Slow Cooker Turkey Meatloaf (with Stovetop stuffing)
54 Comments Mar 07, 2023
Updated Mar 08, 2024
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This Slow Cooker Turkey Meatloaf is made with ground turkey, Stovetop stuffing, celery, carrot, and a few seasonings you’ll most likely already have on hand. This comforting meal is flavorful, delicious, and sure to be a huge hit for the whole family.
If you happen to have leftover turkey, consider using it to make these Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs.
Table of Contents
Why this crock pot turkey meatloaf recipe works
Most traditional meatloaf recipes call for tons of ingredients, but not this time. Instead of using crackers, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and lots of seasonings like onion powder and garlic powder, this recipe brings together the bare minimum for the most flavor.
The prep time is moderate and the cooking time isn’t too long, which means you can make slow cooker turkey meatloaf early in the day and have it ready by dinnertime. Oh, and you can skip the special pans because this delicious meatloaf is cooked in the slow cooker.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Turkey: Turkey is one of the healthier meats and still provides a good taste and texture like ground beef.
- Stovetop Stuffing: Be sure to grab the turkey kind to keep the flavors the same. This works much like using regular breadcrumbs or crushed crackers.
- Vegetables: You will only need one celery rib, one large carrot, and a large onion all of which will be diced and kneaded into the ground turkey.
- Eggs: Most traditional meatloaf recipes use eggs to help with binding everything together.
- Milk: Add a bit of moisture to the meat mixture.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, and rubbed sage give this meatloaf the perfect flavor.
- Butter: Melted butter will be used to saute the vegetables until just soft.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, saute the carrots, onion, and celery until soft.
Step Two – Add the turkey, stuffing mix, eggs, salt, pepper, rubbed sage, and milk into a large bowl along with the cooked and cooled onions, carrots, and celery.
Step Three – Mix everything together with clean hands.
Step Four – Shape the meatloaf mixture into loaf form in the slow cooker.
Step Five – Cover and cook meatloaf on LOW for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Step Six – While still in the crockpot, cut the meatloaf into slices for easy serving. Enjoy!
How to serve
- Serve this slow cooker meatloaf alongside a few tasty side items such as mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed green beans, mac and cheese, steamed broccoli, and/or roasted veggies. Don’t forget the dinner rolls!
- If you want to add a sauce topping, consider bbq sauce, tomato sauce, chili sauce, or ketchup.
- You can also serve meatloaf sandwiches on white bread, a hoagie bun, or Italian bread.
Recipe FAQs and Variations
If you want to stick with a meatloaf recipe similar to when using ground beef, you can add diced bell pepper.
In addition to kosher salt, black pepper and age, you can add onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and/or an all-purpose seasoning.
Sure! You can use beef, ground chicken, ground pork, or a combination of them.
Put any remaining meatloaf in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
No. That isn’t necessary since there are enough juices from the turkey.
Yes! You can premake the meatloaf, cover it in plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge overnight.
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Slow Cooker Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 lbs. ground turkey,, I use 7% fat
- 6 oz. box turkey Stove-Top® Stuffing
- 2 eggs
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. rubbed sage, not ground, this is still from a jar
- 3 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- In a medium sized skillet set over medium high heat. Add the butter, when the butter is melted sauté the carrots, onion, and celery until soft. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you get the other ingredients ready.
- In a large bowl add the turkey, stuffing mix, eggs, salt, pepper, rubbed sage and milk. Add in the cooked and cooled onions, carrots and celery. Mix together with clean hands.
- Shape the meat mixture into loaf form in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Ground beef can be used instead of turkey.
- You can make the meatloaf the night before and cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge
- Put any remaining meatloaf in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Hi there…I made this before and it is lovely! The video shows you adding gravy once plated, do you have a particular gravy recipe you use?
Truthfully, I use a packet of turkey gravy with water, I make it on the stove top 🙂
That’s too funny! Would not have thought that’s what you would do! If you want a really no-drippings required gravy that is quite yummy, here is a link to another on-line chef I follow which is quite easy: https://www.recipetineats.com/gravy/
I will try that, thanks! LOL
Do you think I could use this recipe to make meatballs instead of meatloaf?
Yes, I think that would work great! I will try sometime.
Hi.
I don’t care for ground turkey. Can leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken be used??
No, it needs to be raw meat for this recipe.
Can I cook on high for shorter amount of time? Or if I need it faster can I bake it?
It’s hard to say without testing in the slow cooker on high. Oven may be a better route.
Do you need to use cooking spray so the meatloaf doesn’t stick to the slow cooker?
I do spray my slow cooker with non stick spray, but it really would be fine without since it’s not touching the sides, and the bottom will release easily from the liquid in the crock pot.
May have been mentioned but I bet a handful of dried cranberries mixed in would be great or either a reduced glaze of cranberry sauce on top.
Looks really great and I want to try it! But what is rubbed sage? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. Is it available in the grocery store with other spices?
Look under Sage in the spice section. It should be there. I think mine was Fred Meyer Brand.
How do you get it out of the crock pot in one piece? other recipes say to use aluminum foil or parchment paper to lift out when done.
I’ve used 2 spatulas, but normally I slice and serve right out of the slow cooker.
Instead of putting meatloaf in Crock-Pot could you cook it in the oven .
Thank you very much… It turned out great
Is there nutritional info on this dish you could provide?