Description
Classic turkey meatloaf delivers a lean, protein-packed meal perfect for family dinners. Herbs, breadcrumbs, and ground turkey combine for a hearty dish you’ll savor with simple sides and rich gravy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (pounds) ground turkey, 85% lean
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ⅔ cup half and half
- ⅔ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup ketchup (for topping)
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (for topping)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 2 tsp BBQ sauce
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 325°F, creating an ideal thermal environment for even cooking.
- Vegetable Sauté: Caramelize onions, bell peppers, and garlic in butter until translucent, developing rich aromatic undertones.
- Liquid Foundation: Whisk eggs and half and half in a large mixing bowl, establishing a creamy binding agent for the meatloaf.
- Flavor Composition: Blend condiments, seasonings, breadcrumbs, and cheese into the egg mixture, crafting a complex flavor profile.
- Ingredient Integration: Fold cooled vegetables and ground turkey into the mixture with minimal manipulation, preserving a delicate texture.
- Molding: Shape the mixture into a uniform loaf in a greased baking pan, ensuring smooth contours for optimal heat circulation.
- Initial Glazing: Brush half the BBQ-ketchup glaze over the meatloaf, creating a glossy preliminary coating.
- Primary Baking: Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, allowing flavors to intermingle and meat to cook thoroughly.
- Final Glazing and Completion: Apply remaining glaze and continue baking for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.
- Resting and Serving: Allow meatloaf to rest briefly, enabling juice redistribution, then slice and present a succulent, flavor-packed centerpiece.
Notes
- Vegetable Sautéing Secret: Cool sautéed veggies completely before mixing to prevent eggs from cooking and maintain a tender meatloaf texture.
- Mixing Mastery: Fold ingredients gently and minimally to keep the meatloaf light and prevent dense, tough results.
- Glaze Game: Apply BBQ-ketchup glaze in two stages for a glossy, caramelized exterior that locks in flavor and moisture.
- Resting Technique: Allow meatloaf to rest after baking, enabling juice redistribution for a succulent and moist final dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 395
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 748 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg