Turkey-Veggie Meatloaf (egg-free, GF)

Healthy and hearty, this meatloaf satisfies both picky eaters and big appetites. We serve with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes. The next day, it tastes terrific as a sandwich.

Notes

- When you sauté the vegetables, the water must be cooked out of them entirely. If you put them into the meat mixture raw, then they will release liquid in the cooking process and your meatloaf will come out watery and fall apart.

- I have sautéed my vegetables and made the tomato sauce the day before I assemble and serve the meatloaf. The outcome is just as delicious.

- If you use a convection oven, decrease the cooking time by about 15 minutes.

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Ingredients

For the Tomato Sauce

6 oz Tomato Paste

.75 c White Vinegar

.25 c Light Brown Sugar

.5 tsp Kosher Salt

.25 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

For Meatloaf

1 lb Ground Turkey Breast

.25 c Crushed GF Saltine Crackers (I like the brand Schar)

.125 c Tomato Sauce (recipe below) plus .25 c for spreading on top

8oz Cremini Mushrooms (1 package)

1-2 Carrots

1 Celery Stick

1 Garlic Clove

1 White or Yellow Onion (small)

1 Red Pepper (small)

1 Bay Leaf

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp Unsalted Butter

2 tsp Dried Thyme

.75 tsp Kosher Salt

.25 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

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Instructions

For Tomato Sauce

1. Whisk together tomato paste, white vinegar, light brown sugar, kosher salt, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Set aside.

For Meatloaf

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F on conventional setting.

2. Finely dice cremini mushrooms, carrot, celery stick, garlic clove, onion, and red pepper.

3. Sauté vegetables on medium heat with butter, extra virgin olive oil, dried thyme, bay leaf, .25 tsp kosher salt, and .25 tsp of crushed red pepper, until the water is entirely cooked out. Set aside until completely cool.

4. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey breast, .5 tsp kosher salt, crushed crackers, .125 c tomato sauce, and cooled vegetable mixture.

5. Place on a lined cookie sheet and shape into a loaf.

6. Spread additional .25 c of tomato sauce on top.

7. Bake in the oven for about 60 min. Let sit at least 15 minutes before slicing.