Whole30 Tomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf
One of the most popular recipe on the blog, Whole30 Tomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf will have everyone asking for more.
Let’s talk about this Whole30 Tomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf people. This meatloaf is also Paleo Compliant! The other night Matt and I were making a meatloaf, which we do all the time, when I realized I have never put a recipe on my site for one!! I seriously didn’t believe it and searched my blog for one and NOTHING! I apologize! I think my hesitation has been that they aren’t the prettiest things to photograph and are SO easy to make – but that is the best right? Who wants pretty meatloaf anyways. When we make meatloaf it always turns into an Italian meatloaf because we just gravitate towards the oregano and basil once the tomato paste goes in! So I thought I would actually measure things this time and put together a solid recipe – which this definitely is! I love meatloaf for many reasons but the main one is that it could not be easier to make. We make meatballs a lot too and this is basically the same thing without all of that effort to form them into balls. Just plop the whole thing on a baking sheet and free form it into a loaf like shape – pour some stuff on top and bake! If you want more Paleo Meatloaf Recipes check out this Whole 30 Greek Turkey Meatloaf or my Whole 30 Turkey Pot Pie Meatloaf!
The key to this Whole 30 Tomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf:
Fresh basil!!! I am a huge fan of dried herbs don’t get me wrong, but there is something about basil in particular that is SO much better than dried. I can’t explain it, just trust me! I want to work on getting an herb garden when I have some time to start working on our backyard and I will, at that point, need SO much help. I have a black thumb and I really want to figure out how to just keep a few herbs alive! My from Lindsay who runs the blog The Toasted Pinenut, and I were talking about this the other day and agreed Rosemary and Mint would be good ones for me to start with! I’ll report back on that later!
This Whole30 Meatloaf is So So So delish and easy to wolf down – you have been warned!
This Whole30 recipe is perfect for dinner and we know you will need a fee more:
Whole30 Orange Chicken {Paleo}
Whole30 BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Pin this Whole30 Tomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf recipe to save it for later!
Nutrition for Paleo Turkey Meatloaf Tomato Basil:
Ground turkey is such a great substitute for regular ground beef for many reasons, like the fact that it is a lot lower in fat, cholesterol and calories. What is amazing is this Paleo Turkey Meatloaf and all the other recipes still have a great amount of protein for your balanced meal. This one is coming in at a whopping 19.9 grams of protein per slice! The average adult should aim for 65-85 grams of protein just for normal energy balance, so this one slice of meatloaf can account for almost 1/3 of your daily protein needs! Yay!
PrintTomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Topping:
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl combine turkey, almond flour, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 3 tablespoons chopped basil, egg, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix until evenly combined. Ball up all of the meat mixture and place on a foil lined baking sheet, then form it into a loaf shape, about 8 inches x 4 inches in shape.
- In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped basil and pinch of salt. Spoon this mixture over the meatloaf and spread evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Could you do coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Yes! Just use a little less than a 1/4 cup!
I only have arrowroot flour, can that be used?
I haven’t tried that in place of almond flour!
Have you tried subbing ground chicken instead of turkey?
No but I am sure that would be great as well!!
I subbed ground chicken and it takes the same I think!
Can you use brown rice flour instead of almond flour?
Yes definitely!!
Can I use regular all purpose flour instead?
Yes you can!
I would imagine you could use any type of flower you wanted but all purpose would not be whole30 approved. I’m dying for some meatloaf and this recipe looks great
You can use 2 tablespoons of coconut flour!
This was delicious and super easy to make. Even if not doing a Whole 30/Paleo/hippie-dippie diet, I’d still recommend this! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Haha thank you so much!!
can you add onions to the meat loaf mix?
Sure! I bet that would be tasty!!
Hi, can I use oat flour instead?
Definitely!!
Thank you! I can’t wait to try it
Do you have the macros for this meatloaf?
I don’t! You can enter the link in my fitness pal though!
I tried putting it in my fitness pal but it doesnt have this exact recipe so what do I choose?
You should be able to copy and paste the link in, or you can just enter in the amounts!
I had to modify a bit – tomato sauce instead of paste, and oregano instead of basil, but this is what I calculated.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/279009149513405
I got 6 servings out of the loaf and made it per the recipe, it was 3% carbs, 21% fat, 20% protein.
Hello, How many servings does this make? I have a large family to cook for.
This is about 4 servings!
Hello,
Can you make these into muffin tins? And if so would you still bake the same temp and time?
That would be great! They would probably cook up in about 20 minutes though!
So my 32 year old husband has the taste buds of a 12 year old boy. I made this recipe because we’re doing the Whole30 and I bought a 3 lb tray of ground turkey. I fully expected groans when I declared we’re having meatloaf. To my surprise, both the husband and the 8 year old asked for seconds! Hubs even asked to put this into the rotation! So it’s terrific! I will have to say after 23 days on W30, it’s a tad salty for my taste buds, but an easy correction for the future. It also made a great W30 breakfast today!
★★★★★
Aw Carrie that is AWESOME!!! So glad they all liked it! And yes salting is definitely based on preference! Thanks so much!!
This I could blend the chopped tomatoes and paste to spread on as the topping? My kids (husband and son, lol) don’t like textures but love the taste
Is almond meal okay?
You can use it, it is just a bit more gritty!
Love this recipe! Not only is this healthy and clean, but it is super yummy. I made it for my family (myself, hubby, son (13) and daughters (9) and they all loved it and wanted seconds. I am making it again tonight and will be making two loaves!! Thanks Kelsey!
★★★★★
That is sooo great!! So glad to make recipes for the whole fam!! Thanks so much!!
Just love this quick delish recipe! Thanks!
Awesome!! Thanks!!
If you use ground beef instead of turkey, is the cook time the same?
Hmm It should be close, maybe add 5 minutes!
This is amazing! I do love finding new recipes for my fresh basil plant. Do you think you could put mozzerela in the middle to make caprese like?
If you eat dairy that would be a great idea!
Easy and delicious!
★★★★★
Thanks!!!
I made this recipe and loved it! The only change I made was to use almost a whole cup of chopped tomatoes in the topping. It came out amazing. It has a cheesy flavor and texture, which was a real treat since I’m not eating dairy. Thanks for the great recipe! I will definitely make it again soon.
★★★★★
That is great!! Love the extra tomatoes, they are the best! Glad you enjoyed!
My son is allergic to tree nuts. If I use WW flour or AP do I need to change the amount at all? Thanks 🙂
You can just swap 1 for 1!! 🙂
This was SO good! Turkey can be so boring and dry- but not in this meatloaf. I used almond meal because that’s all I had, and it still turned out great. This was the first recipe I’ve made from your blog and definitely won’t be the last!
★★★★★
Ah thanks Marisa!! So glad you liked it, one of our favorites!
So if you make this recipe how many does it feed? If we choose to double the ground turkey do we need to double everything else too?
Yes, I would double everything if you double the turkey! The regular recipe has about 4 servings!
If you double the recipe do you need to add cooking time?
Yes! Unless you just make 2 separate loaves then it should be the same but maybe add 5 minutes!
This sounds almost like my recipe, except I use 1 min oats instead of the almond flour, never thought of putting flour in meatloaf! I also add a dash of garlic powder. Love the basil flavor! It is an easy herb to grow, mine even came back this spring since we had a milder winter in Oklahoma than usual!
Love it!!
I am so excited to try this! Making it for dinner tonight! I might add some onions though 🙂
Yum!! Enjoy!!
A huge favorite in our house! So easy and so yummy!
★★★★★
Amazing!! So glad you love it!!
Absolutely amazing recipe! I substituted the ALmond Flour with blended rolled oats (cheaper version) and it was absolutely tasty! My boyfriend loved it as well as my coworkers. Must truly!
★★★★★
This was a great recipe – will definitely make again! I added half of a large green bell pepper as well as an herb mix I bought once while traveling that includes sun dried tomato, red pepper flakes and oregano. I also subbed garlic powder for fresh minced garlic.
Thanks!
That all sounds so fab! So glad you loved it!
Omg! I was known to make the best meatloaf around mybkids and their friends…. but this jut made It become so much better!!!
Thank you!!’
★★★★★
AWESOME!!!
Can you put this in a bread pan? If so will that change the time?
You can! I haven’t tried it like that so I am not sure of the baking time but i bet it is similar!
I tried it in a loaf pan last night and had to almost double the time. Maybe it was my pan.
I made this last night to bring to work for lunch and WOW!!! The sauce on top is soooo good and You’re so right about the fresh basil!! I sautéed some onions, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes and tomato paste to eat with it. This was the first time I have ever made meatloaf and I am obsessed. Can’t wait to try the breakfast one.
★★★★★
Awesome!! So so glad you loved it!
So yummy! While making the topping I kept thinking, “I really just want my ketchup and brown sugar mix.” But, after tasting this, there is no going back. I did add a shredded zucchini (on purpose) and forgot the egg (by accident) and it still turned out perfect.
★★★★★
Awesome to hear!!
Thanks for posting this- I am allergic to eggs and was searching through the comments to see if it could be done without.
Kelsey, you are so right about the fresh basil. It’s the star of this meatloaf. So dang good!
★★★★★
YAY!!
This is THE BEST meatloaf recipe EVER!!Thank you so much for posting this! I am totally addicted! I made it using grass fed beef and it’s like something out of a gourmet magazine LOL
Awesome!! So glad!!
For the topping is the apple cider vinegar a necessary ingredient? This recipe looks super yummy!!
I think it adds a nice flavor but you can use water or lemon juice if you are opposed!
What about stuffing this into some bell peppers? How would you think it would change the cook time? I’m getting the ingredients for this recipe, and I remember my mom making stuffed bell peppers growing up, so I’m inspired! I might just make it regular the first time, just to be safe. 🙂
Sounds amazing!! I would try regular time to start off!
This is a staple at my house! So flavorful and easy! You can also make it your own as well.
Don’t worry if you don’t have almond flour…I didn’t use any flour (always out of stock in my stores) and it stayed together just fine! I also add onions and on occasion a jalapeno!
★★★★★
Awesome!!
Easy to make, delicious, and healthy! Need I say more?! Yummy.
★★★★★
I had a pound of ground turkey defrosting and no plans for it. I Googled “Whole30 Turkey Meatloaf” and was delighted to find your recipe. I used almond meal instead of flour, dried basil instead of fresh (1/2 the amount recommended), and I had a can of crushed tomatoes that I used in place of the real tomato. It looks fantastic! Can’t wait to chow down.
★★★★★
Made this last night for dinner. Almond meal instead of almond flour, crushed tomatoes from a can in place of the whole tomato, and dried basil subbed for the fresh (used half of the amount called for). INSANELY delicious, and my 4.5 year old son gobbled it up! Thanks for this great recipe that I Googled after realizing I had a pound of turkey defrosting and nothing to do with it!
★★★★★
Yahoo! 🙂
Ive made dozens upon dozens upon dozens of whole 30 recipes from the web and this is by far the best and easiest one yet. I almost so excited to have found it!!! Thank you!
★★★★★
This is absolutely my all time favorite recipe for Meatloaf!!! It is so good!! I had to add it to my monthly meal must haves! It’s so easy to put together and so yummy!!! I usually have cherry tomatoes on hand that are too ripe to use for salads (because who really wants to eat a salad every day??) that I just throw in the food processor to use for the topping (with the other topping ingredients of course). I can’t rave about this recipe enough!! I wish I would have found it years ago!!
★★★★★
Love that cherry tomato idea!!
Delicious and super easy! Freezes really well too.
★★★★★
Awesome!!
This was so delicious!!
This meatloaf was super delicious! My 4 year old and 15 year old both approved so I will take that as a win and put in the books as a repeat recipe!
★★★★★
That’s awesome Lauren!! 🙂
Any idea how to cook this in a crock pot? We try to avoid using our oven because the gas is expensive where we live, so when we do meatloaf (beef) it’s usually done in our crockpot. Do you think it’d be a similar cook time to a beef meatloaf in a slow cooker, or would it be different?
How long do you think I should wait to add the topping when cooking this way? I feel like it’d get cooked out if added at the beginning of the cook time in a crock.
So sorry I have never cooked something like this in a slow cooker!
This recipe is amazing. I actually doubled the amount of tomato/tomato paste topping. One of my favorites.
★★★★★
I tried this recipe and loved it!! I normally stick to a regular beef meatloaf, but wanted to mix it up since beef sometimes hurts my stomach. I don’t think i’ll ever go back to beef meatloaf!
A little switch I made was switching out the almond flour for gluten-free breadcrumbs… I already had these in my kitchen and didn’t want to spend mega $$ on almond flour. Ended up working very well! I only used a 1/4 cup for the breadcrumbs to take down the total grams of carbs in the recipe since I track my macros.
This will definitely be a go-to recipe of mine! Thank you so much for sharing!
★★★★★
This is outstanding. Even my 3 yr old son loves it and he is picky.
★★★★★
Outstanding. Entire family loves it.
★★★★★
This recipe is one of my favorites!!! I made it to bring to work for lunches, and it reheats so well throughout the week. Thanks for another amazing recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Very good! Easy. Whole family ate it!
★★★★
I made this tonight and it is sooo good!! I shared it with my friends because everyone needs this recipe in their life!
★★★★★
That is so great!
2nd time making this. I double the recipe cause my son is a big meat eater and I want leftovers. It is easy and delish! I love it. Great recipe.
★★★★★
That’s great to hear!
I plan to make this recipe later in the week, from the feedback, it sounds amazing! What about using in a loaf pan? Do you just cook on some foil/in a pan?
I haven’t don’t it in a loaf pan before! I just form it on foil on a pan!
Can you freeze this turkey meatloaf?
If you are going to freeze I suggest slicing it first then freezing in separate slices maybe with parchment paper between the slices for easier defrosting!
This is a delicious recipe! It has become a regular menu item in our house because it’s easy, healthy, and tasty. We’ve even been known to have a slice for breakfast.
★★★★★
I am so so glad!
Wow, this is so tasty! And so easy to make. I just started a 30-day reset and am excited to explore more of your recipes. I’m sure I’ll be making this again and again, even after my 30-day reset.
★★★★★
That is great!!
Made this yesterday and my family, including kids (5 and 2) loved it! I tweaked slightly and added some finely diced onions and green bell peppers, and some thinly sliced spinach to sneak in veggies, since I knew the kids would eat the roasted potatoes and zucchini. Also, had to eliminate the tomatoes on top for the hubby…still working on that 😉 Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
The best. I make this weekly as part of my meal planning to shed some baby weight. Thank you so much!
★★★★★
So glad!!
This was fantastic. I followed the recipe exactly. The turkey was moist and flavourful. It will become a staple in our house.
★★★★★
So glad!! 🙂
This meatloaf is too good!! I used 2 tablespoons of coconut flour instead of almond flour since it’s what I had on had (Kelsey suggested this to someone else in the comments) and it turned out perfect! Such great basil and tomato flavor, I’ll definitely be making again!
★★★★★
Awesome!!
Looking forward to making this meatloaf, I do have a question though, is there anything other than alfoil I can use.
Yes, parchment paper!
A family favorite! We keep it in the rotation frequently. Our three year old eats it up too!
★★★★★
That’s awesome!
LOVE this recipe!! It’s so delicious you forget that its healthy!! I’m a southern girl and this recipe has replaced the southern meatloaf recipe I grew up with. Super tasty recipe!!
★★★★★
That’s great!!
HOLY COW THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!
We WILL be making that again!!!
Have you ever frozen this recipe before? I want to freeze both it has a loaf, but also turn these into balls for a go-to spaghetti!
SO. GOOD!!!!
Yes it freezes well!
I love this recipe so darn much. I make it constantly. One question though…I find a lot of that juicy fat from the turkey runs out during the baking process and the finished product is not quite as juicy as I think it could be. I’m following the ingredients and directions slavishly. What could I be dong wrong though? Thanks
★★★★★
The fat does run out, that’s normal! It’s definitely a leaner meal though!
Awesome awesome. Juicy juicy. Loved it. Went back for more!
FYI: it did take longer than the 30 mins to cook. Close to 45 actually.
★★★★★
Wonderful!
This recipe Tomato Basil Turkey Meatloaf is so full of flavor, healthy, and SUPER easy to make with minimal cleanup. The tangy apple cider vinegar is the perfect brightness with the savory basil. Just… perfect! Every person I’ve made this for has loved it.
★★★★★
Amazing!
Honestly an amazing recipe! I made this during Whole30 and even my biggest “healthy food” critic loved it!
★★★★★
Yahoooo
Always one of my go-to recipes and love that it’s whole30 complaint even when I’m not doing whole30. All of your ground turkey recipes are always SO good — super moist and flavorful.
★★★★★
Yeah!!
Thank you for this recipe! I used to be so bad with the brown sugar, tomato, mustard topping and thought I had to have it to eat a meatloaf but….by far this is the best meatloaf I have EVER had! The whole family loves it!!
★★★★★
Wonderful!
This recipe is delicious, perfect! The meatloaf came out so tender & not even the least bit dry, it’s definitely going in my regular meal rotation.
★★★★★
Wonderful!
If you’re doubling the recipe, do any changes need to be made?
Nope, just make sure you have a large enough pan!
I never comment on blogs/recipes but I just made this and it’s SO GOOD. I’ve never been a big fan of meatloaf, but this tastes like a big Italian meatball and it’s perfect. I would think it would need cheese or more seasonings, but it really is flavorful and delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed it!
Has anyone actually only baked this for 30 minutes and had it cooked? My oven is pretty true for most recipes if not a little too hot but at 40 minutes this wasn’t even above 100 degrees and looked raw. Just curious.
Oh weird! Maybe it is too tall? Try to flatten it a bit to cook quicker!
Hello, your receipt says to put it in the oven for 30 mins weather I made 1x, 2x, or 3x the amount. Do we add 30 mins for each added one?
Depends on if you are making a few smaller loafs, I would add 10 min and then check.
I just started making Paleo-friendly dishes, this was the best turkey meatloaf I’ve ever had!! I had to use coconut flour instead of almond flour, but it turned out perfect! This is definitely going to be a regular dish.
★★★★★
Love this!
This is the best recipe ever! Make this all the time! We also like to chop up onion and mushroom, saute them, let them cool, and throw them into the meat mixture. DEEE-LICIOUS.
★★★★★
Ohhh I love that idea!