Italian Turkey Meatloaf

 

Italian Turkey Meatloaf… a truly yummy version of a meatloaf…. healthier too!  It’s delicious the first time you serve it.. but be prepared.. make sure you make enough for leftovers… it is outstanding cold.. it makes perfect meatloaf sandwiches.

TIPS

Turkey, as for most poultry, is bland by nature.. so be sure to up your herbs and spices.  Use fresh herbs wherever possible… fresh garlic cloves are always best also.

We like garlic so I use 2 large garlic cloves… if you’re iffy about garlic use only 1 clove.

I used my mini chopper to chop the parsley leaves… if you have some fresh basil… throw in about 3 or 4 basil leaves into the chopper with the parsley…

For the tomato sauce… you can use any Italian tomato sauce you prefer…. I made up a double batch of my Pizza Sauce using Hunt’s Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce… I have 8 ounce cans in my pantry.. I use them for lots of things…. In any case.. make sure you have enough to serve with the meatloaf.

Many recipes use only a pound of ground turkey.. which you can certainly do.. but I recommend using 2 pounds… first.. so you can have leftovers… and secondly, unless you have really small eaters.. it’s just not quite enough for 4 servings… I’d say 3 servings at best per pound… that’s figuring 2 slices per person and the smaller ends for someone to have seconds.

I served this with garlic mashed potatoes…. and a salad… a truly great dinner… I hope you try it!

Recipe:  Italian Turkey Meatloaf

All you need:

2 pounds ground turkey

1 medium to large onion, diced

1-2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup 6 Cheese Italian shredded cheese

½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

3-4 leaves fresh basil, chopped **Optional See TIPS

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons milk

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

Sprinkling of salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce **See TIPS

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are soft and translucent.  Do not let them brown, lower the heat if necessary.  Allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, including the garlic and onions, except the tomato sauce. 

Line a baking sheet or pan with non-stick foil or spray the pan with olive oil cooking oil spray.

Divide the mixture in half and form 2 loaves.  Place on the prepared pan.  Make sure it is firmly formed.  Spoon some sauce over each loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature is at 165 degrees F.

Serve hot, warm or cold with additional tomato sauce.