During cozy winter months, I always seem to come back to this recipe for yummy BBQ turkey meatloaf.
Truthfully, this meatloaf has been a staple in our house for a while. I first made it back in 2017, and since then, it’s one of Tony’s most requested dinners, along with my homemade turkey sloppy joes.
One of the reasons we love this recipe so much is that it’s easy, packed with feel-good protein, and we always seem to have the ingredients on hand. Likely because I anticipate Tony asking for it.
Ingredients in this BBQ turkey meatloaf
This healthy BBQ turkey meatloaf is made with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard or fridge. It’s SO flavorful and couldn’t be easier to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Olive oil: you’ll need a bit of olive oil to cook down the sweet potato shreds that go directly into the meatloaf.
- Sweet potato: speaking of, we’re shredding up a whole sweet potato and mixing it into the meatloaf to give it delicious moisture and a boost of nutrients!
- Ground turkey: the base of this meatloaf is made with lean ground turkey. You can also use lean ground chicken.
- Produce: we’re also mixing in an onion and fresh garlic, which will give the meatloaf delicious flavor.
- Egg: you’ll need an egg to help bind the meatloaf.
- Bread crumbs: I use Italian style panko bread crumbs for an additional binder.
- BBQ sauce: you’ll mix your fav BBQ sauce right into the meatloaf and use more on top for tons of wonderful BBQ flavor. I love using Stubb’s spicy BBQ sauce! No ketchup or Worcestershire sauce required in this recipe.
- Spices: don’t forget the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
- Cheese: this BBQ meatloaf is stuffed with melty cheddar cheese, and OMG, it’s incredible.
Wait, sweet potato in meatloaf?
YES! You might be wondering how sweet potato tastes in meatloaf — and the answer is: FANTASTIC. It adds moisture, texture, and both vitamin A & fiber. Don’t worry, if you don’t like sweet potato, you can skip it completely as the meatloaf will still be delicious without it.
Can I make it gluten-free or dairy-free?
- To make gluten-free: simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- To make dairy-free: use your favorite melty dairy-free cheese, or omit the cheese. It will still be delicious!
Choose your spice level
I love a kick of heat, but if you’re feeding kiddos or are sensitive to spice, use a regular BBQ sauce and omit the cayenne pepper.
Let’s get cheesy
Meatloaf stuffed with cheese?! Yes, please. The ooey-gooey melty cheese is one of my favorite parts of this meatloaf. We enjoy sharp cheddar the most, but feel free to use any cheese you’d like: pepper jack, Monterey jack, fontina, Colby jack, the list goes on!
How do you know when meatloaf is done?
Your BBQ turkey meatloaf will be done when the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Incredible BBQ turkey meatloaf in 5 simple steps
- Cook the sweet potato. Start by cooking down the shredded sweet potato in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil for a few minutes so that it softens.
- Mix the meatloaf. Add the rest of the meatloaf ingredients (except the cheese) to a large bowl and mix together well with your hands or a large spoon.
- Shape the meatloaf. Place half of the meatloaf mixture onto a baking sheet lined with tinfoil and shape it into a 10×4-inch rectangle. Top it with the cheese, leaving about 1/2 inch on the sides (so that the cheese doesn’t melt out), then top with the rest of the meatloaf mixture and seal the edges.
- Add sauce & bake. Spread half of the BBQ sauce on top of the meatloaf and bake it up.
- Sauce & serve. Glaze the meatloaf with the rest of the BBQ sauce, let it cool, and then serve! I like to top mine with a little fresh cilantro, too.
What to pair with this BBQ turkey meatloaf
- Make a hearty meal with my Creamy Garlic Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, or The Best Fluffy Moist Cornbread Recipe Ever
- Get extra kid-friendly with Easy Stove-Top Mac and Cheese or my Better-For-You Homemade Spaghetti-Os
- Enjoy it with a salad like my California Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad, or my Manchego Apple Kale Farro Salad
- Try an easy veggie side like my Caramelized Garlic Carrots or my Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Chili Crisp
Get all of my side dish recipes here!
How to freeze homemade turkey meatloaf
- Freeze unbaked meatloaf: simply shape the meatloaf, wrap it well with plastic wrap and a layer of tinfoil, and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook from frozen, let the meatloaf thaw in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
- Freeze baked meatloaf: bake as directed and let the meatloaf cool completely. Then wrap it well and freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat it, simply let it thaw in the refrigerator, remove the wrapping, and then bake as directed until heated through.
More cozy dinners you’ll love
- Lightened-Up Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
- Mama’s Veggie-Packed Chicken Meatloaf
- The Best Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat
- 30 Minute Skillet Chicken with Parmesan Mushroom Gravy
- Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches
Get all of my dinner recipes here!
I hope you love this BBQ turkey meatloaf! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Cheddar-Stuffed Sweet Potato BBQ Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small sweet potato, shredded (about ¾ cup shredded sweet potato)
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (94%)
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- ½ cup italian style panko bread crumbs (or use gluten free bread crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons low sugar bbq sauce (I like Stubb’s)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you like heat)
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 oz sliced sharp cheddar cheese (or ½ cup shredded cheddar)
- For the topping:
- ⅓ cup low sugar bbq sauce
- Optional: Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add in olive oil and sweet potato shreds; sauce for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl combine turkey, onion, sweet potato shreds, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons bbq sauce, spices, and salt and pepper. Use your hands or a large spoon to mix until well combined. I find that it's much easier to combine the ingredients if you use your hands.
- Place half of meat mixture on foil-lined pan and shape into a 10x4 inch rectangle. Top with cheddar evenly, leaving about an 1/2 inch of room on the sides. Top with the remaining meat mixture, enclosing the cheese completely and sealing the sides/edges together.
- Spread half of the bbq sauce on top of the meat loaf, reserve other half for brushing on when meatloaf is finished baking.
- Bake meatloaf for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Top with remaining sauce and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting into 4 slices. Top with cilantro and serve with sweet potato fries or a side salad.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 16th, 2017, republished on September 14th, 2019, and republished on February 14th, 2026.
I make this often and it is always a hit! Everyone always asks for the recipe. It is healthy and great comfort food!
So happy to hear that!
Just made this recipe for the first time and it was absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe almost exactly (I’m not a fan of raw garlic so I sauteed it with the sweet potatoes), and it was cooked through at the 50 minute mark. The only nit pick I have was that temp and time did not result in a cheesy melty center like I hoped, but that could just be my oven and how I shaped the loaf. I think next time I’ll omit the cheese because it did feel a little unnecessary, and add a little more cayenne because my husband is a spice fiend. I also calculated the nutrition information using the ingredients/brands I bought and it came out to around 500 calories per slice (I cut it into eight slices) which is fantastic. Highly recommend.
So glad you loved it! You can absolutely make it without the cheese if you’d like, and I’m all about adding more spice.
Could I make these into mini meatloaves using a mini loaf pan? I’m assuming just decrease the cooking time
Absolutely! Yes, the cook time will depend on how small the meatloaves are, so I’d start around 30 minutes and recommend using a meat thermometer!
My husband made this for me for my birthday. Sooo delicious. We only had ground pork, but I imagine this is a stellar method for whatever meat you have.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
My favorite meatloaf recipe! So so good
So happy to hear that!
I don’t have any sweet potatoes on hand…..maybe carrots could work?
That should work!
Wow! So delicious! I didn’t have cheddar so used mozzarella since I had some I shredded. That was my only change. Family said it was a keeper!
Perfect! Glad it was a hit!
I haven’t made this in years, but made it this week and forgot how easy and tasty it was. I easily upped it to 1.5x the recipe (still used just 1 egg though) and it came out great. An oldie, but a goody!
So good!! I need to make this one again soon, too 🙂
I come back to this one again and again! Yum! I like it with and without the cayenne. I usually make it in the oven but it’s also been delicious baked in the smoker (with hickory) when I want to fill the oven with sheet pan veggies.
In the smoker sounds amazing!!
I love this recipe so much. Healthy, filling, and relatively easy. Thank you!
So happy to hear that!
Making this now! Very excited !
How do I save the extra shredded sweet potato?
Freeze?
Yes, feel free to freeze it!
We loved the combination of flavors in this meatloaf. It smelled so good while cooking. Definitely a keeper with both my husband and I.
One of our fav weeknight dinner, too 🙂
Oh my goodness this sweet potato stuffed cheddar meatloaf recipe is absolutely fabulous! Easy to prepare, bake and smells woderful. I have made this recipe several times. Today I decided to get creative. I added 3 finely diced scallions, a handful of fresh diced cilantro, 1/2 cup of shredded zucchini and 1/2 cup of shredded sweet potatoes, 3/4 cup of old fashioned rolled oats and 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs…additional spices: tumeric, nutritional yeast, coriander and annatto. I know I got a bit crazy with the recipe! Everything infused together so nicely and the flavors were wonderful! You can make this recipe your own and add some creativity or stick to the original recipe. Ambitious Kitchen inspires me to get bold in the kitchen and have fun!
So good!! Glad you loved this one (and great additions!)
Love this recipe and so will everyone else.
Absolutely!
Really great meatloaf! Flavorful!
One of our favs! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This recipe is a staple in my household. It is so delicious ! I accidentally made it with ground chicken instead of turkey once, and actually prefer it !!
You can always swap the two (ground chicken and ground turkey) and it will still turn out! Perfect dinner 🙂
I am so glad I made this meatloaf. Easy to make and it was delicious. Better the second night! I had all ingredients on hand except for BBQ sauce. I had ketchup, jar of salsa sauce opened and a jar of Rao’s marinara sauce opened. I went with the marinara sauce and it went well. I shredded up 2019 reserve white cheddar and it is very sharp. Excellent addition to this meatloaf. I cut cumin in half as I find it very strong. Would make this again and again. I’m not a big fan of BBQ sauce as I don’t eat pork or red meat.
I’m glad you found this one! Perfect dinner – and that reserve cheddar sounds delicious.
Made this for a weeknight dinner with mashed taters and green beans on the side. Doubled the recipe for meal prep and it cooked perfectly without needing to increase the cook time, etc. another win from AK 🙂
Love it! Perfect dinner 🙂
This is a keeper. I make it exactly as written in the recipe and it never fails! Both my daughter and daughter-in-law make this meatloaf often, too.
This is a yummy and unique take on meatloaf and I love using low sugar / paleo ketchup and bbq sauce to make it healthier!
This is SO GOOD!!! One of the tastiest meatloaves I’ve ever had. Ground turkey is perfect because it is so mild tasting it doesn’t compete with the other ingredients, letting them shine. I followed the recipe exactly except that I sautéed the onion with the grated sweet potato because I am very sensitive to onions and need them to be really really cooked. I used about 1/4 tsp cayenne and for me it was the perfect amount of bite without being too hot. Make sure to use bbq sauce that you like because it is a dominant flavor. My husband and I had it last night for dinner and again today for lunch. We’ll be fighting over the little piece that’s left.
Great tip to saute those two ingredients a bit first! And YES to using a good BBQ sauce. Glad you both enjoyed!
Both my husband and I LOVE this meatloaf, and neither of us are meatloaf people. Honestly, I can’t be bothered to sauté the sweet potato so I have always just finely grated a carrot and mixed it right in instead and it works great! I use Stubb’s spicy BBQ sauce and it’s so good. This is a go-to meal in our house. Thank you for another delicious, creative recipe! ❤️
Sounds fabulous! Happy to hear you both are loving this recipe and it is a hit 🙂
To be honest, I’m not a big fan of meatloaf, but my husband is. I decided to make this, as it looked like something I could stomach, and I thought he’d enjoy it. It turned out great! I’m not going to say it’s my favorite thing I’ve ever eaten, but for a meatloaf it was pretty good! And my husband did indeed enjoy it, especially the cheese. The only thing I did differently from the recipe was sautéing the onions along with the sweet potatoes, then added the garlic in to saute for the final 30 seconds. Added the recipe to my list of repeats, as my husband said he’d like to eat it again.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it, Anna! Thank you for the comment 🙂
Do you cook the sweet potato first or shred a raw sweet potato?
You’ll shred a raw sweet potato.
Super easy to make and toddler approved! Served with a side of frozen veggies and garlic tingling potatoes. Great recipe to make while the baby naps and then slide into the oven for dinner time!
Yum! So glad this recipe turned out for you, toddler approved is ALWAYS a win ❤️
Enjoyed it would use less cumin for my taste when I make again. It was moist and delicious.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Diane!
I am utterly obsessed with this recipe. I have probably made it 100 times. It is so satisfying while being pretty lean and nutritious. The shredded sweet potato is genius and gives it the perfect meatloaf texture.
Subbed mashed butternut squash because it’s what I had on hand – so good, even my kids ate it!
Yay! SO happy to hear this recipe came out great and that it was a hit!
Another winner- really tasty family meal! My husband liked that he was able to customize his portion with spicy BBQ sauce on top. I will say my prep took way longer than 10 minutes but it was still an easy to follow recipe with delicious results.
OUTSTANDING! A delicious combination of flavors, will definitely be on our meal rotation. Thank you 🙂
I made this meatloaf for the first time as a double batch for my sons birthday party and everyone wanted a recipe. They said the meatloaf was absolutely amazing and they never had anything like that. I am making it today again and wanted to thank you for this delicious recipe full of flavors and again you just proved for me I can always find a hit here in any kind of recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Aw thank YOU, Jana! I’m so thrilled to hear everyone loved it ❤️
Very excited to try this! I did put the ingredients in mfp and it showed up as 450 cals per serving. Not bad just wondering how you got the 298?
Hi! Thanks for the note! We just recalculated, and the calorie count was just slightly higher than the original (we just updated it!) but it can depend on the BBQ sauce you use (we use a low sugar bbq sauce) as well as how lean the turkey is 🙂 Hope that helps!
love this recipe! Even my 3 year old, who dislikes meat (and most foods) scarfs it. I’m too lazy to sauté the sweet potato so I just add Iraq and it still turns out perfectly.
This meatloaf is soooo good!! It’s very easy to make and goes well with a side of mac ‘n cheese! Highly recommend! Thank you for sharing this recipe! 🙂
I’m so happy you love it, Megan! YES to the mac n cheese on the side 🙌🙌