Turkey Meatloaf With Cranberry Chili Sauce Glaze

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/22/22
Turkey meatloaf with cranberry ad chili sauce recipe

​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 70 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 meatloaf
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
482 Calories
14g Fat
57g Carbs
35g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 482
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 140mg 47%
Sodium 727mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 35g
Vitamin C 5mg 27%
Calcium 83mg 6%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 530mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This turkey meatloaf is an easy and lighter alternative to a ground beef meatloaf, and an incredibly delicious and easy cranberry glaze tops the well-seasoned meatloaf.

Serve this tasty meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn along with the remaining cranberry sauce, or serve it with steamed broccoli and a salad.

A little ground pork keeps this meatloaf juicy, but feel free to use part ground turkey thighs instead. Turkey thighs or the ground pork have a higher fat content and will keep the loaf from drying out and becoming tough.

Ingredients

  • 1 (16-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

  • 1/2 cup chili sauce, or ketchup

  • 1 to 1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey, or ground turkey breast

  • 1/2 pound lean ground pork, or higher fat ground turkey thighs

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 cup soft breadcrumbs, finely ground

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1.  Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C/Gas 4.

    Ingredients for turkey meatloaf with cranberry and chili sauce
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan lightly with cooking spray.

    Spray a pan
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Combine 1/3 cup of the cranberry sauce with the chili sauce. Refrigerate remaining cranberry sauce to serve with the meal.

    Combine cranberry sauce and chili sauce
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat with the egg, breadcrumbs, onion, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the chili sauce and cranberry mixture to the meat mixture. Reserve the remaining chili sauce and cranberry sauce mixture for topping.

    Combine meat with egg
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Mix the meat mixture until well blended.

    Mix meat mixture
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  6. Pack into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Top with the reserved chili sauce and cranberry sauce mixture and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer.

    Bake
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

    Let meatloaf rest
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Serve and enjoy.

    Serve
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tip

  • To check the meatloaf for doneness, use an instant-read food thermometer. The meatloaf should register at least 165 F/73.9 C when inserted into the center of the meatloaf. Ground poultry must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 F/73.9 C. For an all-meat (beef, pork, veal) meatloaf, the minimum temperature would be 160 F/71 C.

Recipe Variation

  • Turkey Meatloaf Muffins - Divide the meatloaf mixture among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake the mini loaves for about 20 to 25 minutes and then top each with some of the cranberry and chili sauce mixture. Bake for 5 minutes longer, or long enough to heat the topping.