This crockpot turkey meatloaf is the kind of dinner I love once the weather starts to cool down: cozy, comforting and basically a full Sunday dinner without having to stand over the stove.

Everything cooks together in the slow cooker, tender turkey meatloaf, buttery fingerling potatoes, carrots and green beans and after about four hours, dinner is done.

The meatloaf itself is made with ground turkey, breadcrumbs, plenty of seasoning and finely diced peppers and onions to keep it flavorful and moist. During the last 30 minutes, I brush it with a sweet and tangy BBQ-ketchup glaze that gives you that classic meatloaf finish.

And because the potatoes and vegetables cook right underneath the meatloaf, they catch all of those flavorful juices as everything cooks. It’s truly a complete meal in one crockpot.

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf

If you’ve only ever made meatloaf in the oven, the crockpot is such an easy alternative. The slow, moist cooking environment works especially well with lean ground turkey, which can dry out pretty quickly in the oven.

I also love that you don’t need to make separate sides. Add the potatoes, carrots and green beans to the bottom of the crockpot, place the meatloaf right on top and let everything cook together.

A small amount of chicken broth at the bottom gives the vegetables some moisture and helps prevent anything from scorching while the crockpot does its thing.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1 pound fingerling potatoes
2 cups baby carrots or chopped carrots
8 ounces green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup chicken broth
Olive oil, for the vegetables
Salt and pepper, for seasoning the vegetables

For the Meatloaf Glaze

1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

How to Make Turkey Meatloaf in the Crockpot

1. Prepare the vegetables.

Add the chicken broth to the bottom of a large slow cooker.

Add the fingerling potatoes, carrots and green beans. Drizzle the vegetables lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.

If your fingerling potatoes are especially large, cut them in half so they cook through in the same amount of time as the meatloaf.

2. Make the turkey meatloaf.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, ketchup, BBQ sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper.

Use clean hands or a fork to gently mix everything together until just combined. Try not to overwork the turkey—the more you mix it, the denser your finished meatloaf can become.

Shape the turkey mixture into a compact loaf.

3. Add the meatloaf to the crockpot.

Place the shaped meatloaf directly on top of the potatoes and vegetables.

Cover the crockpot and cook on HIGH for about 4 hours, or until the center of the turkey meatloaf reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Since slow cookers can vary, I recommend beginning to check the internal temperature toward the end of the cooking time rather than relying on time alone.

4. Make the glaze.

During the final 30 minutes of cooking, combine the ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.

Taste and adjust the sweetness or tanginess to your liking. I like this sauce to have a little sweetness from the brown sugar while still tasting savory and smoky from the BBQ sauce.

5. Glaze the meatloaf.

Spoon or brush the sauce generously over the top of the meatloaf.

Cover and continue cooking for the remaining 30 minutes, until the glaze is warmed through and the turkey has reached 165°F internally.

6. Serve.

Carefully lift the meatloaf from the crockpot and allow it to rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices settle and makes the loaf easier to cut.

Serve thick slices alongside the tender fingerling potatoes, carrots and green beans, spooning a little of the flavorful liquid from the bottom of the crockpot over the vegetables if you’d like.

Tips for the Best Turkey Meatloaf

The biggest thing with turkey meatloaf is keeping it moist. Don’t overmix the meat and don’t cook it longer than necessary. Ground turkey is fully cooked once the center reaches 165°F.

Finely dice your peppers and onion so they soften completely and distribute throughout the meatloaf instead of leaving you with large pieces.

And don’t skip that final glaze. The combination of ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar and Worcestershire gives the meatloaf that sweet, sticky, savory finish that makes classic meatloaf so good.

An Easy Complete Crockpot Dinner

This is exactly what I want from a crockpot recipe: put everything in one pot, walk away and come back to an actual dinner.

You’ve got your protein, potatoes and vegetables all cooking at the same time, and the sweet and smoky glazed turkey meatloaf still feels like the centerpiece of the meal.

It’s cozy enough for Sunday dinner but easy enough to throw together on a busy weekday. Four hours in the crockpot, one complete meal and very little cleanup—that’s my kind of fall dinner.

Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf