First Published April 4, 2014
Update: Like other recipes on this blog, I still use this one today. It's lower in fat, and I reduce the salt by adding lots of herbs. You can watch the demonstration video on YouTube:
Lower Fat Comfort Food: Turkey Meatloaf with Traditional Flavor
Thanks
for reading. September,
2025
Traditional recipes for meatloaf call for ground beef, ground
veal, eggs, whole milk and lots of salt, all of which make meatloaf a dish high
in fat and sodium. Have you ever made a traditional meatloaf in a loaf pan?
When you take it out of the oven, that block of meat is swimming in grease. No
thanks.
It's easy to lighten up this classic comfort food, though, and
still get plenty of the flavor and texture that makes meatloaf such a cozy kind
of dish.
First, substitute turkey for the beef and veal. Use just one
egg for every 1 ½ pounds of meat, and leave out the whole milk altogether. You don't
really need it.
Add a blend of dried, earthy herbs and just enough breadcrumbs
to hold the mixture together and that's it. No salt or Worcestershire sauce;
let the ketchup glaze be the saltiness in the mix.
Here's my recipe for
Turkey Meatloaf, contemporary style:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a foil lined
baking dish with cooking spray
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of lean turkey
1 herbal mix (listed below)
1 egg
1 ½ cups of breadcrumbs
Low sodium ketchup
Directions:
Place the turkey in a large mixing bowl
Add the herbal mix and combine
Add the egg and mix it in
Add about ½ the amount of breadcrumbs and work it into the
ground turkey
Add about ¼ to ½ of the remaining breadcrumbs and work them in
to the meat
Add the remaining breadcrumbs and knead until the breadcrumbs
are absorbed
Place the mixture into the prepared baking dish and shape into
a loaf
Spread the ketchup over the meatloaf
Bake for one hour
Let the meatloaf rest for 10 to 15 minutes
Serve with baked potato and sliced tomato – or whatever
tickles your fancy that day
The Herbal Blend and some
Variations
1 tablespoon dried onion flake
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
The herbal blend is really the secret to taste in this recipe.
Dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor that fresh herbs, and hold up to
the long cooking time, so use dried rather than fresh. But try different blends
to find the right one for your taste.
For example, trade dried rosemary for the marjoram for a more
aromatic flavor, and add a little more thyme for balance.
Try a blend of middle eastern spices, such as cumin and
paprika, and nutmeg for a bit sweetness. Like a little heat in your meatloaf? Mix
a dash of allspice, a dash of chili powder and a teaspoon of dried oregano for
your seasonings, and balance that with a teaspoon of dried thyme.
Add a Few Veggies as
Well, and Maybe Fruit
A few chopped onions, carrots and celery add texture and taste
to the meatloaf, but you needn't stick with the traditional trinity of veggies.
Try something different, like jalapeno peppers and corn, or chopped zucchini
and onions.
If, like us, you don't like veggies in your meatloaf, make
sure to add them to the dinner plate. I usually keep it simple – sliced tomatoes
from the garden are my favorite. But think about add some fruit instead, such
as sliced apples or put a bowl of grapes on the table and let everybody munch
them at their leisure. A bite of fresh fruit makes for a nice contrast to the
softer, gentler meatloaf.
And the best part of meatloaf is meatloaf sandwiches. Guilt free meatloaf sandwiches.This is
comfort food, with a contemporary twist.
