingredients for the tomato topping. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup, plus a pinch of salt and pepper to a small bowl and whisk well to combine into a sweet and tangy glaze.
- Once the meatloaf is done baking, take it out of the oven and spread the tomato glaze all over the top in an even layer.
- Increase the oven temperate to 475 degrees F and return the meatloaf back to the oven. Cook it for a few more minutes until the edges and top are starting to brown. Remove, let cool and top with fresh chopped parsley.
You will want to let the turkey meatloaf cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. It is just so pretty and is such a fun recipe to make. The leftovers are even better and sometimes we fight over who get’s the last slice, haha.
Your family will go crazy for this recipe and I hope you will love it just as much as my family and I do.
The outer layer is slightly crispy, sweet and savory with a little bit of tomato glaze deliciousness. While the inside is meaty, tender and packed with crunchy veggies. It’s so good!
How long should you cook turkey meatloaf?
Turkey meatloaf cooking times will vary based on what ingredients you use and the recipe you are following. In this recipe I cooked the meatloaf for 30-35 minutes and it came out just perfect. Plus the additional 3-4 minutes to get the top nice and crispy.
I have tried other recipes in the past that require 40 or even 45 minutes of cooking time depending on the type of recipe.
Also, keep in mind that ovens vary as well so that could affect how long the meatloaf needs to cook. Checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and cooking it until it reaches 165 degrees F will ensure it is cooked all the way through.
How to add great flavor to your meatloaf
Adding flavor to ground turkey is necessary since it can be pretty bland like any lean meat. You can easily add more flavor by cooking the veggies in some oil and garlic and letting them cool before adding them to the meat.
Also including some kind of stock like chicken stock, vegetable stock or beef stock will also help kick up the flavor along with plenty of salt and pepper.
Spices are another wonderful way you can add some tasty elements to your meatloaf without adding any extra calories. I like to use garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and cumin, just to give it a nice spicy kick.
What to serve with healthy turkey meatloaf
You can serve this meatloaf with so many wonderful side dishes like green beans shown above, mashed sweet potatoes, Mashed butternut squash or even a healthy salad like this easy kale salad with lemon dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Use good quality ground turkey that is between 90 – 93% lean. Too lean and it will come out dry. Make sure that the turkey is thawed completely before mixing it with the other ingredients.
- You can mix up the veggies and use other veggies like shredded zucchini, celery, or even cooked spinach. Just make sure to cook and cool the veggies before adding them to the mixture.
- Add some cheese. My kids like cheese in their meatloaf (I do not) so sometimes I will add in 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan to make everyone happy. You could also add shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese.
- You can use regular panko breadcrumbs if you do not need to keep this recipe gluten free.
- If you need to keep this recipe gluten free but do not want to use breadcrumbs than 1/3 cup of cooked brown rice, quinoa or ground oats would also work. The texture does come out slightly different but it is still amazing.
- To store this meatloaf after it is cooked, place it into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- To make this recipe ahead of time. You can make the recipe all the way up to making the meatloaf mixture. Then cover it and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready too cook, just follow the rest of the recipe.
I hope you try this recipe. If you do, then please leave a rating and comment below.
Print
The Best Healthy Turkey Meatloaf – Gluten Free
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This incredibly juicy Healthy Turkey Meatloaf is going to be the best recipe you will want to make again and again. Packed with nutritious veggies like bell peppers and carrots plus gluten free breadcrumbs and garlic that give it a great punch of flavor. It is moist and so tender on the inside with a sweet tomato glaze that really makes the whole thing.
Ingredients
For the veggies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion – diced
- 1 green bell pepper – diced
- 1 red bell pepper – diced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cloves of garlic – peeled and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the meatloaf mixture
- 1.5–2 pounds of 90-93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs – I used Italian seasoned for extra flavor
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
For the sweet tomato glaze
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
To make the veggie mixture
- Heat up a medium skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onions and peppers and toss them in the oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the veggies are soft and the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic and carrots. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, toss and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and let the veggies cool.
Make the meatloaf mixture
- Add the ground turkey to a medium size mixing bowl. Then add in the breadcrumbs, chicken stock, egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and more salt and pepper. Mix that all together with your hands until fully combined.
- Add in the cooled veggies and mix everything together to form the meatloaf mixture.
Form and bake the meatloaf
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the baking sheet and use your hand to form it into a 8.5 x 5 inch loaf.
- Place the meatloaf into the preheated oven on the middle rack and cook for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Mix up the tomato glaze. Add the ketchup, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a small bowl and mix well to combine.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread the glaze evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
- Increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees F and return the meatloaf to the oven to brown the edges and top slightly, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes then top it with fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve warm with your favorite side dish.
Notes
- Use good quality ground turkey that is between 90 – 93% lean. Too lean and it will come out dry. Make sure that the turkey is thawed completely before mixing it with the other ingredients.
- You can mix up the veggies and use other veggies like shredded zucchini, celery, or even cooked spinach. Just make sure to cook and cool the veggies before adding them to the mixture.
- Add some cheese. My kids like cheese in their meatloaf (I do not) so sometimes I will add in 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan to make everyone happy. You could also add shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese.
- You can use regular panko breadcrumbs if you do not need to keep this recipe gluten free.
- If you need to keep this recipe gluten free but do not want to use breadcrumbs than 1/3 cup of cooked brown rice, quinoa or ground oats would also work. The texture does come out slightly different but it is still amazing.
- To store this meatloaf after it is cooked, place it into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- To make this recipe ahead of time. You can make the recipe all the way up to making the meatloaf mixture. Then cover it and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready too cook, just follow the rest of the recipe.
- Category: Healthy Dinner Ideas
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Leave a Reply