Turkey Meatloaf Recipe

Slices of turkey meatloaf with glaze on top of mashed potatoes.

There's no greater comfort food than old fashioned Turkey Meatloaf. This recipe has the BEST tips for making extra juicy meatloaf, which includes adding cheese, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, and more!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 35

Rest Time15

Total Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 323kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon butter
½ cup yellow onion diced
½ cup bell pepper diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 eggs
2/3 cup half and half see note 1
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons BBQ Sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
2 pounds ground turkey 85% lean

Glaze for Topping:

½ cup ketchup
½ cup BBQ Sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions and peppers for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Remove from heat once nice and soft. Let it cool.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the half and half, mustard, ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cheese, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
Stir in the breadcrumbs, then add the cooled onions/peppers/garlic.
Add the turkey and gently mix until just combined. Don’t overwork the meat or it will become tough.
Add the turkey mixture to a lightly greased meatloaf pan.
This part can be tricky but worthwhile: Use a silicone spatula and create space around the perimeter of the pan that’s about the width of your finger. Spread any excess turkey from the sides onto the top of the meatloaf. This creates airflow around the pan which results in a nice outer crust and a juicier loaf. (See process shots in post above for visual.)
Combine the ketchup and BBQ Sauce and spread half of it over the meatloaf.
Place the meatloaf pan on a baking sheet to catch any overflow.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove and top with remaining ketchup/BBQ sauce.
Bake for an additional 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 155 degrees.
Remove and let it rest in the loaf pan for 15 minutes prior to slicing in. It will increase an additional 8-10 degrees during this time.
Serve with mashed potatoes and enjoy!

Notes

Milk can be used instead of half and half of needed, but the extra fat content from the half and half helps keep the turkey moist.

Love Meatloaf Recipes? Try my Mini Meatloaf Recipe next!

Tools for This Recipe

Amazon Affiliate Links

Meat Thermometer- I can't stress how much easier this will make your life.
Meatloaf Pan- This one has handles to lift out the loaf and allows any grease to drain from the bottom.
Long Chef's Knife for Slicing- This one is affordable but also works really well.

Nutrition