This post is sponsored by Fancy Feast
Earlier this month I was invited to St Louis by Fancy Feast to tour their facility and learn about their new Fancy Feast Savory Centers cat food. If you've read my blog before, you know I'm a bit obsessed with my cat Arya, so this was a perfect match for me. While touring the Fancy Feast headquarters, we learned about the culinary process to develop new products and met with Chef Amanda who made a multi course lunch to show us the idea and process for creating the savory centers cat food (of course it starts with human food!). One of the recipes that she made was a Turkey Meatloaf that was absolutely delicious and I knew I had to emulate her idea at some point for this blog.
Feastivities Holiday ornament
When I was at Purina, I also got a sneak peak at the 2019 Feastivities Ornament which is both adorable and for a good cause. The proceeds from this ornament go to Adopt-A-Pet.com to help animals in need. You can get your own ornament by donating here. Also a huge plus to us cat owners, this ornament not only is adorable but unbreakable! And if you donate, you get two ornaments as well.
How to use Thanksgiving leftovers in a meatloaf
Turkey Meatloaf is a great way to reuse Thanksgiving leftovers in an unconventional way. While you can't use your Thanksgiving Turkey for the ground meat, you can add bits of Thanksgiving turkey leftovers to the meatloaf for added texture.
Stale Bread: Have leftover Thanksgiving rolls or bread? Let them stale, the grate them into breadcrumbs for this recipe. It's a great way to use up something that would otherwise be thrown out.
Vegetables: Who else has crudite or leftover veggies after a holiday meal? In this recipe I used onion and carrots in my meatloaf mix. I sautéd the onion and carrot until softened, then added them to the meatloaf mix. You can also add leftover herbs and other veggies as well.
Cranberry Sauce: Although ketchup reigns supreme for meatloaf recipes, mix it up and put your cranberry sauce on top of that turkey meatloaf! Cranberry is a great combo with turkey and this will add a bit of tangy sweetness to the recipe.
Why do you add breadcrumbs to meatloaf
Breadcrumbs are added to meatloaf to lighten up the texture of the meat and to provide a bit of binding so that the meatloaf doesn't fall apart. Many meatloaf recipes call for breadcrumbs soaked in milk, so that moisture is added to the meatloaf. I use italian style breadcrumbs for my meatloaf due to the fine grain, but making your own breadcrumbs works as well!
What temperature should meatloaf be cooked to
Like any poultry meal, you'll want to make sure that the meat is cooked through. In a 375 degree oven, this meatloaf will take about 45 minutes to bake. I also use a thermometer and check to make sure that the internal temp is at least 160 degrees before removing it from the oven.
If you liked this post, make sure to pin and save for later! Remember to buy your Feastivities Ornament HERE
make it a meal
- Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes
- Balsamic Glazed Carrots
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Homestyle Mashed Red Potatoes
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- More Side Dishes
- More Beef Dinners
Turkey Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ Cup Onion Minced
- ¼ Cup Carrot Minced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Ketchup
- 1 Pound Ground Turkey
- ½ Cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tsp Ground Sage
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ Cup Ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and saute until softened, several minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, worcestershire sauce, Ketchup, ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Mix ingredients together to fully incorporate. Place meatloaf mixture on a foil lined baking sheet and form into a loaf by hand. Spoon remaining ketchup onto the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let cool, slice and enjoy!
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information.
Arya's Corner
When I visited Fancy Feast, I was over the moon to find that they framed this picture of Arya to give to me as a gift. Cuteness overload!
About Michelle
Hello! I'm Michelle Boulé. I'm a photography nerd, cat mom and all around foodie. Join me in making some of my favorite comfort foods!
Shelley says
I really enjoyed this post! First off, because leaner turkey meatloaf is such a nutritionally smart choice. But also, because it comes at exactly the time of year when we could all use some great new ideas for using up holiday leftovers - brilliant! Plus, some great tips and background info ... not to mention an adorable pic of Arya to make me feel all happy inside! 🙂
Analida Braeger says
I always love creative ways to use up leftovers and this is fantastic! Thanks for sharing! I love your kitty, is she a Maine coon?
Colleen says
We love turkey meatloaf in our house, and I can't wait to try glazing it with cranberry sauce. What a great idea! (And a cute kitty)
Catherine says
Your turkey meatloaf looks so moist and delicious...a perfect weeknight meal for the family!
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says
That's so crazy cat food is developed from human food! This meatloaf looks super tasty, the perfect comfort food!
Eva says
I love meatloaf! I never really make it with turkey and you scrumptious recipe inspired me to try that sometime! Also, it's the first time I read your blog and I need to tell you your cat is gorgeous!!
Michelle says
Why have I not heard of this before?! Turkey meatloaf and cranberry sauce!!! Sign me up! It looks so moist and delicious. Great seasonings in this recipe. And your cat is so adorable.
Leanne says
I haven't made meatloaf in a while and I love turkey meatloaf. It's so much lighter and a little healthier than ground beef. Your recipe sounds great and the repurposing of holiday leftovers is an awesome idea!
Linda says
This is a good idea for Thanksgiving for 2 or 4; and what a fun way to enjoy meatloaf
Ramona says
I have never made a plain turkey meatloaf but mixed gound meat - I will be doing this for the holidays - it is healthy and I am pretty sure super delicious too. It looks amazing! I cannot wait to try it.
Amanda says
What a great weeknight meal! Looks amazing!
Jamie says
What a great recipe for turkey meatloaf! I made this last night and everyone loved it. Saving this to make it again!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow that meatloaf looks soo tender and good! And what a great way for using up those leftovers. This is going to be a hit!
Medhyps says
Can I double the meatloaf recipe? Yes! You can double the recipe (which would use about 2 pounds of ground turkey). Double all the ingredients in the recipe below and expect to bake for a bit longer in the oven (15 to 20 minutes longer). I use my internal thermometer as a guide.