Mini Turkey Meatloaves with Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash.

This turkey meatloaf is sponsored by Shady Brook Farms Turkey.

I’ve finally found a turkey meatloaf worth raving about! 

It’s here. The best turkey meatloaf – made mini! – because let’s be real, everything mini is better! Serve it with some roasted garlic cauliflower mash and you’ve got some lightened-up comfort food right in your kitchen. 

Today I’m taking a classic favorite and putting a little modern twist on it. You know that’s my favorite thing to do! 

And I’m partnering with Shady Brook Farms again to share a delish recipe with their 93% lean ground turkey – that we love! Their turkey is the best. So flavorful and satisfying. And what I also love is that Shady Brook Farms turkeys are raised by independent family farmers who raise their turkeys with care so you know you’re feeding your family a wholesome meal. Doesn’t get better than that. 

I’ve been trying to perfect meatloaf for close to ten years. It’s true. Maybe even longer, because Eddie has always loved it. I can say for sure that I’ve never made a fabulous version until now.

And here’s why.

It’s the size! It’s all about the size.

There have been so many times that I’ve been turned off by meatloaf because, well… it’s literally a LOAF of meat. That does not sound appetizing to me in the least. Meatloaf has made many appearances in my annual recipe disasters post because it always comes out like an absolute brick.

Sorry, I would not like a brick for dinner.

And the thing is that my mom made a GREAT meatloaf when I was growing up! SO good. It’s been a really long time since she’s made it, but I loved it. I still love it! It was flavorful and moist and delicious. However, I’m pretty sure it was one of those recipes that she made by touch and feel – she didn’t have a written recipe, but just knew how much of everything to add. 

I’ll have to ask her about it. Because she definitely tried to explain to me how to make it a few times on the phone when I was first married, but I was rewarded with a brick of meat. So I failed.

But now! 

Now I have the mini meatloaf recipe to save all meatloaf recipes. These are basically like meatloaf meatballs if you think about it. Perfectly sized and excellent for a crowd too. The Shady Brook Farms ground turkey is so flavorful and it works so well to build meatloaves that don’t come out like a brick. I’ve been using turkey for our meatballs for years, so it only makes sense that I use it for meatloaf too. Eddie would also prefer ground turkey over beef, so here we are!

The leftovers taste great. The meatloaves can be made ahead of time. There is really no way to lose here. It’s a win-win.

What’s even better is the cauliflower mash we serve with the turkey meatloaf. Golden, caramely garlic cloves (that you can 100% make ahead of time) are pureed into softened cauliflower. It’s like one giant flavor cloud of cauliflower. You will freak! 

I love to throw a green veggie on the side. Something like a roasted Brussels sprout, maybe an almond green bean – something that really gives you that complete comfort food feel. But in this case, our comfort food is pretty darn good for us. 

It’s the perfect winter meal!

Mini Turkey Meatloaf

Mini Turkey Meatloaves with Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash

Yield: 4 people

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Mini turkey meatloaf in a skillet is the best weeknight dinner idea! Serve with roasted garlic cauliflower mash and your favorite green veggie on the side.

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5 from 38 votes

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Ingredients

turkey meatloaf

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup fresh chopped parsley, plus more for topping
• 1 pound Shady Brook Farms 93% Ground Turkey
• 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons ketchup or BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

roasted garlic cauliflower mash

• 2 heads garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup cooking liquid from the cauliflower
• Salt and pepper

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Start by roasting the garlic first. Slice the tops off the garlic heads and drizzle them with olive oil. Wrap the heads in foil and stick them in the oven for 40 minutes or so while you make everything else!
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the onions and garlic, cooking until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh parsley. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• In a bowl, combine the ground turkey, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, milk, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, basil, parsley, garlic and pepper. Use your hands to bring the mixture together, until just combined and the ingredients are evenly distributed. Form the mixture into mini meatloaves about 1 inch in thickness and 2 inches in length.
• Heat the same skillet back over medium heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the meatloaves in the skillet and brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Stir together the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons on top of each meatloaf. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center of the meatloaves reach 165 degrees F. When finished, sprinkle with fresh parsley.
• While the meatloaves are in the oven, make your cauliflower mash. Cut the head of cauliflower into florets. Place it in a large pot or saucepan and cover it with water, just about an inch past the top of the cauliflower. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes or so. Drain the cauliflower, reserving about 1/4 cup of the liquid.
• Add the cauliflower to a food processor and blend until pureed. Stream in the cooking liquid and the melted butter, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. By this time, the garlic cloves should be roasted. Squeeze them from the paper into the cauliflower puree. Puree again to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve the meatloaves and cauliflower mash with a veggie of your choice! I love a green bean or Brussels sprout. Enjoy!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

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Who knew this would be my dream meal.