Say goodbye to dry turkey meatloaf! Hands down, this ground turkey meatloaf is the best I’ve ever made. It’s outrageously flavorful and unbelievably moist.
My whole family raves about this recipe! The secret to the best juicy, moist, and delicious turkey meatloaf is mushrooms! Trust me on this (even if you don’t like mushrooms, stick with me). Finely chopped cooked mushrooms make this meatloaf incredible!
Get those mashed potatoes ready, you won’t believe how good this is! For more of my favorite recipes, check out our beef meatloaf recipe or these easy turkey meatballs.
Key Ingredients
- Ground turkey: I prefer ground turkey with some fat left and avoid very lean ground turkey breast. Look for turkey with 8% to 10% fat for the most juicy results. You can also use ground chicken in this recipe. For ground beef, see our classic meatloaf.
- Mushrooms: My secret to the best meatloaf! We cut cremini or white button mushrooms into tiny pieces so you can barely see them, but you will taste their benefits! Mushrooms add moisture and flavor to this meatloaf. It doesn’t taste overwhelmingly mushroomy (trust me). Instead, the mushrooms add unbelievable savory flavor to our turkey meatloaf.
- Onion and garlic: Add more flavor to the meatloaf. We cook them before adding to the meatloaf mixture so they taste sweet.
- Worcestershire sauce: Seasons our mixture and adds even more umami (a satisfying savory flavor).
- Ketchup: Adds moisture and flavor. We also use it to make a simple glaze for the top. I like the lower-sugar options sold at the grocery store or this homemade ketchup.
- Eggs, breadcrumbs, and milk: Add moisture, amazing texture, and flavor. Use homemade breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, or crushed saltine crackers for the best results.
How to Make the Best Turkey Meatloaf
Even if you’re not a mushroom fan, prepare to be amazed by this turkey meatloaf! Since we chop them really small and cook them with onions, they almost disappear into the meatloaf mixture.
The photo above shows how small I chop them. You can do this by hand or use a food processor.
As they cook with our onions, they release a lot of liquid and shrink even more, which is why you don’t really notice them in the meatloaf (this is why many of our readers who don’t like mushrooms still love this recipe!). I love this trick so much that I use it to make turkey burgers, as well!
I cook my turkey meatloaf on a rimmed baking sheet smothered with our simple ketchup glaze. You can use a loaf pan, but honestly, the baking sheet is much easier and has less cleanup. A win for me!
Best Turkey Meatloaf We've Made
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This is my family’s favorite turkey meatloaf recipe. It’s flavorful, incredibly moist in the middle, and always a hit. Finely chopped mushrooms are the secret to the best meatloaf. They add so much flavor and moisture.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 to 1 ¼ pound ground turkey (90% to 92% lean)
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, trimmed and very finely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
7 tablespoons ketchup, divided, try homemade ketchup
1 cup (60g) panko bread crumbs or use homemade breadcrumbs
1/3 cup (80ml) milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil.
2Cook onions and mushrooms: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the mushrooms give off their liquid and it boils away, about 10 minutes.
3Transfer the onions and mushrooms to a large bowl, and then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and 3 tablespoons of the ketchup. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
4Make the meatloaf mixture: Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Stir the breadcrumb mixture and the eggs into the mushrooms and onions. Using a fork or your hands, gently mix in the ground turkey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. The mixture will be very wet.
5Form the meatloaf on a baking sheet: Form the meatloaf into a 9-inch by 5-inch oval in the middle of the prepared baking sheet. Spread the remaining 4 tablespoons of ketchup on top.
6Bake the meatloaf: Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meatloaf registers 170°F, about 50 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- What to serve it with: We make this meatloaf a lot (seriously, my family loves this recipe!). Try mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, macaroni and cheese, or roasted potatoes. I also love these mashed sweet potatoes, or for less carbs, try our creamy mashed cauliflower. I love adding a few extra veggies to the plate. My family’s favorite vegetable sides include sautéed green beans, garlic butter zucchini, roasted carrots, and this roasted butternut squash.
- Storing: Leftover turkey meatloaf lasts up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead: You can prepare and shape the meatloaf on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate overnight before adding the glaze and baking the next day. Or shape the mixture on a foil-lined sheet and freeze for a few hours. Then, wrap it tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before adding the glaze and baking.
- Can I double this recipe? Absolutely! Double all the ingredients and expect it to take 15 to 20 minutes longer in the oven. Your meat thermometer is the best guide for doneness.
- Mushroom alternatives: Grated zucchini works wonderfully as a substitute – though you won’t get the same flavor as mushrooms.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Best meatloaf ever! I threw away all my other meatloaf recipes! I made it the first time following recipe exactly and have since made a couple of changes: 1) I baked it at 350 for 50 min. 2) placed in 9×13 baking dish. I found that 400 degrees on cookie sheet dried out the meatloaf. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!!
Wondering if this will work with a dairy free milk alternative such as cashew, almond or oat milk?
Hi Hannah, You can definitely use non-dairy milk in this recipe. Just stay away from anything sweetened/flavored.
This was the best meatloaf recipe I have ever made. We couldn’t get enough, it was delicious and healthful to boot!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. This is one of our favorites 🙂
We tried this based on reviews and it was delicious! We also tweaked it a bit by adding additional veggies to the pan after the mushrooms, including diced red pepper and shredded carrot. To the ketchup glaze on top we added a specialty mustard. It was SOOOOO good!! We are excited for the leftovers. It was the perfect meal after a big hike!
So happy you trusted us and gave the recipe a try and I love that you added even more veggies 🙂
Why did it taste so good? 😭😭 I tried this recipe after having a strong taste for meatloaf and mashed potatoes and I was NOT disappointed. I made very small tweaks for my family’s taste like using the suggested saltines instead of my usual Italian bread crumbs and I put a little extra ketchup and some sweet baby rays on top of the meatloaf but it’s than that, I did exactly what I was told to do. I’ll be using this recipe for years to come!! And sharing it.
Sweet baby rays on top sounds delicious! 🙂
The mushrooms were a perfect fit for this turkey meatloaf. It did exactly what the recipe said, created perfect moisture and flavor. My husband had no Idea and said it was the best he’s ever had. I salted and peppered all the way through rather than right at the end. Added fresh parsley to the final mixture and added brown sugar and hot sauce to the ketchup glaze. Great recipe !
Wonderful! So happy that you and your husband loved them 🙂
I’m glad you mentioned the mushrooms. I forgot to add it to my review but you’re spot on!! I’m pretty sure this is the culprit for the juiciness that I experienced in every bite. I’m so thoroughly impressed with this recipe.
Really good
Lol, all my husband asked was to make sure it didn’t taste like turkey, Both he and my son loved it! The chopped mushrooms are key. I doubled the recipe, using two lbs. of turkey, about 1 1/2 cups of panko and three eggs. Made two and freezing the second. Delish!
This is the only meatloaf recipe I make. Made it once and my husband requested it in the rotation from then on. I made a ground beef meatloaf I grew up with once and he politely requested I only make this one. lol
We love this meatloaf recipe and make it often!!
I just made this turkey meatloaf. It was very tasty and moist. I’ll be keeping this recipe.
This is a delicious recipe! Even my husband who isn’t a big turkey meatloaf fan, tried it tonite and loved it! Thanks for all of your easy to follow yummy recipes! I love the videos too! Helps me a lot!