Name: Turkey Meatloaf
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups finely chopped onion; 1 tablespoon minced garlic clove; 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium carrot, (peeled and cut into ⅛-inch dice); ¾ pound cremini mushrooms, (trimmed and very finely chopped in the food processor); 1 teaspoon salt, (divided); ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, (divided); 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 5 tablespoons barbecue sauce, (divided); 1 cup (from 2 slices firm white bread) fine fresh bread crumbs; ⅓ cup nonfat milk; 1 large egg, (lightly beaten); 1 large egg white, (lightly beaten); 1¼ pounds 93% lean ground turkey

This Turkey Meatloaf is lighter than most, which makes it a good meatloaf to make if you’re watching your calories! And, if you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card at the end of this post.

turkey meatloaf slice on a plate with asparagus

Turkey Meatloaf

I do enjoy a good meatloaf. But it’s tough to share with all of you because meatloaf is very hard to make pretty. It’s just not a nice food to look at. So I made it as pretty as I could. And I hope that does it a little bit of justice… because this turkey meatloaf is quite delicious!

🛒Ingredients needed:

onion and garlic
olive oil
carrots and mushrooms
salt and freshly ground pepper
Worcestershire sauce
fresh parsley
barbecue sauce
fresh bread crumbs
nonfat milk
eggs
lean ground turkey

✏️How to make Turkey Meatloaf:

*The complete, printable recipe with all ingredients and instructions is at the end of this post.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the onion and garlic in oil in over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 more minutes.
Add the mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid that the mushrooms give off is evaporated and they are very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce, then transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and cool.
In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and milk and let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the egg and egg white, then add to the vegetables. Add the turkey and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the vegetable mixture and mix well with your hands. (The mixture will be very moist).
Form the mixture into a 9×5-inch oval loaf in a lightly oiled 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan and brush the meatloaf evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Bake in the middle of the oven until a thermometer inserted into the meatloaf registers 170°F., 50 to 55 minutes.
Let the meatloaf stand 5 minutes before serving.

meatloaf in a pan

➡️Recipe Tips:

In this recipe, I use 93% lean turkey. If you try to use the 99% lean turkey, I fear that it will come out much too dry and inedible.
The recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, but feel free to use whatever mushrooms are your favorites.
You could also experiment with other vegetables like celery or zucchini.

✔️What to serve with Turkey Meatloaf:

Keep it light with some delicious asparagus.
These Thick Cut Oven Roasted Fries make a perfect side dish for almost anything!
If you’re counting calories, I recommend a big glass of sparkling water, and if you’re not? How about a nice glass of red wine?

slice of turkey meatloaf on a plate with asparagus

★How to Store:

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or tightly-wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months.

❤️Why I love this recipe:

I just love that sweet spread of barbecue sauce on top of this turkey meatloaf. It finishes it off quite nicely.
When we have leftover meatloaf, I like to thinly slice it and make meatloaf sandwiches for lunch the next day. It’s a competition to see who gets one.
Of course I love a recipe that is both healthy AND delicious. Win – win!