Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Turkey quinoa meatloaf is hearty, flavorful, and a little lighter than traditional meatloaf. Quinoa keeps the loaf tender while adding protein and texture, and a sweet-tangy glaze on top makes every slice irresistible!
How long it takes: 1 hour, 35 minutes (including resting time)
Equipment you’ll need: sheet pan or 9 × 13-inch baking pan, small food processor, mixing bowl
Servings: 8
Quinoa in Meatloaf…Hear Me Out
Meatloaf doesn’t always have the best reputation, but this version deserves one. (So does every one of my meatloaf recipes, if I’m being honest and not-so-humble.) The secret is quinoa. Cooked quinoa replaces traditional breadcrumbs and keeps everything tender and juicy.
Ground turkey makes it a little lighter than the classic, but with all the aromatics and that sweet, tangy glaze on top, it still tastes exactly like it’s supposed to, like comfort food.
Bonus: it’s naturally gluten-free and has a little extra protein.
What makes it special:
- Quinoa! Using quinoa instead of bread crumbs keeps the meatloaf gluten-free, adds protein, and makes it super tender and moist.
- Packed with flavor. Aromatics like onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and parsley add flavor and nutrition to every bite. I pulse them in the food processor so there aren’t any noticeable pieces.
- Classic glaze on top. It’s sweet, tangy, and slightly sticky for that old-fashioned meatloaf flavor!
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card, but here’s a quick look at the key ingredients.
- Ground turkey: Ground turkey with a little fat (85/15 or 93/7) works best because it keeps the meatloaf juicy. Ultra lean ground turkey (99/1) can work, but the loaf will be slightly drier.
- Cooked quinoa: I recommend white quinoa, rather than tricolor or black, because it blends in better visually. This Instant Pot quinoa recipe is my favorite way to make a double batch of quinoa that I can freeze for recipes like this.
- Eggs: A couple of eggs help bind the mixture so the loaf holds its shape, plus they add protein.
- Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic: These vegetables form the backbone of flavor. I like to give them a whirl in my food processor so there aren’t noticeable pieces in the meatloaf. It’s easier that way, too, because you can skip the work of finely dicing them.
- Fresh parsley: Finely minced parsley adds freshness and a little color. You can use dried parsley but it doesn’t have quite the same flavor.
- Ketchup and Worcestershire sauce: While this meatloaf is a little non-traditional, these additions make it taste just like grandma made it! You’ll use ketchup in the glaze, too.
- Glaze: The glaze is a simple mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar.
How to Make Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
Prep the oven and pan. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet or a 9 × 13-inch pan with parchment or foil to make cleanup easier.
Chop the vegetables. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to a small food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped. The mixture should look like it’s minced, and will measure about a cup.
Mix the meatloaf. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the chopped vegetables, ground turkey, cooked quinoa, parsley, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix until combined.
Recipe Tip
Don’t overmix the meat. Blend the ingredients together just until everything is combined. Overmixing tends to make the meatloaf a little tougher. I usually use my hands to gently squeeze and mash the mixture to make sure the ingredients are well-combined.
Shape the loaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and shape it into a loaf about 11 by 5 inches. Press the mixture together firmly so it holds its shape during baking, and doesn’t crack down the middle.
Bake. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes.
Add the glaze, continue baking. While the meatloaf bakes, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. After the first 35 minutes of baking, remove the pan from the oven and spread the glaze evenly over the top. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for another 35 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
Rest before slicing. Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into slices. The meatloaf will firm up a little bit as the juices redistribute, so it will hold its shape better when you slice it.
Recipe Variations
- Make it Italian style. In the past, I’ve made this meatloaf with Italian flavors. Omit the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, and add a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese to the meatloaf mixture. Replace the glaze with your favorite marinara sauce. Sometimes I add a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese to the top, too.
- Use ground beef. If you’re not a fan of turkey, this meatloaf recipe will work fine with ground beef instead. (You may want to try my classic meatloaf recipe which is made with a blend of ground beef and ground pork.)
- Make two smaller loaves. This recipe uses two pounds of ground turkey and makes quite a large meatloaf. If you prefer, you can divide the mixture, and make two smaller meatloaves instead of one big one. It will bake more quickly, too.
Serving Suggestions
Potatoes: Crockpot mashed potatoes make for a classic pairing, but don’t sleep on other potato recipes like Parmesan potatoes or air fryer potatoes! Since you have the oven on already, baked potatoes are a good energy-saving choice.
Veggie sides: Instead of regular cooked green beans, make roasted green beans! They roast quickly, and you can pop them in the oven while the meatloaf rests. My air fryer carrots are an easy weeknight side, too.
Comfort food classics: Lean into comfort foods, like stovetop mac and cheese or crockpot cheesy potatoes. This creamy cauliflower and potato casserole goes perfectly with meatloaf and it can be baked at the same time. Zucchini casserole with rice is another great option.
Make Ahead
Flash freeze the uncooked meatloaf for an hour or so until it firms up, then wrap it securely and freeze. (If I divide the mixture to make two smaller loaves instead of one large one, I usually freeze one loaf for a future meal.) You can freeze meatloaf for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking the meatloaf as instructed in the recipe.
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Wrap turkey quinoa meatloaf slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: Warm slices in the microwave or wrapped in foil in a 300°F oven until heated through. (Wrapping in foil helps keep them from drying out.)
More Meatloaf Recipes
Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
Ingredients
For Meatloaf:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds ground turkey (85/15 preferred)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (see note)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (additional for garnish if desired)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
For Glaze:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet or 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup.
- In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat two eggs until blended.2 large eggs
- Peel and quarter the onion, peel the carrot and cut into large chunks, trim celery and cut into large chunks, and peel the garlic cloves. The pieces should be small enough to fit into the bowl of a small food processor.1 medium yellow onion, 1 medium carrot, 1 stalk celery, 2 cloves garlic
- Place onion, celery, carrot, and garlic into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a measuring cup. You should have about 1 cup of the mixture (discard any extra). Add the vegetables to the mixing bowl.
- Add ground turkey, cooked quinoa, chopped parsley, ¼ cup ketchup, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix until just combined (you can use your hands).2 pounds ground turkey, 1 cup cooked quinoa, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Gather the mixture together, place on the sheet pan. Form into a loaf shape, about 11 x 5 inches, pressing firmly to shape the mixture.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ¼ cup ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar.¼ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- After 35 minutes, remove meatloaf from the oven. Drizzle or brush the top of the meatloaf with ketchup mixture. Put it back into the oven, and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until the middle of the loaf reaches at least 165ºF when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
- Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Quinoa: I prefer regular quinoa for the meatloaf, not a tri-color blend, because the color blends in better. To make 1 cup cooked quinoa for this recipe, you’ll need ⅓ cup dry quinoa and ⅔ cup water. I usually cook a big batch of quinoa ahead of time (I like Instant Pot quinoa), and either freeze or refrigerate it for later use.
- Ground meat: If you prefer, the meatloaf can be made with a different type of ground meat instead of turkey, such as lean ground beef or ground chicken.
- Make two smaller loaves. This recipe makes a large meatloaf. If you prefer, you can divide the mixture, and make two smaller meatloaves instead of one big one. Reduce baking time.
- Storage & reheating: Refrigerate leftover sliced meatloaf for up to 4 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm the slices in the microwave, or wrap in foil and heat at 300°F oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Decent enough recipe, but you can’t just put tomato sauce on something and call it Italian. There is soy sauce in it.. ridicolo.
Well, I’m glad you liked the recipe.
wow that was rude Mr. Anthony. jeeesh.
am I right though!?…or am I right Rach. lol
ah to each there own. haha. ps. I just made your home-made hamburger helper yesterday for the first time and YUMMY! What a Great Recipe! Thank you for sharing these awesome recipes with us!!! I’m loving them and my boyfriend is too! lol
Haha yeah, you’re not wrong!!
I’m glad you liked the hamburger helper! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.