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    Home » recipe » Moist Turkey Meatloaf

    Moist Turkey Meatloaf

    Published: Feb 28, 2020 · Modified: Aug 23, 2020 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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    Have you ever tried to make turkey meatloaf only to end up with a dry one? Check out this recipe and you'll never look back, you'll never believe the secret ingredient you can add to make a flavorful, moist turkey meatloaf.

    My kids enjoy ground meat, any sort of ground meat. This Kofta recipe is one of their favorite. If you are into meatloaves here is a beef meatloaf recipe that they enjoy.

    turkey meatloaf slices on a plate with cooked barley and diced avocado

    Turkey Meatloaf

    I never really had turkey meatloaf when I was growing up, ground turkey was not a thing there when I was little. I liked the idea of having a leaner ground meat as an option, but never actually enjoyed it as it should be. I've had turkey meatloaves on occasions but it was always bland and dry. I tried a recipe before but my kids turned away from it.
    In fact this bothered me a lot, so I set out on a mission to make a nice moist turkey meatloaf that my kids will actually enjoy. After some trials I added a secret healthy ingredient.. that was... avocado🥑.
    If you are not a big fan of avocado, do not worry it will not make your meatloaf taste like one. Evidence is in my oldest kid!! He hates avocado to an extreme point, even more than he hates broccoli. I've tried a lot but he just still not there yet. I have to tell you I was skeptical and made some chicken for him as I was sure he wouldn't touch this meatloaf. Eventually I did not make real efforts, like mashing the avocados so finely, to hide it.
    To my surprise, he actually ate it and even asked for it the second day.. until now I did not tell him it had avocado though😄.

    How to make turkey meatloaf

    A photo showing ingredients on a plate of food, with Meatloaf and Turkey meat
    • Cut the avocado in half and scoop up the flesh in a deep bowl. Mash with a fork. If you have picky eaters you might want to mash it really well to eliminate visible clumps.
    • Add chopped onions, garlic, bread crumbs and all the spices. Mix well and let it set for 10 minutes.
    • Add the ground turkey and lightly mix until incorporated
    • Shape on a piece of parchment paper then left and place into your baking pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
    • In a small bowl mix the sauce ingredients then pour over the meatloaf then return to oven for 10 more minutes.

    Turkey meatloaf without eggs

    Actually this came by accident. You see the first time I tested this recipe I added eggs, second time I forgot🙄. I took my family's opinion and they liked the eggless meatloaf more. So you might want to test that too on your family and check which one they like more. But let me assure you both are tasty and moist.

    hadns holding a plate with sliced turkey meatload with a dollop of ketchup and diced avocado

    Tips for making meatloaf

    • If you want your meatloaf browned all around, bake on a baking sheet and not in a loaf pan.
    • How to tell if your meatloaf is done? If you have a meat thermometer then it should register between 165F-170F. If you don't then it should feel somewhat firm when you press on it and the juices run clear.
    • Make it gluten free by using gluten free breadcrumbs or swap for equal amount of oats.
    • Make it low carb and use almond flour.

    Moist Turkey Meatloaf

    If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

    turkey meatloaf slices on a plate with cooked barley and diced avocado

    Turkey meatloaf

    An incredibly moist and flavorful turkey meatloaf with breadcrumbs and avocado.
    4.67 from 6 votes
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories: 180kcal
    Author: Amira

    Ingredients

    • 1 (160g) ripe avocado. Note1
    • 1 (150g) onion.
    • 1 cup (65g) Panko breadcrumbs.
    • 1 teaspoon pink salt or to taste.
    • 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
    • 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander.
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
    • 3 large garlic cloves crushed.
    • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
    • 2 large eggs lightly beaten, optional. (Note2)
    • 2 pounds ground turkey meat.

    For the glaze:

    • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
    • 1/4 cup ketchup.

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 400F
    • In a deep bowl, scoop up the avocado flesh and mash with a fork.
    • Add all the spices, taste the mixture and adjust seasoning if needed. Let it set for 10 minutes.
    • Add the eggs if using then lightly mix in the ground turkey.
    • Shape on a piece of parchment paper large enough to fit in a 9x13 loaf pan.
    • Bake for 40-45 minutes.
    • Prepare the glaze in a bowl, then spread over the loaf.
    • Return to oven for 5-10 more minutes.
    • Take the loaf out and wait for it to cool down a bit before slicing.

    Notes

    Note1: One of my kids does not even like the sight of avocados and I was worried that he might sense what is in there. Surprisingly, he did not even ask when he saw some green bits here and there as I did not mince it super fine.
    Note2: I have tried both versions and tested it on my family. Personally adding eggs made the turkey unnecessarily over moist which is hard to believe when it comes to turkey meatloaves. But it was too tender for our taste. I have to say now of my kids liked it with eggs more.
    Serving suggestions: Here are some of our favorite sides to go with the meatloaf. Try this fragrant yellow rice or give this rice pilaf a try. Here's my favorite brussels sprouts dish or may be this roasted butternut squash.
    Values calculated without the eggs and using pink salt.
    Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.1g | Protein: 23.8g | Fat: 3.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 230.2mg | Potassium: 120.1mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 3.1g
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    About Amira

    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sharon

      January 30, 2021 at 10:09 am

      I'm looking forward to trying this tonight but my ground turkey comes in 20.8 oz size -- not quite 2 pounds! Will it work with one package of ground turkey? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Amira

        January 31, 2021 at 12:33 pm

        Sharon, you can scale the recipe using the slider in the recipe card according to what you have.Hope this helps.

        Reply
    2. Hannah

      August 21, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      Assalamu Alaikum,
      Could I use honey as a glaze for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Amira

        August 25, 2020 at 9:48 am

        Hannah, I've never did that before but if this is something you like I do not see why not. Let us know how it went with you.

        Reply
        • Hannah

          August 25, 2020 at 10:06 am

          5 stars
          I tried it with honey, after it had finished baking I coated in honey and put under the grill for a couple of minutes, it gave the meatloaf a lovely sweetness, my hubby had never tried meatloaf before but he loved it so much he sent the link for this page to family in Egypt.

          Reply
          • Amira

            August 31, 2020 at 2:15 pm

            Oh that's amazing Hannah, I am so happy you and your hubby liked it and thanks for the shout out to the folks in Egypt :).

            Reply
    3. Christy

      March 21, 2020 at 5:25 am

      This looks delicious!

      Reply

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    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends. Read More…

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