Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf is light and healthy with a side of vegetables right inside!  Definitely NOT your momma’s meatloaf!

Happy Meatloaf Monday!

Meatloaf is one of my most requested items from clients but they request it be more healthful than what they grew up with. This Greek-inspired Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf is certainly that.  It’s even dressy enough to prepare for guests!

Origin of meatloaf:

Meatloaf is considered to be an American invention.  However, the concept of combining ground meat with other ingredients and then cooking them together in loaf form goes back centuries.  Meatloaf became popular in this country around World War II as a thrifty way to use up ingredients before they spoiled.

How to squeeze water from frozen spinach:

Frozen chopped spinach is a wonderful convenience item.  For this Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf, I prefer to use it instead of fresh.

When starting with fresh spinach, it’s not always easy to gauge how much you’re going to need because it shrinks so much when cooked.  Frozen chopped spinach is already cooked so it’s easier to determine the amount required for a recipe.

• Spinach is full of water and although much of the water in frozen spinach has been eliminated, more will result when thawed.
• You can just squeeze it out with your hands for a good isometric workout.
• The easiest way I have found to squeeze moisture from spinach is with a potato ricer.  Place the thawed spinach into the well of the ricer, then squeeze as if ricing potatoes.

Tips for making Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf:

• Because ground turkey and chicken are typically sold in one-pound packages, that is the amount I used for this Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf.  If you can get ground-to-order turkey or chicken and want more protein, feel free to increase the amount.  The easiest way to do that is by 1 ½ times.
• When I prepare meatloaf, I get all the ingredients except the meat mixed together first.  This ensures they’ll be more evenly distributed throughout the whole meatloaf.
• I then put on disposable gloves and mix everything together with my hands.
• To bake in a pan or not to bake in a pan is often the question.  I’m a neat freak and meatloaf drippings can spatter all over the oven, so I opt for the pan.
• If you wish to bake outside of a pan, simply form into a nice loaf form and place it on a rimmed baking sheet that you’ve lined with parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil.
• When the meatloaf is fully baked and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees, let the meatloaf rest for about ten minutes.  Then, drain off any excess drippings.

Enjoy!

More meatloaf recipes you’ll love!

• Turkey Apple Meatloaf with Balsamic Ketchup Glaze
• Chili-Glazed Meatloaf
• Layered Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Yield: 4

Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

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Spinach Feta Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf is light and healthy with a side of vegetables right inside!  Definitely NOT your momma's meatloaf!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes or sun-dried tomato pesto
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (regular, reduced-fat or fat-free)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 egg white
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 4-5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Transfer ⅔ of the onion to a bowl to cool.
3. Mix in half the garlic.
4. Add spinach to sauté pan and cook briefly for any remaining moisture to evaporate.
5. Let cool slightly then stir in sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese and salt and black pepper to taste. Add egg white and set aside.
6. To bowl with onions, add whole egg, breadcrumbs, milk, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, basil, oregano, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper and remaining 2 cloves minced garlic and mix well.
7. Mix in ground turkey or chicken.
8. Place ⅔ of the meat mixture in the loaf pan, creating a small well down the center.
9. Mound spinach mixture in the well. Top with remaining ground turkey.
10. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees. Top with tomato sauce after 30 minutes, then bake to completion.
11. Let rest 5-8 minutes before slicing.

Notes

FREEZER-FRIENDLY: Cool thoroughly and wrap tightly. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator 24 - 48 hours. Cut into pieces and heat covered in the oven.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 639Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 206mgSodium: 1218mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 45g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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