We know that meatloaf isn’t always the most popular dish that’s served at dinner, but what if there was a recipe that actually challenges that notion? If you’ve pondered what to do with ground turkey, now you can turn one of the more boring white meats into a delicious meal. What’s more important, this will be a big hit with little kids who will like the novelty of getting a mini turkey meatloaf.
What are the benefits of turkey?
This classic bird is celebrated only a couple times each year making Thanksgiving and Christmas the few times that you’ll labor in the kitchen cooking the bird all day long. For a while now, ground turkey has often gotten the cold shoulder for gourmet gobbling. Yet the health benefits outweigh the argument supporting healthy eating and better nutrition. Here are some of the top reasons that ground turkey breast is a better choice.
Richer in protein
Much higher in protein than chicken, you’ll find that turkey offers high protein for those who are looking to lose or control their weight. This is equally ideal for raising kids with a healthier diet that isn’t relying on beef and meat that’s high in fat and low in protein.
Great source of vitamins and minerals
Turkey offers a wide range of vitamins including B3, B6, and B12 that are incredibly helpful to create red blood cells, produce energy, and keep proper brain function. We never think of turkey to be an excellent source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium, but it’s all there. These help to regulate better bone health, immunity and regulating your thyroid.
Better for a healthy heart
It used to be believed that fish was the ideal food to promote a healthy heart, but recent studies have proven that poultry (including turkey) is better for heart health. Aside from skipping red meat, turkey is best for those looking to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Low-fat meat
Turkey meat is actually one-third the amount of fat than other meats. It sounds as if the meat will be dry as a result but lean meat such as turkey breast doesn’t lose the juiciness when it’s cooked correctly.
Making Mini Turkey Meatloaf
This recipe for making mini turkey meatloaf is a healthy alternative to many recipes out there already. If you’re looking to have a healthy choice, this recipe is perfect for any family watching their calories
Mini Turkey Meatloaf
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Cast-iron skillet
- Large bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Small cup
- Cooking tray
- Oven
- Silicone forms
- Plate
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Ground turkey breast
- 1 Large Egg (white part only)
- 3 Tablespoons Breadcrumbs
- 3 Tablespoons Ketchup (divided)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 Cup Chopped onion (white onion)
- ¼ Teaspoon Hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Dried oregano
- ⅛ Teaspoon Ground black pepper
Instructions
- The first step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On the top of the stovetop, a cast-iron skillet is heated on medium-high heat. The skillet should have some light cooking oil and the onions are then sautéed and lightly browned for at least 5 minutes and then set it aside to cool.
- Into a large bowl, place your breadcrumbs, sautéed onion, and the rest of the ingredients including the uncooked turkey breast. You add two tablespoons of ketchup and use a wooden spoon to mix all of these together. The last ingredient is adding the egg white that is mixed into the meatloaf mixture and helps gel the meat together.
- In a small cup, add the remaining ketchup and hot sauce and mix this together. This is used to coat the top of each meatloaf piece. You will need to have silicone muffin forms that can each be filled with your meatloaf mix. Place these silicone forms onto a cooking tray and paint the top of the mixture with the spicy ketchup sauce.
- Now, these are placed into the oven and allowed to bake for 30 minutes. After this time, you remove the mini meatloaf from the oven and let it cool for 5-minutes. After this, the loaves can be removed from the silicone forms very easily and served on a plate with veggies or a side dish of your choice.
- Depending on whether you want to have smaller loaves, you can find smaller silicone cupcake forms. This will create smaller meatloaf nuggets that are great for kids. Instead of using spicy ketchup, you can also use taco sauce or flavored ketchup variants that you enjoy more than something too spicy.
