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Sliced Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf topped with tomato glaze and fresh thyme on a white plate with green beans.
Daniel

Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf

A lighter, protein-packed meatloaf that's moist, flavorful, and weeknight-friendly.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285

Ingredients
  

Meatloaf
  • 0.5 cup quinoa uncooked, rinsed
  • 1.5 lb ground turkey 93% lean
  • 0.5 medium yellow onion finely diced, about 1/2 cup
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Glaze
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Equipment

  • 9x5 inch Loaf Pan
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Small saucepan

Method
 

Prep
  1. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly. You'll need about 1.5 cups cooked quinoa.
Make the meatloaf
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, cooked quinoa, diced onion, minced garlic, beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined - do not overmix or the meatloaf will be tough.
  2. Transfer mixture to a 9x5 inch loaf pan and press gently to form an even loaf. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes until the top is set and the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
Make glaze
  1. While the meatloaf bakes, stir together ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl until smooth.
  2. Remove meatloaf from oven, spread glaze evenly over the top, and return to oven for 10-15 minutes until glaze is set and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing - this keeps the juices from running out.

Notes

For extra moisture, add 2 tablespoons of milk or grated zucchini to the mixture. This recipe works beautifully with ground chicken too. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches the next day - slice cold and crisp in a hot skillet.