Turkey Meatloaf with Tomato and Basil
Yes, it's turkey meatloaf — and this one is different. Ground turkey thigh (not breast, please), sun-dried tomatoes blended into a paste with garlic and basil, grated onion that melts into the meat, Parmesan, and a ketchup glaze that gets lacquered and a little burnt at the edges in a hot oven. Savory, a little sweet, very Wednesday night.
Ingredients
Sundried tomato basil puree
- 1 cup (80 g) moist sun-dried tomatoes coarsely chopped (rehydrate the tomatoes in hot water 10 minutes if they're not oil-packed or seem too dry and hard)
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves or ⅓ cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Meatloaf
- 2 pounds (900 g) ground turkey thigh
- ½ cup (75 g) grated onion
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup (54 g) dried breadcrumbs or panko
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (60 g) ketchup
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
- Pulse 1 cup moist sun-dried tomatoes ½ cup fresh basil leaves2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley in a food processor until it forms a chunky paste.
- Put 2 pounds ground turkey thigh in a large mixing bowl with the tomato mixture, ½ cup grated onion, 2 large eggs, ½ cup dried breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, and black pepper to taste. Mix until everything is combined evenly.
- Pack the mixture into a loaf pan. Or, make a freeform loaf: Dump the mixture onto a parchment-lined (or nonstick) rimmed baking sheet. Pat into a loaf shape.
- Bake 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and spread ¼ cup ketchup over the top of the meatloaf. Bake an additional 8-10 minutes, until the top of the meatloaf is well browned.
- Cool the meatloaf about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- To determine when the turkey is cooked through, you can use an instant read thermometer. The interior should read 160 degrees. Remember the meatloaf will continue to cook for a few minutes as it cools.
- If using pesto instead of fresh basil, use only 1 tablespoon olive oil in the sun dried tomato puree.
- Meatloaf can be frozen up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, covered.
- The meatloaf mix makes delicious turkey meatballs!
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 43gFat: 11gSodium: 1127mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10g
