BBQ meatloaf made with ground turkey is far from boring or dry. Once you slice into this juicy turkey loaf you won't regret it. Here's a recipe that will quickly become a fan favorite! (psst...and super easy for mom too!)
Weeknight meals need to be prepped quickly and the less ingredients the better. Below is a bbq meatloaf recipe that doesn't require breaking out the grill. It's really just adding all the ingredients to a bowl, mixing it well and baking it.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Homemade juicy BBQ meatloaf can be made with just 7 ingredients and then baked 'til perfection.
- ground turkey
- Most recipes use ground beef for meatloaf, but ground turkey can be used as well! As a dietitian, I recommend whenever possible to buy grass-fed ground beef. Turkey is a good choice because it has less total fat and saturated fat.
- onion
- green bell pepper
- BBQ sauce
- Some recipes suggest to make your own bbq sauce, but that's just too much work! You can definitely just buy your favorite bbq sauce and call it a day. Don't worry moms, I got your back :-).
- eggs
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
There are certain recipes I like to call "dump and cook" and this is one of them. In no particular order, add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly into ground turkey
Form a loaf with the meat mixture and bake! That's it.
This is what you call easy!
Hint: See my instructions below in the recipe card for making meatloaf without a loaf pan.
What to serve with BBQ meatloaf?
You can eat barbeque meatloaf with a variety of sides. To make this a complete meal choose 1-2 vegetables and 1-2 healthy carbohydrates.
Vegetables
- Green beans
- Like these "Cajun Green Beans"
- Cabbage
- Slow-Cooker Cabbage recipe
- Broccoli, cauliflower
- Salad
- Greens (mustard, collard, turnips)
- Sauteed zucchini
- Carrots
Healthy Carbohydrates
- Potatoes
- Green peas
- Corn
- Cornbread
- Healthy, but delish hoecakes.
- Rice
- Black-eyed peas and rice would go great with this dish.
Storage
Fridge
Good for 3-4 days in the fridge. Visit Leftovers and Food Safety for more information.
How to freeze barbeque meatloaf?
If you think you might freeze it, you'll want to avoid adding BBQ sauce to the top of the loaf. Once the meatloaf has cooled down, slice it and wrap each each in wax paper.
Add the slices of meatloaf to a labeled freezer bag (date, name).
For best quality freeze for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat From Frozen?
You can heat the meatloaf from frozen by warming it up in the oven on 350o F.
Mom tip
Meatloaf is one of those recipes that is simple to double and bake 2 loaves instead of just one. You can freeze the 2nd loaf for a quick dinner the following week!
I know sometimes we think it's too much work to do something like this, but BOY does it pay off when we need it. Imagine being more relaxed once dinner time rolls around. It can happen with a little bit of prep work.
FAQ
Definitely! Instead of ketchup just use BBQ sauce. It's going to give it even more flavor and you can use any variety of BBQ sauce. Add some more sauce on top, before eating, if you like!
BBQ Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1, ½ lb ground turkey
- ⅓ cup onion
- ⅓ cup green bell pepper
- ⅓ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
- Spray the loaf pan with cooking spray or use an oil to lightly oil the pan (to prevent excessive sticking). Press mixture into loaf pan.
Instructions for meatloaf without a loaf pan
- Instead of using a loaf pan you can use a rimmed sheet pan or a 9x13 baking dish. Shape the mixture into a loaf on a sheet pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes - OR - until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Slice and eat!
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 160 °F
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!