[ recipe ] :: mini italian turkey meatloaves

I was skeptical about making turkey meatloaf in little bread pans. Would it be mushy? Oily? Nope! It was delicious. During dinner, I was working on my salad and looked at The Hubs to ask how his meatloaf was...and it had disappeared.

Using ground turkey as the meat in this recipe solves the problem of having a fat-filled, oily traditional-beef meatloaf. The flavors of the marinara and seasoning are more prominent as well. The meatloaves were surprisingly large, even though they only contained 4 ounces (1 serving) of turkey each. Instead of using the traditional ketchup topping, I opted for a chunky marinara. Combined with pre-seasoned breadcrumbs, these little Italian meatloaves taste like a giant meatball. (Actually, you could reshape them into meatballs and have a delicious pasta dinner.) I estimate that each meatloaf, as large as it is, is only 350 calories. Combined with a big leafy green salad and broccoli or zucchini, it makes a healthy, filling dinner.

Can you tell this is The Hubs' plate? He loves his salad dressing.

This recipe serves 2-4 adults (The Hubs and I can put away some meatloaf, so this feeds the two of us). Double as needed!

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked ground turkey or chicken (the leaner the better)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs*
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup marinara sauce, divided

*If you don't have Italian breadcrumbs, use regular breadcrumbs and add 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the ground turkey, eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, mix just until the ingredients have combined, taking care not to over-mix the meat. Pat the meat into two small bread pans, or shape them into rectangular shapes on a baking sheet. Top the meatloaves with 1/2 cup of the marinara, making sure that they are completely covered. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, and let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Top with extra marinara and enjoy!

If you have picky eaters in your home, consider adding minced veggies like broccoli, carrots, or zucchini - they will be well hidden! I think I will add some shredded zucchini next time I make this to boost the nutritional value and make it a bit more filling.

Need mini loaf pans? I got 4 of these from TJMaxx for just $4.99 (what a steal!) but they are also available on Amazon.com ($6.75 for 2).

- Maggie White