Mastering the Art of Fall Comfort Food: A Twist on Classic Meatloaf

Meatloaf. An American fall staple comfort food. I am creating a twist to a time-tell classic with this recipe. Instead of ground beef, I am using ground turkey and ground chicken. Instead of the traditional mashed potatoes, I suggest pairing the meatloaf with roasted radishes. The roasted radishes taste just like roasted red-skin potatoes. They are so good! They were featured on the cooking show Fireside Chat - What’s Cooking? with Dr. Koch not too long ago, and you can also find the recipe here.  

Why Mushrooms Are the Secret Ingredient in This Meatloaf

In all of my meatloaf or meatballs, I add mushrooms. Mushrooms add moisture and flavor. Since turkey and chicken are both very lean meats, mushrooms are a must to combat dryness. I chose portobellos for this task. I can use the stems for the loaf and the caps as a side to the meatloaf. I’m also using the Smoke ‘N Sanity seasonings in the meatloaf. They are great seasoning alternatives for those who want the flavor of common trigger foods, such as garlic or onion, without the actual garlic or onion.

The Secret to Fresh “Garlic” Flavor: A Homemade Substitute

My fresh “garlic” substitute is also appearing in this recipe. The celery and fennel blend has become my go-to when garlic is called for. I am going to add that recipe to my profile. It's in a lot of my recipes!

Fresh “Garlic” Substitute:

• 1 cup olive oil
• one bunch of celery
• one tablespoon fennel seeds

Chop the celery into small pieces, using the leaves too. Add the celery, fennel, and olive oil in a large saute pan on medium heat. Turn the heat down. We are looking to soften the celery, not saute it. Once the celery is soft, turn off the heat and let it steep for ½ hour. Then, puree the “garlic” until smooth in a food processor. Store for up to one week in the refrigerator, or freeze it. Portion the mix into one tablespoon measurements into an ice cube tray, and freeze. So when you need a little fresh garlic substitute, pop one out.

Customizing Your Meatloaf: Ingredient Swaps and Variations

This meatloaf recipe is new and freshly written for the foodguides community. I hope it brings your home and family warmth during the crisp fall season. As always, you can change it up depending on your dietary and taste preferences. Use ground beef instead of ground turkey/chicken. You could even use ground pork, which I think would be really tasty! Instead of the roasted radishes, pair it with the maple bacon brussel sprouts, adding a slight maple drizzle to the top of the meatloaf. The possibilities are endless when it comes to cooking.  

Turkey Meatloaf with Portobello Mushrooms

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Servings: 8 Prep: 30 minsCook: 1 hour 30 minsTotal: 2 hours

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb ground chicken

4 portobello mushroom caps

1 jalapeño (optional)

½ carrot diced

1 tablespoon fresh “garlic” substitute*

2 eggs

1 cup bread crumbs plus ½ cup for the top of the loaf

1-2 tablespoons <a href="https://www.snsspices.com/product-page/sns-beyond-italian-seasoning" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smoke ‘N Sanity Beyond Italian Seasoning</a>

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons <a href="https://www.snsspices.com/product-page/Essence-of-Garlic-Salt-4oz-Shaker" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smoke ‘N Sanity Essence of Garlic Salt</a>

Instructions

1

First, cook the celery and fennel for the fresh “garlic” substitute*. Set aside.  

2

Next, preheat the oven to 325°F. We will start slow and low to render all the flavors together. Then, at the end, we will increase the heat to give the meatloaf a nice crunchy crust.  

3

Now, wash the portobello caps and remove the stem. The stems usually have a lot of dirt; you might have to cut the end off the stem where the dirt is.  

4

Puree the stems in a food processor and set aside. 

5

If you use a jalapeno, dice, and lightly saute, this will ensure it will adhere to the meat and not repel against it.  

6

Add all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix with your hands! This will guarantee everything is mixed uniformly.  

7

In a greased brownie pan (8x8), put the meat mixture in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs on top and increase the oven temp to 525°F. Bake until a nice brown crust forms.  

8

The meatloaf is done when it is pulled just barely from the sides of the loaf pan.

9

Slice and serve with roasted radishes** (optional).

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

Calories
319

Fat
14.1g

Carbs
17.6g

Protein
30.9g

Fiber
0.9g

Sodium
823.5mg

Sugars
1.7g

Sat. Fat
4.0g

Notes

Difficulty level: 3

*Difficulty level on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being easy (little to no cooking experience required) and 10 being difficult (having a strong background in cooking and using equipment)

*see the fresh “garlic” substitute recipe in the article

**see the roasted radish recipe

Nutritional Analysis does not include optional ingredients.