Peppers, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and parsley all pump this healthy meatloaf up with extra flavors and extra vitamins. It’s the best mix of cozy & familiar with healthy & fresh, and it’s even wrapped in turkey bacon! The whole loaf is finished off with an easy three-ingredient glaze that tastes just like your favorite barbecue, minus the added sugars from the bottled stuff.
If you’re not convinced, ground turkey can be completely transformed with a few extra spices. Montreal seasoning is my favorite quick & easy fix if you’re looking to use it as a substitute for ground beef. It’s usually leaner and moister than ground beef so it takes longer to brown, but that just gives it more time to meld with all the good spicy flavors.
The (really) long baking time for this recipe lets a good deal of moisture bake out before flipping the loaf onto a baking sheet. This first bake in the loaf pan is important because ground turkey won’t hold its shape like beef – and all those chopped veggies add even more moisture that needs to bake out too. This hands-off extra time in the oven is so worth it to wrap the loaf with bacon!
For a blog based on healthyish comfort food, it’s no surprise that these updates of classic recipes are some of my favorites. What are your favorite ways to sneak in extra veggies & nutrients?
Switch up the veggies with more of your favorites – better yet, this is the perfect recipe to clean out your produce drawer. I’m also having a major moment with mashed sweet potatoes and they pair perfectly with turkey! Dinner planning done.
Healthy Turkey Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 2 carrots peeled
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 onion peeled
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
- 3 eggs
- 1 t. worcestershire
- 1 t. montreal seasoning or other steak rub
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. pepper
- 12 slices turkey bacon
Glaze
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 T. soy sauce
- 1 T. honey
- 1/2 t. chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Pulse bell pepper, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely ground.
- Combine turkey, eggs, worcestershire, salt, & pepper in a large bowl. Add vegetables and mix well. Scoop into a greased loaf pan.
- Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
- While meatloaf is baking, mix together all ingredients for the glaze.
- Remove meatloaf from the oven. Drain liquid from the pan, then flip meatloaf onto a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Cover the top with overlapping bacon slices and tuck ends underneath the loaf. Spread glaze evenly over the top and sides.
- Return to the oven to finish baking for 30 minutes.
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