I like to make turkey meatloaf as a way to serve up a satisfying meaty entrée without resorting to red meat. I load it with sweet sun-dried tomatoes and salty bites of feta, which just barely melt as the meatloaf bakes. When you cut into the meatloaf it looks so colorful. This is one of my top picks for serving a large group because it makes a lot, is hearty, and doesn’t require any last-minute fussing. Leftovers make terrific sandwiches the next day, too.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　Vegetable oil cooking spray

　　1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　1/4 cup chopped garlic-and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

　　

Step 1

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch nonstick loaf pan with cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, eggs, olive oil, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan; it will fill the pan halfway. Bake until the internal temperature registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 40 to 45 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Remove the pan from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes. Use a paper towel to remove any fat that may settle on the surface of the meatloaf. Slice and serve.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.