Ina Garten turkey meatloaf from Food Network shapes 5 pounds of ground turkey breast with sautéed onions, bread crumbs, and eggs into a freeform loaf topped with ketchup. And the recipe serves 8 to 10 at approximately 380 calories per serving in about 2 hours and 10 minutes at 325°F.
Before any turkey touches the bowl, Ina cooks the onions low for 15 minutes with Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. So the aromatics soften completely and the liquids reduce, which means the loaf gets concentrated flavor instead of raw onion crunch and excess moisture.
Letting the cooked onion mixture cool to room temperature before mixing it into the turkey is the step most people skip. And if you fold hot onions into raw ground meat, the edges start cooking unevenly in the bowl and the loaf bakes with an inconsistent texture throughout.
Source: Ina Garten (Food Network)
Ina Garten Turkey Meatloaf
Course: BeefCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings15
minutes1
hour45
minutes380
kcalChopped onions cook low with olive oil, thyme, Worcestershire, chicken stock, and tomato paste before cooling and folding into turkey with bread crumbs and eggs. Then the shaped loaf bakes freeform on a sheet pan at 325°F with ketchup spread across the top.
Ingredients
- For the onion mixture:
3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
- For the meatloaf:
5 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Heat to 325°F.
- Cook the onions: Then heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-low and cook the onions with salt, pepper, and thyme for about 15 minutes until translucent.
- Add the liquids: Once the onions are soft, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well.
- Cool the mixture: Then set the onion mixture aside and let it cool completely to room temperature.
- Combine the meatloaf: Once cool, add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, and onion mixture to a large bowl.
- Mix and shape: Then mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan.
- Top with ketchup: Once shaped, spread the ketchup evenly across the top of the loaf.
- Add a water pan: Before baking, place a pan of hot water on the oven rack below the meatloaf to prevent cracking.
- Bake the loaf: Then bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the loaf is cooked through.
- Serve: Once done, serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.
FAQs
Why does the recipe call for a pan of hot water in the oven?
Turkey breast is very lean, so the loaf dries out faster than a beef version during the 1 1/2-hour bake. And the steam from the water pan keeps the oven humid, which prevents the ketchup top from cracking and pulling away from the meat.
If you skip the water pan, the surface hardens before the center finishes cooking. So fill a rimmed baking sheet with about an inch of hot water and slide it onto the rack directly below the meatloaf before closing the oven door.
Can I use regular ground turkey instead of turkey breast?
Ground turkey breast is almost entirely lean white meat, which is why Ina adds chicken stock and Worcestershire to build moisture into the loaf. And regular ground turkey contains dark meat and skin, so it has more fat and produces a juicier result.
But the extra fat also changes the texture, making the finished loaf softer and greasier than Ina’s version. So if you swap in regular ground turkey, skip the chicken stock since the dark meat provides enough moisture on its own.
What should I serve alongside turkey meatloaf?
A starchy side like mashed potatoes or rice catches the ketchup topping well, and roasted green beans add color without competing. And the ina garten roasted butternut squash pairs especially well, since the sweet caramelized cubes contrast the savory Worcestershire in the loaf.
But avoid heavy cream-based sides, because the meatloaf is already rich from the bread crumbs and eggs. And a simple green salad with vinaigrette keeps the plate balanced.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Wrap sliced portions tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. And Ina notes on the page that the meatloaf tastes great cold in a sandwich, so not every leftover needs reheating.
But if you want it warm, place slices on a baking sheet at 325°F for about 15 minutes so the ketchup glaze warms through without drying the turkey. And the same freeform sheet pan approach that Ina uses here is how the ina garten perfect roast chicken handles oven space, so both recipes pair well as a meal-prep double bake on the same day.
Can I make turkey meatloaf ahead of time?
You can mix and shape the loaf up to 24 hours before baking, and the fridge time lets the Worcestershire and thyme soak deeper into the meat. But keep it covered tightly on the sheet pan so the surface does not dry out overnight.
And when baking from cold, add about 15 extra minutes to the cook time since the center starts at a lower temperature. Then use a meat thermometer to confirm 160°F at the thickest point, because a cold start makes visual cues like color less reliable for doneness.
