Pumpkin-Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

I can’t tell you the last time I ate meatloaf (well, I mean, the last time before last week.) Memories of meatloaf growing up are by far not my favorite, and I’ve never made it on my own. No recipe for meatloaf has ever screamed, “Make me! You’ll love me!” – until I came across Ashlee’s Pumpkin Meatloaf. That isn’t too surprising, since it’s a safe bet that if a recipe contains pumpkin I will like it – wait, make that LOVE it.

My love affair with pumpkin continues to grow, and so must my husband’s because he was ridiculously excited to eat these for two nights in a row and take a serving for lunch one day all in the same week. I don’t think Ben is much more of a meatloaf fan than me, and I base that just on the fact that he hasn’t requested it in six years. But I think that’s about to change.

The nice thing about this recipe is that it makes 12 mini meatloafs – enough for three whole meals for a family of two. It’s also cheap to make, and ridiculously healthy. That’s actually three nice things. Certainly enough to keep this one around for the future.


Pumpkin-Turkey Meatloaf Muffins with Cranberry GlazeAdapted from Ashlee’s Pumpkin Meatloaf with Cranberry Topping

Printable Recipe

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 8oz package mushrooms, chopped finely
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 lb 93% lean ground turkey breast
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg white
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tsp each minced fresh thyme and rosemary
Freshly ground salt and pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes more, until vegetables are tender. Add to a bowl with the turkey, pumpkin, egg white, oats, sage, salt & pepper. Toss gently to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin tin. Place in the oven, bake for 20 minutes.

Combine cranberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Spoon onto the meatloaf muffins, and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Number of Servings: 12 muffins (we ate two each at a time, but the info below is per each each one)

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 102.7
Total Fat: 3.0 g
Cholesterol: 26.7 mg
Sodium: 50.7 mg
Total Carbs: 10.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 9.1 g

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18 Responses to “Pumpkin-Turkey Meatloaf Muffins”

  1. 1

    GF Gidget — November 25, 2009 @ 2:07 pm Reply

    Intriguing! I think I like it!

  2. 2

    Dawn — November 25, 2009 @ 3:32 pm Reply

    Girl you are gonna turn into a pumpkin! But these look SOOO yummy. I used to only make meatloaf muffins. Just recently I actually made a real meatlof but I love the portion size of the muffins and ANYTHING with pumpkin AND cranberry sauce can't be beat.

  3. 3

    Kerstin — November 25, 2009 @ 5:43 pm Reply

    I always enjoy meatloaf when it's done right and this recipe looks like a winner! Love the pumpkin in it! I wouldn't be able to stop at just 2!

  4. 4

    Sweet and Savory — November 25, 2009 @ 10:51 pm Reply

    I make meatloaf muffins with mashed potatoes but I love the idea of adding pumpkins. Have printed this to make very soon.

  5. 5

    Cynthia — November 29, 2009 @ 5:25 pm Reply

    What would you recommend using in place of the mushrooms?

  6. 6

    Cara — December 2, 2009 @ 12:38 pm Reply

    Cynthia, the sauteed mushrooms add some nice bulk and moistness. But I think you could leave them out, or add other veggies of your choice (maybe finely chopped and sauteed celery, carrots, and/or peppers perhaps?)

  7. 7

    Susan (peebsmama) — December 7, 2009 @ 3:43 pm Reply

    I actually like my meatloaf recipe. But because I'm trying to find substitutes for beef, I thought I would give this recipe a try. Since I was also making au gratin potatoes which had to be in the oven for an hour, I used a loaf pan and made a whole meatloaf rather than individual ones like in the recipe. So delicious and light and very moist. Even heated up the next day. We did have it with the cranberry the first time but it was so good on it's own that the leftovers we served plain.

  8. 8

    Melissa — December 14, 2009 @ 8:02 pm Reply

    I made this and love it!!! It is now a favorite in my house. The turkey cooked perfectly in the muffin tins and didn't dry out at all. The cranberry sauce on top was delicious and gave it a sweet & savory taste. These also made great left overs for lunch. Thanks for the recipe!!

  9. 9

    legend_018 — December 20, 2009 @ 1:17 am Reply

  10. 10

    Jennifer — December 23, 2009 @ 2:49 am Reply

    What a great use of pumpkin!!

  11. 11

    NuM NuM — August 31, 2010 @ 9:14 pm Reply

    I made these and they are soooo good. It truly is thanksgiving on a plate. I love your recipes, keep them comin! If you'd like to see it, I linked it to my blog 🙂

  12. 12

    Amy Fazio — October 12, 2010 @ 9:53 pm Reply

    Delicious recipe. I feature your recipe, with all the appropriate acknowledgements of course, on my blog. It's a blog dedicated to food made in a muffin pan so this recipe was great. Come check it out @ http://www.doyouknowthemuffinpan.com

  13. 13

    Kerstin — April 5, 2011 @ 1:14 am Reply

    I always enjoy meatloaf when it's done right and this recipe looks like a winner! Love the pumpkin in it! I wouldn't be able to stop at just 2!

  14. 14

    Lisamariestein — December 12, 2011 @ 8:13 pm Reply

    Cara, do you have a version of these without gluten (oats have some gluten)?

  15. 15

    Cara — December 12, 2011 @ 8:23 pm Reply

    Hi Lisa, oats actually don't have gluten. They are often processed in facilities that also process gluten, and that's why many oats are not labeled as gluten-free. If gluten is a concern, be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats. Bob's Red Mill and Trader Joe's are two brands I know that make them. Hope that helps!

  16. 16

    Amy — January 16, 2012 @ 6:59 pm Reply

    Made these tonight. They were so yummy!

    • 16.1

      Cara — January 16, 2012 @ 7:31 pm

      Thanks for the feedback, I’m glad you liked them!

  17. Pingback: Turkey Pumpkin Meatloaf Muffins with Cranberry Glaze | You're Gonna Bake It After All

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