This turkey meatloaf with oats is super tender, loaded with flavor, and smothered in a lip-smacking glaze. It rivals the beefy classic!.
Turkey meatloaf is a classic comfort food that is perfect for busy weeknights By adding oatmeal to the mix, you can make a hearty, delicious meatloaf that is lower in fat and calories than traditional beef meatloaf. In this article, I’ll share my favorite turkey meatloaf recipe that uses oatmeal to make it extra moist and flavorful
Why Add Oatmeal?
Adding oatmeal to meatloaf offers several benefits:
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Moisture – The oats help retain moisture, ensuring your meatloaf stays juicy and tender.
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Texture – Oats give the meatloaf a pleasant, grainy texture.
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Flavor – Oatmeal has a mild, nutty flavor that enhances the turkey.
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Binding – The starch in oats helps bind the ingredients together.
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Nutrition – Oats pack fiber, protein, and important vitamins and minerals.
Compared to breadcrumbs, oatmeal contains more nutrients and does a better job keeping meatloaf moist. For the most nutritious meatloaf, choose old-fashioned or quick oats rather than instant.
Tips for Making Turkey Meatloaf with Oats
Follow these tips for perfect oatmeal turkey meatloaf every time:
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Use a combination of white and dark turkey meat. Dark meat provides moisture and flavor.
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Don’t overmix the ingredients. Gentle mixing prevents the meatloaf from becoming dense.
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Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes before baking. This helps the flavors meld.
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Bake at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Baking at a moderate temp prevents drying out.
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Resist the urge to slice the meatloaf straight out of the oven. Letting it rest for 10-15 minutes allows the juices to redistribute.
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Brush with ketchup or barbecue sauce during the last 15 minutes of baking for delicious flavor and caramelization.
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Leftover meatloaf makes incredible sandwiches. Simply slice and enjoy between bread or a bun.
The Best Turkey Meatloaf Recipe with Oats
This turkey meatloaf is flavorful, moist, and easy to make on a busy weeknight. Let’s get to the full recipe!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 lbs ground turkey (use a mix of white and dark meat)
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup, plus more for brushing
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together oats and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Meanwhile, dice 1/4 of the onion and set aside. Finely chop the remaining onion.
- In a large bowl, combine turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, 1/4 cup ketchup, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix gently until just combined.
- Transfer mixture to a 9×13 baking dish. Shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches tall.
- Pour tomato sauce over top and sprinkle with diced onion.
- Bake for 60 minutes until meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- In the last 15 minutes of baking, brush meatloaf with additional ketchup.
- Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.
This oatmeal turkey meatloaf is so moist, savory, and comforting. The quick oats make it extra hearty. Red bell pepper and Worcestershire sauce add flavor depth. A brush of ketchup and sprinkle of diced onion gives a sweet-savory finish.
Serve this easy turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, or roasted veggies. It also makes great sandwiches. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Adding oatmeal to turkey meatloaf makes it more nutritious, moist, and delicious. This flavorful recipe is perfect for a weekday family dinner or meal prep. Give it a try and enjoy!
What to Serve With Turkey Meatloaf
- You know I’m a sucker for mashed potatoes. For me, this completes the nostalgia around meatloaf.
- Also, these little roasted potatoes are great with a meaty main dish.
- I love these green beans cooked in the air fryer because I can put them in for a few minutes before dinner and do something else.
- These broccoli are another side dish that you can make in an air fryer. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still make these roasted broccoli, they taste just as good.
- You don’t have to sauté the diced onions before adding them to the turkey meatloaf mixture. If you do, the onion flavor will be stronger, which some people like. I like it either way. Use your best judgement based on your own taste.
- A few tablespoons of tomato sauce could be used instead of the ketchup-based glaze if you don’t like it. If you like spicy, consider adding a little hot sauce!.
- Because I wanted to make this recipe more hearty and healthy, I used oats instead of breadcrumbs. You could use breadcrumbs instead.
- To make the oats into fine breadcrumbs, use a small blender. Then, add them to the mix.
- You certainly can add chopped vegetables to the mix. The tomato sauce already has tomatoes in it, but you could also add chopped spinach, red pepper, a grated carrot,
*Exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Ground Turkey. In order to make meatloaf, you should aim for a 2093% lean/7% fat ratio.
- Onion. Just about any onion will work in this. I like a sweet yellow onion for extra sweetness.
- Garlic.
- Oats. Rolled oats or quick oats are fine.
- Egg. This helps add extra moisture.
- Marinara. Another thing that makes it more moist and gives it a nice savory taste!
- Worcestershire sauce. With this stuff, the beef always tastes umami-good, so you don’t have to worry about your meatloaf being bland.
- Salt & pepper. One teaspoon of salt per pound of ground meat is how I season it.
- Thyme. You can use dried thyme or Italian seasoning instead of fresh thyme if you don’t have any on hand.
- Ketchup. The base of our sweet and savory glaze.
- Balsamic glaze. This makes the glaze a little more rich, tangy, and deep.
Why You’ll Love This
This recipe will change your mind if you thought meatloaf could only be made with ground beef or sausage. It might not sound exciting to make a cozy home-cooked meal leaner, but I promise you that this turkey meatloaf with oats can compete with the original. It’s soft, tasty, the right texture, and covered in that must-have ketchup glaze (we love making our own ketchup for this).
It’s also great for a weeknight fix. It’s quick, and you can make it the night before and put it in the fridge until it’s time to cook!
Easy, FLAVORFUL Meatloaf Recipe with OATMEAL
FAQ
Is oatmeal better than bread crumbs in meatloaf?
What is the secret to moist meatloaf?
What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart?
How much oatmeal to substitute for breadcrumbs in meatloaf?
How do you cook a Turkey meatloaf?
Turkey meatloaf is a favorite in our house! This healthy meatloaf recipe made with lean ground turkey is easy and delicious. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a small bowl combine 2 tbsp of the ketchup with Worcestershire sauce. In a small skillet, heat olive oil and onion on low heat until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes, remove from heat.
How do you make a Turkey oat loaf?
Finely chop the remaining onion. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high.
What is Turkey meatloaf with oatmeal?
Turkey meatloaf with oatmeal is a ground turkey dish seasoned with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar, and it includes oatmeal and vegetables. This moist and flavorful family dinner is made with eggs and bread crumbs.
What is garden-style Turkey meatloaf with oats?
Garden-Style Turkey Meatloaf with Oats is a fresh take on meatloaf made with a variety of veggies and ground turkey. This lunch or dinner option is the perfect way to incorporate veggies into your meal in a new and tasty way. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
How do you cook a Turkey Meatloaf in a loaf pan?
To cook a Turkey Meatloaf in a 9 x 5 loaf pan, first spray the pan with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients except tomato sauce and 1 tbsp Worcestershire in a large bowl and mix well. If the mixture is too dry, add more egg. If it’s too wet, add more oatmeal crumbs. Press the turkey mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Mix tomato sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire together in a small bowl.
How do you make a Turkey meatloaf sandwich?
Make the turkey meatloaf mixture: Prepare the turkey mixture in a large mixing bowl by combining the ground turkey, panko bread crumbs (or you can also use regular bread crumbs), large egg, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and the now-cooled vegetables.