This turkey meatloaf is just as flavor-packed as the classic comfort food. With sautéed vegetables, simple seasonings, a bacon topping, and a caramelized tomato-y glaze, it's hearty and satisfying.
Ingredients you'll need
Ground turkey - Use ground turkey with some fat for the best results. We recommend 85/15, which provides enough moisture and flavor. Leaner options can be used, but avoid ground turkey breast; it's too dry.
Oil - We use olive oil, but use your favorite oil if it's suitable for sautéing.
Produce - Onions, carrots, and celery are gently cooked together for a classic mirepoix flavor base. Garlic adds another delicious layer.
Seasoning - Salt, garlic powder, and black pepper season the meat simply.
Condiments - Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and steak sauce (like A1) are used in the ground turkey to add flavor and color, and to make a glaze topping at the end.
Fridge and pantry - Eggs and plain breadcrumbs bind the loaf. Bacon is used to top the meatloaf before baking. Use regular-cut bacon; thin slices can fall apart, and thick-cut bacon will take longer to cook.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make turkey meatloaf
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot but not smoking, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Remove the vegetables from the heat and let them cool completely. To speed things up, stir occasionally to release steam, then refrigerate until cool.
Make the meatloaf mixture
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Use a large bowl to combine the ground turkey, cooled vegetables, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatloaf dense.
Shape and bake
Lightly grease the baking dish. Loosely shape the mixture into an oval loaf and place it in the dish. Use a gentle touch; do not pack it tightly.
Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking the ends underneath.
Combine the remaining ketchup and steak sauce and brush it evenly over the loaf.
Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, checking at the 90-minute mark. Cook time will vary based on thickness. As a reference, ours took about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The meatloaf is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Storing instructions
Refrigerator: Allow the meatloaf to cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Transfer cooled meatloaf to an airtight, freezer-safe container or wrap tightly in foil and place in a freezer bag. Leave a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze slices rather than the whole loaf.
Food safety: Do not leave cooked food out for longer than 2 hours, or longer than 1 hour if the ambient temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you enjoyed this turkey meatloaf, try these mini turkey meatloaves, perfect for parties. For home-style dinner ideas, this ground turkey shepherd's pie, and our popular creamy chicken and rice casserole will be welcomed at the table. And if you're wondering what to do with leftovers, this meatloaf sandwich is a great way to enjoy them the next day.
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion finely diced
- 1 Carrot finely diced
- 1 Celery Rib finely diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 3 pounds Ground Turkey 85/15 works well
- 1½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons Ketchup plus 2-3 tablespoons for the top
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Steak Sauce plus 1-2 tablespoons for the top
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs plain
- 3-4 Slices Bacon
Instructions
You will also need
- Cooking spray (or a little extra oil to brush on the casserole dish or pan), Large bowl, Casserole dish or rimmed pan (at least 7X11 inch), Instant read meat thermometer
Cook the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove the vegetables from the heat and allow them to cool a bit. Give them a stir occasionally to release some steam. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely.
- Preheat Oven to 350°F
Make the meatloaf
- Add the ground turkey, the cooled vegetables, salt, garlic powder, pepper, 3 tablespoons ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon steak sauce, eggs, and breadcrumbs to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix all of the ingredients together until they are well incorporated.
- Lightly spray or brush the baking dish with oil.
- Loosely shape the ground turkey into a ball while it's still in the bowl.
- Transfer the meat to the baking dish and shape it into an oval loaf. Don't compress the mixture, use a gentle touch.
- Top with the bacon slices. Place them on top at a slight angle and tuck the excess under the loaf.
- Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of ketchup and 1-2 tablespoons of steak sauce to the top of the meatloaf. Use a pastry brush to combine the sauces and spread in an even layer.
- Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake for 1½ - 2 hours. Check it after 90 minutes and gauge the remaining cooking time from there. As a reference, our meatloaf took 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Use an instant read thermometer and insert into the center of the thickest part of the loaf. Make sure the internal temperature is at least 165°F.
- Let the meatloaf rest for approximately 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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