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Turkey Meat Loaf

Source of Recipe

From "Back Around the Table" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"While meat loaf is a classic American comfort food dish, it can sometimes be heavy, dense, and okay, I'll say it, high in calories. The secret to making a good, light meat loaf all depends on the flavorful ingredients used. I start with ground turkey and add whole wheat bread crumbs and egg whites to bind the meat together. Each bite contains a burst of sun-dried tomato and a pop of creamy queso fresco. The glaze has a touch of spiciness from the mustard counterbalanced by the sweet ketchup and honey. This is my new favorite meat loaf recipe."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Vegetable oil spray

Meat Loaf:
â—¦ 3 pounds 90% lean ground turkey
â—¦ 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
â—¦ 2 large egg whites
â—¦ 2 cups (8 ounces) grated queso fresco
â—¦ 1 (7-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and cut into â…›-inch strips
â—¦ 1 cup finely chopped onions
â—¦ ½ cup finely chopped celery
â—¦ ½ cup finely chopped carrot
â—¦ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh basil
â—¦ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Glaze:
â—¦ 1 cup ketchup
â—¦ 2 tablespoons honey
â—¦ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard


Recipe

Put one oven rack on the lowest shelf and the other on the shelf just above it. Put a roasting pan on the lowest oven rack. Fill it with water. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

To make the meat loaf, put the turkey, bread crumbs, egg whites, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, celery, carrot, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Using clean hands, mix until all of the ingredients are combined. For a tender meat loaf, don't overmix. Put the mixture in the loaf pan and evenly press to form a smooth loaf. Place the loaf pan on the shelf above the one with the pan filled with hot water. This technique keeps the meat loaf from forming a crack on top while baking. Bake for 40 minutes.

To make the glaze, combine the ketchup, honey, and mustard in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so the glaze doesn't burn.

Remove the meat loaf from the oven and brush the glaze onto the top. Return the meat loaf to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 170° to 180° F. Let the meat loaf rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Makes 6 to 8 servings