Turkey Meatloaf with Maple-Dijon Glaze
Ground turkey loosened with grated zucchini and packed into a loaf pan for structure, glazed with maple syrup and Dijon instead of ketchup.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Written
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
-
Squeeze the grated zucchini hard in a clean kitchen towel until no more water runs out.
-
Stir the breadcrumbs and milk together in a large bowl and let sit until the crumbs have soaked it up, about 5 minutes.
-
Add the turkey, zucchini, onion, garlic, eggs, 1 tbsp Dijon, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper and mix with your hands just until combined — overworking it makes the loaf dense.
-
Pack the mixture into the loaf pan and smooth the top.
-
Whisk the maple syrup, 3 tbsp Dijon, and cider vinegar together and brush half over the loaf.
-
Bake, brushing with the remaining glaze halfway through, until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°F, about 55 minutes.
-
Let the loaf rest for 10 minutes, then tip off any accumulated liquid before slicing.
Notes
Ground turkey has almost none of the fat that keeps a beef meatloaf moist on its own, so the zucchini is doing that job here — squeeze it dry or the loaf steams instead of browning. The loaf pan matters too: turkey is looser than a beef-and-pork mix, and without a pan wall to lean on it spreads flat on a sheet pan instead of holding a shape.
Skip the ketchup glaze this time; the maple and Dijon give it something sharper to push against the sweetness. Leftovers slice cleanly once fully cooled and reheat well in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the glaze back up.