Updated 07.15.25
Turkey meatballs and turkey meatloaf is often dry and thus not a favorite for many. But what if I tell you that the trick to a flavorful and moist turkey meatloaf is packing it with vegetables, herbs and cheese. These ingredients help keeping the moisture in the meatloaf, as well as a glaze that prevents the meatloaf from drying out from the top.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- For the Turkey meatloaf
- Zucchini
- Red and yellow bell pepper
- Garlic paste
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Ground turkey
- Bread crumbs
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Egg
- For the Mango glaze
- Mango
- Rice wine vinegar
- Lime juice
- Jalapeno jelly
- Granulated sugar
- Ginger paste
How to Make Turkey Vegetable Meatloaf with Mango Glaze
Step 1 – Heat oil in a skillet and add the chopped vegetables as well as the garlic paste and saute until the vegetables are somewhat soft.
Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool.
Step 2 – Make the mango glaze by transferring all ingredients for the glaze (mango, rice vinegar, sugar, jalapeno jelly, ginger and lime juice) into a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth mixture.
Step 3 – In a bowl, mix the ground turkey with the cooled vegetables, parsley, cilantro, bread crumbs, cheese, egg and salt and pepper.
Step 4 – Transfer the meat mixture in to a 9 x 5-inch cake pan (no need to grease it). Press it down into the corners and deflate any possible air pockets.
Step 5 – Pour the mango glaze over the meat loaf and level with a offset spatula.
Place the cake pan into the oven (350 degrees F.) and bake for 1-1.5 hours. The internal temperature should read 160 degrees F.
Step 6 – Once the meatloaf is ready, allow it to cool just a little bit, so you can take it out of the cake pan and slice it.
Serve the Turkey Vegetable Meatloaf with Mango Glaze cold or warm. Pair with a salad and/or mashed potatoes or rice or pasta.
I prefer to eat meatloaf the days after it’s made, on a sandwich and I prefer it cold. I believe that the flavors have had time to settle and are better after a long rest. What I like about a turkey meatloaf over one made with beef is the lightness. I always make it in a loaf pan because it keeps its form easier, but you can shape it the way you like and bake in on a sheet pan.
Three Tips regarding Turkey Meatloaf
- Do not over-handle the turkey, as it will result in a very dense meatloaf.
- Season it enough, to avoid a bland end result. How do you know if you have seasoned it correctly? You can try to taste the raw mixture, but it is better to take a teaspoon from the mixture and cook it in a skillet. When that’s done, taste it and adjust if necessary.
- Cook it well, no raw center; ground turkey should have temperature in the center of 160 degrees F.
Turkey Vegetable Meatloaf with Mango Glaze
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For the Turkey Meatloaf
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 ounces zucchini
- 3 ounces red bell pepper
- 3 ounces yellow bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1.5 pounds ground turkey
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- salt and pepper
For the Mango Glaze
- 1 mango
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper jelly
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1.5 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Peel the zucchini, wash the bell pepper and dice all of it. Heat oil in a skillet and cook zucchini, bell peppers, and garlic paste until the vegetables start to soften a little. Season with salt & pepper and cool down.
- Peel the mango and cut the meat away from the core. Transfer mango into a food processor, add rice wine vinegar, sugar, jalapeno pepper jelly, ginger paste and lime juice. Pulse until you have a smooth mixture.
- In a large bowl, transfer ground turkey, cooled vegetables, bread crumbs, egg, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Transfer meat mixture into a cake form (9 x 5-inch) and press down on it gently to get the air pockets out of it.
- Pour the mango mousse over the loaf and transfer the cake from into the oven.
- Bake loaf for approx. 1-1.5 hours. Internal temperature should read 160 degrees F.
- Rest for approx. 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve cold or warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.