This gluten free turkey meatloaf has the absolute best texture of any meatloaf. The base consists of homemade breadcrumbs, though they can be store bought, and organic ground turkey. It has a delicious ketchup and maple syrup based glaze topped over a delightfully even cooked meatloaf. The turkey is not only leaner but it is also the better way to make a meatloaf.
This recipe is curated from multiple attempts to crafted the best meatloaf with great flavor and appetizing texture.
Jump to:
- Why Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf Is Better
- Choosing High Quality Ingredients In Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
- Ingredients for Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
- Instructions
- Slicing Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
- Reheating Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tip
- FAQ
- Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
- Food safety
Why Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf Is Better
Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf Texture
Ground beef has more moisture and fat than turkey. This is usually considered a good thing when cooking. The fat and moisture usually provide a delightful finished product. However, in my experience when cooking meatloaf, this usually turns into a more mushy consistency than one might desire. When it comes to gluten free turkey meatloaf or any meatloaf for that matter, I really like to nail the “loaf” portion of the equation. I like to make a gluten free turkey meatloaf that has a more bread-y consistency. That might not be you, but I encourage you to give it a shot and you may never want to go back to ground beef. After I first tailored this recipe, I wrote on my recipe card “turkey is much better than ground beef” and I was specifically referring to the texture.
Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf Taste
However, the texture is not the only portion of the turkey meatloaf equation. I believe that the turkey also affects the taste. Since turkey has a milder flavor than ground beef it allows the taste of the glaze to really shine through. The taste buds aren’t confused by the pungent taste of the beef and then desiring more of the glaze on top. Instead, our taste buds are able to focus on the glaze- the portion we really eat meatloaf for, and then find a compliment for the glaze in the bread-y cake-y like texture of the meatloaf. My husband refers to the glaze as “adult candy”. It really is delightful.
Choosing High Quality Ingredients In Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
There are only four items I want to touch on when it comes to this recipe and choosing high quality ingredients and that includes the ketchup, turkey, bread, coconut aminos.
More Natural Sweetener
Now, when we are talking about dinner tasting like dessert, we need to make sure we have a conversation about that. I’m sure everyone is hearing their mother’s voice, “no dessert for dinner, honey!” But, the thing that makes this gluten free turkey meatloaf not only free of gluten, but also free of too much guilt is the high quality ingredients. There is absolutely zero refined sugar in this meatloaf. The only sugar present is in the glaze and the sugar is maple syrup. Now, just because it is maple syrup doesn’t mean we need to down a whole cup of it or anything. Sugar is sugar and it always needs to be treated as a delicacy. But, it can potentially lower glycemic index and it is a less refined and slightly more nutritious sweetener. Therefore, we have chosen a more quality sweetener option.
Unsweetened Ketchup
Because we want to treat sugar as a delicacy, we want to look at each ingredient and see how much sugar is involved. I like to simply choose an unsweetened, high quality ketchup like the one from Primal Kitchen.
You may also like to Check out the Bobby Approved App by Bobby Parrish for other high quality ketchup options. This an amazing app for checking ingredients in Bobby’s favorite place – the grocery store. His app is programmed with his stamp of approval on almost anything you might find in the grocery store that you want to know if it is made with clean ingredients.
Organic Tomatoes Are A Must In This Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
The Primal Kitchen ketchup is not only beneficial in the fact that it is unsweetened but also because the tomatoes are organic. Tomatoes are on the list of must purchase organic because of the among of pesticides used on tomatoes. The reference for this list is called the Dirty Dozen presented by the Environmental Working Group. This is a helpful list for understanding what should absolutely be purchased organic and which items you can buy non-organic to save an extra penny! The Clean 15 is a list that will show you what you can get away with and what does not necessarily have to be organic.
Organic & Pasture Raised Turkey For Delicious Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
I chose to use the Plainville Organic Ground Turkey because it was the highest quality I could find in the grocery store. But, if you plan out your meals in advance, I would recommend purchasing a pound of ground turkey from a company like Grass Roots Farmers Co-op. The meat will come from a turkey that was pasture raised. Pasture raised animals ensure best for the animal and in turn it is best for our consumption. When animals live in inhumane environments, their health suffers, their meat is less nutritious, and then our health suffers. Grass Roots stewards their animals and because of this they are able to sell a high quality product. This is why pasture raised meat matters. The Plainville is only “free-range”, which is not the same as pasture raised.
Gluten Free Bread for Breadcrumbs in Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
I made my own gluten free breadcrumbs when it came to this recipe. I enjoyed doing this and I thought it added a nice touch to the breadiness. I usually make my own bread, but for time and the purposes of this recipe, I used the highest quality, gluten free, store bought bread possible. My preference is the Canyon 7-Grain bread. I choose this option because the ingredients are cleaner and the amount of added sugar is minimal.
Coconut Aminos
I chose coconut aminos instead of Worcestershire or soy sauce because it is anti-inflammatory as opposed to soy sauce and has much less sodium. It also is a natural dark color as opposed to most Worcestershire options which have caramel coloring.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
The ingredients are pretty simple and include the following:
- Ground turkey
- Breadcrumbs
- Onion
- Milk
- Egg
- Coconut aminos
- Parsley
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Ground pepper
- Ketchup
- Maple syrup
- Apple cider vinegar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The process for making gluten free turkey meatloaf is really simple. It is a throw-it-all in-a-bowl-and-stir kind of recipe and it is very forgiving.
I made my own gluten free breadcrumbs. If you are choosing to make your own, then I suggest starting with that process first! It is super simple. All you will need is an oven, a sheet pan, and 6 slices of gluten free bread.
Set the oven to 400°F.
Prep all ingredients. See quantities in the recipe card.
Place ground turkey in a large bowl and break it apart with a fork or other utensil.
Add breadcrumbs and mix into ground turkey.
Pour whisked egg over the turkey and mix.
Add diced onion. I suggest either using a food processor or making sure that you dice it well. Mine were a little big but didn’t affect how I felt about the consistency!
Next, add coconut aminos. You may also choose soy sauce or Worcestershire. See comments above about quality ingredients.
Add milk. This can be dairy free milk or an organic dairy source.
Next, add seasonings. You might choose to add all seasonings to one bowl and add altogether to the mixture. Add parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Stir.
Make the glaze. Add ketchup, maple syrup, and vinegar to a bowl.
Whisk together well.
Spread meatloaf mixture evenly into a greased 9×13 loaf pan.
Top with glaze. Bake for at least 50 minutes at 400°F, or until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The loaf will shrink away from the sides of the loaf pan. This will make it easy to remove.
Hint: Use a quality thermometer to check the internal temp!
Slicing Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
After the gluten free turkey meatloaf has cooled completely, it is time to slice. Begin slicing by removing the very edges, as to get the meatloaf nice and uniform before cutting. Plan out the cutting as to make 6 slices. Each slice will be 1-⅕” wide. When you have planned out all 6 slices, begin from the left side of the loaf pan and make 5 cuts all the way to the right side. This will result in 6 slices of gluten free turkey meatloaf.
Reheating Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
Gluten free turkey meatloaf reheats very well! Either reheat in the same loaf pan, on a sheet pan, or even in a cast iron skillet. You can also eat in a frying pan on the stove, or the ole’ trusty microwave. I like to do things more traditionally.
Substitutions
Coconut sugar- this is a comparable sweetener to maple syrup. If you have some on hand and prefer to use this instead of maple syrup, go for it!
Flax egg- I have not tried this! If someone does, I would love to know how it turns out!
Variations
You can absolutely use ground beef instead of turkey but make sure to see my notes above under gluten free turkey meatloaf texture and gluten free turkey meatloaf taste to know what you are getting into when you choose ground beef. There is nothing wrong with it if that is your preference. It will cook just fine and maybe suit your preferences better.
Equipment
For non-toxic cookware checkout:
Storage
Store the gluten free turkey meatloaf in an air sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Top tip
Ground turkey really makes this recipe special!
FAQ
How will I know my gluten free turkey meatloaf is done?
You will know gluten free turkey meatloaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F-180°F.
Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf
Equipment
- 1 9×13 loaf pan
- 1 Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound turkey meatloaf pasture raised preferably
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup milk dairy free optional
- 1 large beaten egg
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Glaze Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened ketchup
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Set the oven to 400°F.
- Prep all ingredients. See quantities in the recipe card.
- Place ground turkey in a large bowl and break it apart with a fork or other utensil.
- Add breadcrumbs and mix into ground turkey.
- Pour whisked egg over the turkey and mix.
- Add diced onion. I suggest either using a food processor or simply making sure that you dice it well. Mine were a little big but didn’t affect how I felt about the consistency!
- Next, add coconut aminos. You may also choose soy sauce or worcestershire. See comments above about quality ingredients.
- Add milk. This can be dairy free milk or an organic dairy source.
- Next, add seasonings. You might choose to add all seasonings to one bowl and add altogether to the mixture. Add parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Stir.
- For the glaze, add ketchup, maple syrup, and vinegar to a bowl.
- Whisk together.
- Spread meatloaf mixture evenly into a greased 9×13 loaf pan.
- Top with glaze.
- Bake for at least 50 minutes at 400°F, or until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The loaf will shrink away from the sides of the loaf pan. This will make it easy to remove.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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