I used to hate meatloaf. Every version I grew up with was dry and bland, the kind of dinner you eat because it is on the table, not because you want it. This keto turkey meatloaf with bacon is the one that changed my mind.
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A catering client once asked me to make a meatloaf worth serving to guests, and this is what came out of that challenge, built on ground turkey, mushrooms, and bacon instead of breadcrumbs.
This is a Sunday dinner in my house, and it holds up just as well as meal-prepped lunches through the week.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Turkey Meatloaf with Bacon
Most keto meatloaf recipes fall apart on the dry side, because ground turkey has almost no fat to fall back on the way ground beef does. Cut the moisture and you end up with something closer to a hockey puck than dinner.
I solve that with mushrooms, bacon, and heavy cream mixed straight into the meat, plus an extra egg instead of almond flour as the binder. The mushrooms release liquid as they cook and the bacon adds fat, so the loaf stays juicy all the way through instead of drying out in the oven. It also means this recipe skips nut flour entirely, which was never the plan going in, it just worked out that way.
The other move is pulling it at 160°F instead of waiting for 165°F. It carries over the last five degrees while it rests, and that small window is the difference between moist and overcooked. I use a digital thermometer every time, no guessing.
What You’ll Love About Turkey Meatloaf with Bacon
- It actually stays moist all the way through, which is the one thing every bad meatloaf gets wrong.
- Mushrooms and bacon do the work that breadcrumbs usually do, so this skips nut flour entirely without anyone noticing the difference.
- It reheats well enough for meal prep, and the leftovers taste just as good sliced cold on top of a salad.
Ingredients
- Ground Turkey – Lean ground turkey. Ground chicken or beef work just as well if that’s what you have.
- Eggs – Two, for binding. There’s no almond flour in this recipe, so the extra egg does that job instead.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Heavy whipping cream
- Onions – Diced, sautéed first so it softens before it hits the meat.
- Chopped mushrooms
- Chopped bacon
- Garlic – Fresh is best!
- Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper – Season to taste.
For the glaze
- Sugar-free ketchup
- Brown sugar substitute – I love So Nourished sugar substitutes but use your favorite
- Worchestershire sauce
- Garlic powder
How To Make This Keto Ground Turkey Meatloaf
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Sauté the onion, mushrooms, bacon, and garlic in oil over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their liquid and the onion turns translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, eggs, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Add the mushroom mixture, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine but don’t over mix.
Press the mixture into a meatloaf pan or baking dish and bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, pull the meatloaf out and glaze it with about half the sauce which is a well-mixed combination of sugar-free ketchup, brown sugar substitute, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Save the rest of the sauce for your keto ground turkey meatloaf, adding it at the table – it’s that good!
Pop it back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the temperature reaches 165-F on a digital thermometer.
Serve and enjoy this easy keto meatloaf recipe!
Make It A Meal
I put this on the table with something to soak up the sauce. My Keto Cauliflower Mash or Keto Mashed Turnips both work well underneath a slice.
For a vegetable side, round it out with my Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus.
Storage
Wrap it tightly and store in the fridge for up to a week, sliced or whole. To freeze, wrap in plastic then foil, or use an airtight container, and it keeps well for months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered at 325°F until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! You don’t need it! Bread or breadcrumbs in meatloaf aid in keeping the meat moist and also act as a binder. In this recipe, we keep the carbs down and go nut-free with the addition of an extra egg. That binds the meat and with all the added goodness, this meatloaf is always moist!
It sure can be! Made this way without the addition of carbs or starches, it’s a terrific high-protein and low-carb meal that’s perfect for keto dieters. With 5 net carbs per hearty serving, you can half seconds!
No, but you can make it dairy-free. As it is now, this keto turkey meatloaf with heavy cream has dairy in the form of the cream, but you can skip the cream and add a splash of almond milk or coconut milk instead.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Turkey Meatloaf with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 ounces mushrooms finely chopped
- 3 slices bacon finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup sugar-free ketchup
- 1 tablespoon So Nourished brown sugar substitute
- 1 tablespoon Worcesterhire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Add the chopped onion, chopped mushrooms, chopped bacon and minced garlic to a medium-size skillet. Add the oil.
- Sautee this mixture over medium-high heat until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and the onions are translucent. About 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the ground turkey, eggs, heavy whipping cream, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the sauteed veggies to the meat mixture and mix well to combine but don't over-mix.
- Gently press the meat mixture into a meatloaf pan and bake in a pre-heated 375-F oven for about 40 minutes.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and top it with about half of the sauce. Return the meatloaf to the oven for 5 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 160-F. Take it from the oven and let it rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve the keto turkey meatloaf with the extra sauce on the side. Enjoy!
To make the sauce:
- Combine the sugar-free ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar substitute, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Mix well.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Pull it at 160°F, not 165°F. It carries over while it rests, and waiting for the higher number dries it out.
- The mixture will look wetter than a beef meatloaf before it bakes. That’s normal for ground turkey, not a sign something went wrong.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Want Even More Easy Keto Recipes?
These are some of my current favorites:
- Crack Cauliflower
- Beefy minestrone soup
- Grilled vegetables
- And this dump-and-go Instant Pot classic
Having trouble counting carbs? Check out this handy calculator.
It looks like the perfect Sunday recipe! I’ll make this tomorrow for our family special Sunday brunch!
Fall is almost here and I am so ready for comfort food. This meatloaf hit the spot and was so tender even without all the normal gluten and carb fillers.
I’ve always had a hard time getting my Turkey meatloaf right. With this recipe, it will be perfect!!! Yay!
This turkey meatloaf is such a great comforting meal for the whole family. It’s so moist and packed full of flavour, thank you!
We are so ready for comfort food and this keto meatloaf is going to be absolutely amazing! The family is going to love this and I can’t wait to make this for dinner tomorrow night!
A meal in itself! Fantastic combination of ingredients and it was VERY moist and flavorful! I have saved this one for sure!
I’m so glad you loved it, and thanks for stopping by to comment! ~Jenn