Turkey Zucchini Meatloaf with Feta Cheese is moist, flavorful, and will become a family favorite. This healthy meatloaf is secretly filled with veggies and is low carb and high-protein. You can assemble the ingredients ahead of time or cook entirely for a quick weeknight dinner.
I make a lot of turkey meatloaf in my house. It’s my favorite healthy ground turkey recipe! It’s easy to throw together ahead of time, nutritious and takes on whatever flavors I mix in. Some of our favorites include this Italian Meatloaf, Greek Meatloaf, Cheeseburger Meatloaf, and this Turkey Zucchini Meatloaf with Feta Cheese.
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Use up summer zucchini – I know most people turn to bread or muffins, but this turkey zucchini meatloaf is one of my favorite ways to use up the overabundance of zucchini that pops up in my garden every summer.
- Lean and high protein – A healthy meatloaf recipe is perfect to put on the menu when you want a low-fat dinner that’ll still keep you full all night.
- Super flavorful – The feta, marinara sauce, and seasonings are delicious.
- Make-ahead – You can assemble the loaf a couple of days before to cook during the week, or cook thoroughly on Sunday for a quick dinner to heat up after work, or you freeze raw or cooked meatloaf to stick on the meal plan later in the month.
5-Star Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This was the best meatloaf ever! It tasted so much lighter than ones made with ground beef and smothered with sweet sauces. I served it with whipped sweet potatoes. It was so full of flavor and moist, I didn’t change anything except cut the recipe in half for the two of us. Can’t wait to make this again!” – Chrissy
Ingredients
- Ground Turkey – For the best flavor, I think it’s worth it to buy high-quality organic ground turkey when making meatloaf. I’ve made this with 95% lean ground turkey or higher fat – both are good. I purchase organic ground turkey from Wegmans or add a couple of packages when I’m ordering from Butcher Box.
- Zucchini – I use 2 cups of shredded zucchini for this recipe – it’s important to measure out because zucchini comes in all shapes and sizes. You don’t need to peel the zucchini before shredding it, but you can if you want to hide the zucchini. You can also add a little more or less, and it won’t affect the recipe.
- Feta – In my opinion, everything is better with feta! Don’t skip the feta; it adds a tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the zucchini and marinara sauce.
- Marinara – Of course, you can use homemade easy marinara sauce, but a high-quality jar of sauce (like Rao’s) will work.
- Panko bread crumbs and milk – I always make a panade (bread and milk paste) for my turkey meatloaf recipes. It’s the best way to add moisture to the meatloaf, so it doesn’t dry out. I use panko bread crumbs in this recipe, but you can also use a slice of bread in its place. Also, any dairy or non-dairy milk will work.
- Eggs – this acts as a binder for the meatloaf.
- Seasonings – Granulated garlic, onion powder, and Italian seasoning add the perfect flavor to the ground turkey.
- Worcestershire sauce – this is my secret ingredient for infusing a meaty flavor into turkey meatloaf.
Cooking Tips
- Swap out the protein – You can make this zucchini meatloaf recipe with ground beef, a mix of beef and pork, or ground chicken.
- Use a different cheese – Feta is the best in this recipe, but another option is goat cheese if you want that same tangy flavor. If tangy cheese isn’t your thing, then use shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese.
- Squeeze out the water – Zucchini has a lot of moisture in it, so it’s essential to remove as much liquid as possible before adding it into the meatloaf. After you shred, either add it to a mesh strainer or use a cheesecloth and squeeze the water out.
- If the meatloaf ends up mushy – The meatloaf will be wet and messy, but add some more bread crumbs if it’s falling apart.
- Keep it gluten-free – if you have a gluten sensitivity, then use gluten-free breadcrumbs, bread, or crackers in the bread and milk paste. Also, make sure to check all of the other ingredients for any hidden gluten.
If you have other questions, check out this tutorial I put together on preparing delicious healthy meatloaf recipes.
Supplies
- Box Grater
- Large mixing bowls
- large rimmed baking sheet.
- Glass storage containers
How to Make Turkey Zucchini Meatloaf
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- If you haven’t already, shred the zucchini and get the rest of your ingredients together. Don’t forget to squeeze out as much water as possible before adding the zucchini in with the other ingredients.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the panko bread crumbs and milk. Mix until paste forms. As I said, if you don’t have panko, then use a slice of bread.
- To the paste, add in the ground turkey, eggs, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, feta cheese, zucchini, and 1/2 cup of the marinara.
- Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients until evenly distributed. This step is messy, but roll your sleeves up and dive in.
- Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Then place the meatloaf mixture onto the baking sheet and form it into a loaf.
- Spread the remainder of the marinara sauce on top of the zucchini meatloaf.
- Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, cut into eight slices, and serve or store in the refrigerator or freezer.
What to serve with this healthy meatloaf recipe?
Here is a list of sides that are delicious with Zucchini Meatloaf
- Serve with potatoes like these simple oven roasted potatoes, Ranch roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or these slow cooker sweet potatoes.
- Keep it low carb with this Loaded Cauliflower Mash.
- Don’t forget the veggies, roasted broccoli or roasted asparagus is super tasty with meatloaf.
Check out these other delicious healthy meatloaf sides.
How to Store the Recipe
For the week
- You can assemble the loaf, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. On cooking day remove the cover and continue with the recipe. It’s possible you might need to add extra cooking time to the recipe if the meatloaf is real cold.
- You can cook the meatloaf entirely on Sunday, slice it into portions, and store it in glass containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can even make a complete meal and keep it alongside veggies and potatoes for a single-serve dinner.
- On the day you’re going to eat, reheat the meatloaf (and sides) in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot. This is my preferred make-ahead method and one I use most often.
To freeze
- You can assemble and freeze the turkey meatloaf to be made later in the month. You can also freeze cooked meatloaf into individual servings to heat and eat. Here are my full instructions for freezing meatloaf.
Turkey Zucchini Meatloaf with Feta
Turkey Zucchini Meatloaf with Feta Cheese is moist, flavorful, and will become a family favorite. This healthy meatloaf is secretly filled with veggies and is low carb and high-protein. You can assemble the ingredients ahead of time or cook entirely for a quick weeknight dinner.
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Servings: 8 people
Calories: 254kcal
Equipment
- Box grater
- Large mixing bowl
- Large Baking Sheet Pan
- Glass Containers
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs can also use 2 slices of bread
- 1/4 cup milk dairy or non-dairy will work
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 cups shredded zucchini water squeezed out
- 1 cup marinara sauce divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the panko bread crumbs and milk. Mix until paste forms.
- To the paste, add in the ground turkey, eggs, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, feta cheese, zucchini, and 1/2 cup of marinara.
- Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the meatloaf mixture onto the baking sheet and form it into a loaf
- Spread the remainder of the marinara sauce on top of the zucchini meatloaf.
- Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, cut into eight slices, and serve or store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Video
Notes
How to Store the Recipe
For the week
You can assemble the loaf, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. On cooking day remove the cover and continue with the recipe. It’s possible you might need to add extra cooking time to the recipe if the meatloaf is real cold.
You can cook the meatloaf entirely on Sunday, slice it into portions, and store it in glass containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can even make a complete meal and keep it alongside veggies and potatoes for a single-serve dinner.
On the day you’re going to eat, reheat the meatloaf (and sides) in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot. This is my preferred make-ahead method and one I use most often.
To freeze
You can assemble and freeze the turkey meatloaf to be made later in the month. You can also freeze cooked meatloaf into individual servings to heat and eat. Here are my full instructions for freezing meatloaf.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 683mg | Sugar: 2g
More Turkey Meatloaf Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
Have you tried this Turkey Zucchini Meatloaf recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it.
Aileen Miles says
The mix was a bit wet (I might skip soaking the panko next time), but it turned out delicious. Everybody loved it.
Tammy Overhoff says
The zucchini can also add a lot of extra moisture so I always give it an extra squeeze before adding to the meatloaf.
Jme says
Wish I could give it a 6!!
Sooo delicious!!
New family fav.
Used gorgonzolla instead of feta…
and cooked it in the airfryer for about 45 minutes!
YUMMMMMMM
Janis says
I am allergic to tomatoes so I would need to omit the 1 cup marinara sauce. Would this be detrimental to your recipe and if there is a substitution…what would you recommend ie beefing up another ingredient or adding mustard?
thank you for your wisdom1
Laurie Leahey says
Same! I hope she responds because this looks great except for the marinara sauce. 😬
Tammy Overhoff says
I haven’t made this without the marinara sauce- but you could simply leave it out.
Celeste Sandoval says
So very good, super easy and tasty!! One of my favorite recipes!!
Tammy Overhoff says
Yes!!! So happy you love this turkey meatloaf. It’s one of our favorites too
Mary Pat says
Can I leave cheese out?
Tammy Overhoff says
Yes you can.
Shellie says
Do you use a frozen pack of spiral zucchini or fresh spiral?
Tammy Overhoff says
I spiral the zucchini fresh. I tried frozen spiralized zucchini before and didn’t like it.
Leslie says
This is very tasty! I love the use of marinara sauce in place of Ketchup/ tomato sauce usef in most meatloaf recipes. Only change I would make is halving the recipe next time since I’m only cooking for 1 and that would still give me perfect amount of leftovers.
Tammy Overhoff says
We love this recipe too! Also, this recipe freezes great so I like to portion out and freeze into individual servings. Then when you’re ready to eat just heat it up in the microwave. Reheats perfectly.
chantal says
your meatloaf zucchini recipe that I made tnite came.out very moist & tasty
my husband & I enjoyed it a lot. will definitely .make it again.
Tammy Overhoff says
That’s awesome! So happy everyone loved it!
Natalia says
This recipe completely changed my opinion on meatloaf. I always hated meatloaf as a child, but was forced to eat it, so I’ve avoided it like the plague as an adult. Well, the boyfriend loves meatloaf so I thought I’d give it a go…so happy I did. This was amazing. Moist and so flavorful. I used leftover spicy arrabbiata pasta sauce to give it an extra kick and it was awesome. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
Tammy Kresge says
Hi Natalie! I love waking up to comments like this one. I’m so happy you both loved this recipe. If you get a chance try the cheeseburger meatloaf recipe I have on my blog. It’s one of our favorites.
Carolina says
Hi! Great recipe – ready to make it today but wondering if I can make this in clear Pyrex glass loaf pans for more uniform slices? Would this affect cooking time?? Thanks in advance!
J says
I make them in Pyrex glass loaf pans all time. Works out perfectly. Plus it stores easily in the fridge!
Helen says
Even though I forgot to add the eggs it was delicious! It held together was firm but juicy. Trying to eat healthier and being a big beef eater it’s hard to find good tasting recipes. So thank you very much for this big hit.
Tammy Kresge says
I forget eggs all the time too! So happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Kat says
Great meatloaf! It is a family hit! I am trying to freeze the meatloaf. When I am ready to eat it, Do I have to let it thaw overnight or just put it straight in the microwave?
Tammy Kresge says
Hey there! You can do either. It’ll just take a little longer if you heat up from frozen.
Leah says
Just a side note; if you accidentally forget to put in the eggs, it still turns out delicious😂
Angelle says
This is absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper go-to recipe, to be made again and again. Made it exactly as stated, except cut recipe in half for fewer servings. Probably used more sauce on top though, as I used leftover marinara and did not measure exactly. Very moist and flavorful.
Karin Hensley says
Fantastic recipe! I don’t eat red meat so I’m always looking for more ways to cook chicken and Turkey. Hubby loved this! He said it was the moistest meatloaf he’s ever had. And he usually doesn’t like feta, but he asked for me to make it again. Thank you!
lori says
I love this recipe. I do divide my meat mixture in 1/2. I peel 3 boiled eggs place them end to end on formed 1/2, then place the other 1/2 on top pressing together to make one loaf. What a great presentation on the table when sliced, each slice has a center of hard boiled egg.
Rachel says
Loved this recipe!!!
Teri says
Oh wow!
I used to avoid zucchini like a plague ever since I got indigestion supposedly from them in the childhood, even substituted them with eggplants in some recipes. Well, I’m certainly not going to avoid them anymore =)
This is absolutely great!
Thank you!
Crissy says
This was the best meatloaf ever! It tasted so much lighter than ones made with ground beef and smothered with sweet sauces. I served it with whipped sweet potatoes. It was so full of flavor and moist, I didn’t change anything except cut the recipe in half for the two of us. Can’t wait to make this again!
Myriam says
Did you cut down on the cooking time
Liz says
I am also cutting the recipe down by half. Did you adjust the cooking time?
Victoria says
You shouldn’t cook by time necessarily, instead cook until it reaches 160° – 165° internally.
Took me about 30 minutes doing half the recipe
Chelsea says
This has quickly become one of my favorite meatloaf recipes! It’s so good! Except we add more marinara, esp at the end for dipping
Linda Heil says
Family loved this meatloaf. The only change was one grated carrot, just adds a little color. My husband already asked when it could be repeated. Thanks for sharing .
Trudi Ross says
I made this today, for tomorrow night’s dinner. Can you please change the recipe to include the 2 beaten eggs? The only reason I added those was I saw them in the video. It smells fantastic and can’t wait to try it. Good way to use up all the zucchini I have growing in the garden, thank you!
Katherine says
They don’t need to be beaten, if you combine everything w your hands. And if you aren’t using your hands, it’s just not a proper meatloaf 😝