Low Sodium Meatloaf Recipe with Ground Turkey
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Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Share Pin For Later EmailThis low sodium meatloaf recipe is loaded with herbs, spices, ground turkey, and topped with a flavorful tomato sauce! A classic dinner recipe made with some great low sodium ingredients.
This classic comfort food gets a makeover with lean ground turkey, and a quick and easy tomato-based sauce. Serve with low sodium mashed potatoes and a big chopped salad for a tasty meal the whole family will love!
If you’re looking for a tender, juicy, and super flavorful meatloaf recipe (all made with low sodium ingredients!) then this is the recipe for you. This lean turkey meatloaf has much less sodium than classic meatloaf, but all the same flavors! Even a delicious and sweet tomato glaze.
Making meatloaf was a real treat – it tasted great, and was a fun new way to enjoy ground turkey for dinner. This version is one of our favorite low sodium recipes, and it’s going into our monthly dinner rotation for sure!
This Low Sodium Meatloaf with Ground Turkey Is
- Savory
- Herby
- Delicious
- A Great Dinner Idea
- Filling
- Earthy
- And a Little Sweet from the Tomato Glaze!
Ingredients in this Low Salt Meatloaf Recipe
Ground Meat
While traditional meatloaf is made with ground beef and ground pork, I wanted to make a more DASH diet friendly meal by using lower fat meat. I used a very lean ground turkey breast as the base. You could also any type of meat like lean ground chicken breast or lean ground beef as well.
Just make sure to check that your ground meat has a nutrition label on it so you can see how much sodium us in the meat. My turkey had 70 mg of sodium per 3 ounce serving.
Bread Crumbs
I used unseasoned panko breadcrumbs for this! Breadcrumbs can have a lot of sodium, so be sure to check the sodium content on your labels before using. You can also use a slice of bread pulsed in a food processor.
Eggs
Make a great binding agent for the meatloaf. I used two whole eggs, but you could use just the egg whites if desired. Eggs have ~60 mg sodium each naturally.
Spices & Herbs
I used ground thyme and ground sage, as they paired really nicely with the turkey. I also added some fresh chopped parsley in the meatloaf mix for a fresh flavor!
Veggies
Carrots, onions, and garlic are finely chopped, sauteed until soft, and mixed into the meat. I chopped mine by hand, but you can use a food processor if that is easier for you!
Tomato Based Sauce to Top
I made a quick homemade mix of unsalted tomato paste, a low sodium Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and a little water to thin in out. I added half of the ‘sauce’ in the meat mixture, and half as the glaze on top! You could also use a low sodium ketchup or BBQ sauce too, but I liked this flavor combo better. It’s a little sweet, a little savory, and SO delicious.
How To Make Meatloaf Low Sodium
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the finely chopped carrots, onions, and garlic, and sauté for 5-6 minutes until the veggies begin to soften. Once cooked, add them into the large bowl with the turkey.
- To the mixture, add the dried thyme, ground sage, eggs, breadcrumbs, and chopped parsley.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the tomato paste, low sodium Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and water. Stir to combine. Add half of this tomato mixture into the turkey (save the remaining half to glaze).
- With a large wooden spoon, mix the meatloaf until all ingredients are well combined. Divide the meatloaf mixture in two. it will make two loaves. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the meat mixture for at least 1 hour.
- In a large cast iron skillet (or on a baking sheet pan covered in parchment paper), place one half of the meatloaf mixture, and form it into a loaf shape, about 1.5 inches high, and 4 inches wide. Make sure it is an even height, as you want the meatloaf to bake through. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture, so you have two loaves on the cast iron skillet or baking sheet.
- Using a brush or a spoon, spread the remaining tomato mixture on top of each loaf as a glaze. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (which you can tell with a meat thermometer).
- Remove skillet or pan from the oven, and slice. Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
If you have a meatloaf pan, you can definitely use it! I don’t have one so I choose to cook mine in a cast iron skillet, as I wanted the bottom of the meatloaf to brown a bit, which was delicious. A sheet pan also works well, just ensure you use parchment paper or a oven-safe silicon mat under the meatloaf.
The eggs and breadcrumbs help keep the meat mixture together and add a little extra flavor as well.
Absolutely, as long as it fits in with your daily nutritional limits. I made my ‘glaze’ with no-salt-added tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce, but you can use a store-bought sauce instead if you prefer.
Serve this Easy Low Salt Meatloaf Recipe With
- Sauteed garlic green beans
- Low sodium mashed potatoes
- A big low sodium Caesar salad
- Sweet and sour red cabbage
- Low sodium crispy smashed potatoes
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Low Sodium Meatloaf
Equipment
- Skillet or Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey or other lean ground meat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1 large carrot finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup low sodium panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parsley
- 6 ounces No-Salt-Added Tomato Paste
- 1 teaspoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the finely chopped carrots, onions, and garlic, and sauté for 5-6 minutes until the veggies begin to soften. Once cooked, add them into the large bowl with the turkey.
- To the mixture, add the dried thyme, ground sage, eggs, breadcrumbs, and chopped parsley.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the tomato paste, low sodium Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and water. Stir to combine. Add half of this tomato mixture into the turkey (save the remaining half to glaze).
- With a large wooden spoon, mix the meatloaf until all ingredients are well combined. Divide the meatloaf mixture in two. it will make two loaves. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the meat mixture for at least 1 hour.
- In a large cast iron skillet (or on a baking sheet pan covered in parchment paper), place one half of the meatloaf mixture, and form it into a loaf shape, about 1.5 inches high, and 4 inches wide. Make sure it is an even height, as you want the meatloaf to bake through. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture, so you have two loaves on the cast iron skillet or baking sheet.
- Using a brush or a spoon, spread the remaining tomato mixture on top of each loaf as a glaze. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (which you can tell with a meat thermometer).
- Remove skillet or pan from the oven, and slice. Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used, it may vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify sodium amounts.
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We love this meat loaf. It’s so delicious with the great mix of spices and flavors