Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is a summery spin on traditional meatloaf with a cheesy, vegetable center!
Servings: 6
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 2 medium plum tomatoes thinly sliced
- 1 medium zucchini thinly sliced lengthwise into 6-7 slices
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for oiling the pan
- 1 large onion red or white, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 3 cups fresh bread crumbs loosely packed
- 1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pound ground white turkey meat
- 1 pound ground dark turkey meat
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Sauce
- 1 jar (12-ounce) roasted red bell peppers in water drained
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce from the opened can
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Meatloaf
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread the tomato and zucchini slices out in one layer on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle top side of vegetables with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Turn the slices over, salt again and let sit another 15 minutes.
- Blot vegetables as dry as possible with a paper towel and set aside.
- While vegetables are draining, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook 5-7 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add garlic, stir and transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.
- Stir in parsley, basil, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, 1/2 cup tomato sauce (from the opened can), eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well-combined.
- Add ground turkey and mix well, being careful not to overmix.
- Oil a large 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Place approximately half the turkey mixture in the loaf pan, smoothing the top.
- Place zucchini slices in one layer over the turkey meat. (It's okay for them to overlap slightly in the middle. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Top with tomato slices placed in one layer.
- Place the remaining turkey mixture over the vegetables and smooth the top to make a nice loaf shape.
- Bake for 1 hour.
- Pour half the sauce over the meat loaf and continue baking until a thermometer inserted into the center registers at least 165 degrees (approximately another 20-25 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. CAREFULLY drain off any excess juice/water.
- Cut into slices and serve the remaining sauce on the side.
Sauce
- Combine roasted red peppers, tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Notes
TIPS:
- Whenever I do ground meat combinations such as meatloaf or meatballs, I get all the seasonings and binders (breadcrumbs and eggs) combined first, then add the ground meat last. The ingredients will be incorporated into the meat more evenly.
- The best way to mix it all together is to wear disposable gloves and just get into it!
- Meatloaf can be assembled up to 1 day before baking as long as the ground turkey is VERY fresh.
- Meatloaf reheats well, so you can bake and reheat. If you're reheating the cooked meatloaf, keep it covered so it doesn't dry out.
- Cut into pieces as desired. Place in airtight containers and freeze for 1-2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 8 | Calories: 597kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 827mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 961IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 369mg | Iron: 6mg