5 from 4 reviews

Today I have the best Asian meatloaf recipe! It’s a new twist on meatloaf with apricot ginger glaze and Chinese 5 spice and scallions. It is a fresh take on an old classic that’s kid approved.

5 Spice Meatloaf with Apricot Ginger Glaze on a serving platter

Table of contents

Why We Love This Recipe For Asian Meatloaf with Chinese 5 Spice

Your dinner is about to be magnificent.

Recently I had a couple of pounds of beef left over from a photo shoot. I decided that I wanted to try making a snazzy gourmet meatloaf that was more outside of the box, which is how this Chinese meatloaf was born.

While I love classic meatloaf or Turkey Meatloaf, sometimes it’s fun to get creative with old classics!

It starts with veggies (because that’s pretty much how every recipe here on Healthy Seasonal Recipes starts.) I sautéed yellow pepper, garlic and onion. Aside: this is a step I always used to skip but it makes a big difference in the overall texture of the meatloaf. Then I made fresh breadcrumbs and added Chinese 5-Spice Powder, scallions and toasted sesame oil to the meat.

The key to this recipe, and how I got my kids to gobble up every morsel is that I glazed the top with apricot jam mixed with ginger and cider vinegar. This sets it right over the top my friends!

The results are in: Magnificent!

Asian meatloaf on a brown plate alongside broccoli and cauliflower

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Chinese Five Spice Powder

I tested with both Szechuan seasoning and Chinese 5 Spice. I found that 1 teaspoon was plenty of sweet and savory flavor, without losing sight of the fact that it is still a meatloaf.

Ground turkey or beef

This recipe works with ground beef or ground turkey. For best results look for 90% lean turkey and 90 to 93% lean beef. When making burgers and meatloaf, I prefer freshly ground beef, as opposed to vacuum sealed.

Apricot jam

I used apricot jam for the glaze, which is the yummiest part of this Chinese meatloaf. I used ¼ cup of that and mixed it with the other glaze ingredients.

Sesame oil

I also added in two teaspoons of toasted sesame oil, which makes the meatloaf taste very rich, and plays off the scallions.

Sandwich bread

I made fresh breadcrumbs using sandwich bread. I really love Dave’s Killer Bread- White Done Right for this recipe. It is whole grain, but doesn’t taste like whole wheat. There is a Vermont Bakery that makes a multi-grain bread that I also love, so if you have one that’s locally made that you really like, try that.

Avoid whole-wheat bread that contains any caramel color or molasses. Those flavors will come out in the meatloaf, and I find them distracting. To make the fresh breadcrumbs, I just cut the crusts off and then process it in the food processor with the steal blade attachment.

Sorry friends, I have not tested it with gluten-free bread though I suspect it will work just fine. Please leave a comment below if you make it with GF bread.

Additional Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped yellow or red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped scallions
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Asian meatloaf on a serving platter

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make This Asian Meatloaf

Step 1: Cook vegetables

Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add onion, bell pepper garlic and salt and cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool 20 minutes.

Step 2: Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Step 3: Make meatloaf

Process bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until it forms rough crumbs. Add the breadcrumb, scallions, sesame oil and spice to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine. Add turkey or beef and egg to the bowl. Gently knead with clean hands until the mixture is fully combined. Pat meatloaf mixture into a long loaf about 12-inches long by 4 ½ inches wide on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 4: Cook meatloaf

Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and cook, until the top is browned, about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Make sauce

Meanwhile stir jam, ginger and vinegar together in a small bowl.

Step 6: Glaze meatloaf

Remove meatloaf from oven, and top with the glaze. Return to the oven and bake until an insta-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf reaches 165 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

FAQs and Expert Tips

How to grate ginger

I used my microplane zester to grate the ginger. It makes the ginger into a paste almost- very different from minced ginger which is fluffier by comparison. So if you do not have a microplane, you can mince the ginger but maybe consider adding a touch more minced ginger- like 1 ½ teaspoon.

Also, yes, you can used ground dry ginger instead- ¾ teaspoon should be plenty!

How to make this recipe easy clean-up

Line your baking sheet with parchment. It makes the clean up a billion times easier. I would not recommend foil because it is reactive.

What to serve with this Asian meatloaf?

This meatloaf would be really great with these Skinny Oven Fries and some Sesame Coleslaw. You could also make some Sesame Noodles, or these Peanut Noodles With Cabbage And Basil.

How to get the best mix the meatloaf

You have to keep a couple things in mind when mixing the meat, veggies, spices, breadcrumbs and egg. Turkey is much softer and easier to mix with the breadcrumbs and vegetable mixture. So much so that you can over mix it rather quickly. Over mixing can create a spongy texture.

Alternatively, the beef, particularly if it was cryovaced will be more difficult to work into an even texture with the veggies and seasoning. Either way, the best way to do the mixing is with clean dry hands, gloves are optional. {Make sure you have removed your rings! Yuck!}

Then keep working it together until the breadcrumbs and veggies are evenly incorporated. Then stop. As I said, overworking will make the meatloaf spongy.

Chinese meatloaf on a brown plate

More Healthy Family Friendly Recipes To Try

  • Sweet Spicy Slow Cooker Short Ribs Mushroom Ginger Soy
  • If you love the taste of 5 spice you should try my Five Spice Mashed Sweet Potatoes, this Easy Five Spice Baked Chicken and this Slow Cooker Chinese 5 Spice Beef Stew.
  • I also really like making this Clean Eating Beef Stir-Fry. It’s also has five spice in it to give it sweetness but it doesn’t have any sugar added.

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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5 Spice Meatloaf with Apricot Ginger Glaze is a make over of an old classic that’s a delicious kid friendly comfort food dinner! | Healthy Seasonal Recipes | Katie Webster

Asian Meatloaf with Chinese 5 Spice

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Description

5 Spice Meatloaf with Apricot Ginger Glaze is a make over of an old classic that’s a delicious kid friendly comfort food dinner!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow or red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 slices stale multigrain sandwich bread, crust removed
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder or Szechuan seasoning
  • 2 pounds ground turkey or beef, preferably 90% lean
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup apricot jam
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add onion, bell pepper garlic and salt and cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  3. Process bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until it forms rough crumbs. Add the breadcrumb, scallions, sesame oil and spice to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine. Add turkey or beef and egg to the bowl. Gently knead with clean hands until the mixture is fully combined. Pat meatloaf mixture into a long loaf about 12-inches long by 4 ½ inches wide on the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and cook, until the top is browned, about 30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile stir jam, ginger and vinegar together in a small bowl.
  6. Remove meatloaf from oven, and top with the glaze. Return to the oven and bake until an insta-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf reaches 165 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Cooking Tip:

I used my microplane zester to grate the ginger. It makes the ginger into a paste almost- very different from minced ginger which is fluffier by comparison. So if you do not have a microplane, you can mince the ginger but maybe consider adding a touch more minced ginger- like 1 ½ teaspoon.

Also, yes, you can used ground dry ginger instead- ¾ teaspoon should be plenty!

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5 ounces
  • Calories: 282
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Sodium: 417 mg
  • Fat: 13 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 25 g
  • Cholesterol: 101 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Make sure you come back to the recipe post to leave a star rating and review.

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