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This Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf is the PERFECT non-traditional spin on the holiday meal! Super moist turkey meatloaf mixed with dried stuffing mix, fresh herbs, and topped with whole berry cranberry sauce.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that the holidays aren’t going to be normal either.
Honestly, it’s ok.
I’m not on board with acting like everything is normal while ignoring science. That’s not my scene. However, I am 100% on board with coming up with new and fun ways to celebrate the holidays.
That’s where this Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf comes into play.
It gives you all the flavors of Thanksgiving but rolled into one delicious turkey meatloaf. Instead of ketchup topping, I used whole berry cranberry sauce (with extra on the side for dipping!), and instead of using bread crumbs, I used one bag of stuffing mix!
This meatloaf, honestly, might be my new favorite. It’s that darn good!
Oh, and don’t worry! If you’re looking for a traditional meatloaf, try my classic beef meatloaf!
Table of Contents
- What type of ground turkey should I use for meatloaf?
- Could I use a different type of ground meat?
- What type of stuffing mix should I use?
- What if I want to use breadcrumbs in my meatloaf?
- What type of cranberry sauce should I use?
- How do I store this Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf?
- Do you love this Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf?
- Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
What type of ground turkey should I use for meatloaf?
Now, I know there is a lot of hate for turkey meatloaf, but honestly – I love it!
For this recipe, I used 2 pounds of 93/7 ground turkey.
That means there is 7% fat in the meat.
I like some fat so the baked meatloaf stays moist and does not dry out.
Could I use a different type of ground meat?
Sure!
I went with turkey because it plays on the idea of a Thanksgiving dinner and naturally pairs well with the stuffing, cranberry sauce, and fresh herbs.
You can use ground beef if you can’t easily find ground turkey.
Just note, that it will change the flavor profile if you use ground beef.
What type of stuffing mix should I use?
I used one 6-ounce bag of UNCOOKED Stove Top stuffing mix in turkey flavor.
You could of course use chicken flavor stuffing mix too. They are both very similar.
The main reason I used a bag of Stove Top is because I knew it would be filled with flavors that traditionally taste like “Thanksgiving” and because the dried bread would be a great substitute for bread crumbs.
What if I want to use breadcrumbs in my meatloaf?
If you’re not a fan of Stove Top or just don’t want to buy a box of stuffing you can easily substitute a few things in its place.
You could substitute 6-ounce panko bread crumbs mixed with 1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning.
Or if you have a bag of dried stuffing mix (the type sold in the bag with no other ingredients) use 6 ounces of that plus the addition of 1 teaspoon of dried poultry seasoning.
What type of cranberry sauce should I use?
You’ll want to make sure to glaze this Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf with a whole berry style of cranberry sauce.
So this means you can either buy it in a can (make sure it says whole berry!) or make it yourself!
I have a great Cranberry Orange Sauce with Ginger that would be perfect for this recipe!
How do I store this Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf?
Meatloaf is actually my all-time FAVORITE breakfast leftover.
Yes, I eat dinner leftovers for breakfast.
I follow zero breakfast rules.
To store, slice it, put it in an air-safe container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Do you love this Thanksgiving turkey meatloaf?
Why not try a few of my other delicious Thanksgiving dishes?
- Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner
- Thanksgiving Stuffing Topped Hummus
- Cranberry BBQ Sauce Cornish Hens
- Garlic Herb Maple Roast Turkey
- Puff Pastry Turkey Pot Pie
Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey, 93/7
- 6 ounce bag dried stuffing mix
- 2 large eggs, cracked and whisked
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 14 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or a Silpat liner.
- If you use foil spray the foil lightly with nonstick spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl add ground turkey, dried stuffing mix, eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, sage, thyme, and rosemary.
- Using your hands, or a spatula, gently mix together until well combined.
- Add the mixed meat to your prepared baking sheet and shape into a 12×8 inch loaf.
- Add to the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top the meatloaf with 1/2 the can of cranberry sauce.
- Place back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, test center to make sure the meatloaf has reached 165 degrees F, and serve sliced with extra cranberry sauce on the side.
Notes
- I used Butterball 93/7 ground turkey
- For the stuffing, I used 1 (6 ounce) bag of uncooked Stove Top turkey stuffing mix
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I found the Worcestershire sauce a bit overpowering. Other than that, the flavours were very good. I’ve made it twice, the second time, dividing the stuffing mix, with half going into the meat mixture (dry), the other half prepared with extra onion and celery (steam the chopped celery and use the cooking liquid to make the stuffing moist), and put into the middle layer of the meatloaf. The cooked slices are beautiful and festive.
@Joyce Matthews, I sometimes find Worcestershire sauce too overpowering, but I love it. Have you tried using 1/4 tablespoon instead? I’ve found I get that “bite” without being overpowered by cutting it in half or quarter of the recipe. Just curious.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was excellent! The only thing I changed was using Stove Top herb flavored stuffing mix and dried herbs.
It is definately a keeper and I will be making this again
I wondered if there would need to be anything specific completed if I cooked the loaf like a real stuffed turkey? IE I make homemade bread stuffing and “wrap” the ground turkey around the stuffing in the bread pan. Would it require a higher level of fat content to do it this way? Should I use a turkey bag instead of tinfoil? The meal is just for me and don’t want to make an actual turkey, but I really love homemade bread stuffing that is cooked inside the turkey. It’s my favorite. Tell me what you think, please.
Do u cook stuffing first before adding it to meatloaf? There is a lot of hard cubes in stuffing mix and would be hard to break down?
Hi Linda – No, you do not cook the stuffing first. The bread grabs moisture from the meat as it cooks and helps hold together the loaf form. It’s similar to use breadcrumbs in normal meatloaf.
Any reason you had to get political with a recipe? Was it necessary at all?
Science is not politics. Have a great holiday season.
This was an excellent Thanksgiving meal…my family loved it. I served it with mashed sweet potatoes, fresh brocccoli, and biscuits. The only change I made was using dried herbs, as I didn’t have fresh ones. It still tasted great. The combination of the turkey-flavored stuffing and herbs, along with the cranberry sauce, made this a perfect Thanksgiving entree.
I’m giving this recipe 5 stars because it is genius, but I haven’t made the recipe yet.
Please let me know how much dried sage and thyme you used.
Thanks!
im going to try this next week and if a hit it may become a new thanksgiving tradition. I would love to make a vegetarian version as well
. Has anyone tried this with plant based turkey or meat?
Hi Lisa! I hope you enjoy it! I have not tried making this with plant based meat but if it turns out please let me know. Enjoy!
I’m giving this recipe 5 stars because it is genius, but I haven’t made the recipe yet.
Please let me know how much dried sage and thyme you used.
Thanks!
Hi DBB – you can replace the fresh herbs with 1/2-1 teaspoon dried seasoning.