Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sausage & Herbs
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Looking for a smaller, more flavorful turkey option for the holidays? This stuffed turkey breast is juicy, packed with flavor, and cooks in just over an hour. It’s also make-ahead friendly and easy to carve—perfect for a stress-free holiday meal!
Whether you’re cooking for a smaller crowd for the holidays or looking for an alternative to traditional turkey, this stuffed turkey breast is the answer. Adapted from Patrick and Gina Neely, it is much more flavorful and juicy than your typical roast turkey and cooks in just 1¼ hours. What’s more, it can be made entirely ahead of time and is a cinch to carve. The hardest part of the recipe is pounding the turkey breast thin, so I suggest asking your butcher to do it for you. This recipe has become part of my family’s Thanksgiving tradition—everyone prefers it to traditional roast turkey, even the dark-meat lovers. Sometimes I even make it in addition to roasting a large bird to guarantee we have plenty of leftovers.
“I have been making turkey for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas for over 50 years…I have NEVER gotten rave reviews like I did this time.”
What You’ll Need To Make Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Butter: Adds richness and helps soften the vegetables for the stuffing base.
- Onion, Celery, and Garlic: Create a savory, aromatic foundation for the stuffing, adding layers of flavor and a slight crunch.
- Mild Italian Pork Sausage: Infuses the stuffing with savory, slightly spiced richness; chicken or turkey sausage can be used for a lighter option.
- White Wine: Deglazes the pan, adding acidity and depth to the stuffing.
- Fresh Rosemary and Thyme: Add earthy, aromatic flavors that complement the turkey and stuffing.
- Egg: Acts as a binder to hold the stuffing together.
- Stuffing Cubes: Serve as the foundation for the stuffing, absorbing the flavors from the sausage and vegetables. Store-bought is perfectly fine.
- Chicken Broth: Moistens the stuffing, ensuring it stays flavorful and tender during roasting.
- Parsley: Adds freshness and color to balance the richness of the stuffing.
- Turkey Breast: The recipe calls for a 5 to 6-pound whole bone-in turkey breast. Ask your butcher to bone and butterfly it for you, or, even better, see if they’ll pound it to 1/2-inch thickness to save you a step. If you prefer using a boneless breast, aim for one around 4 pounds to account for the missing bone weight.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used to coat the turkey breast, helping it achieve a crispy, golden exterior.
- Homemade Gravy: The perfect finishing touch for serving, turkey gravy adds moisture and flavor to the dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, make the stuffing. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until soft.
Add the garlic and sausage.
Continue to cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is cooked and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme. Cook for two minutes more, using your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, stuffing cubes, chicken broth, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and sausage mixture. Stir until all the bread is moistened.
Place the butterflied turkey breast skin-side down on a countertop or work surface.
Pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
Spoon about half of the stuffing in an even 1/2-inch layer over the breast, leaving a 1-inch border all around. (You’ll cook the remaining stuffing separately.)
Starting at the long end, roll the turkey into a long cylinder.
Tie the roll with kitchen string with about 2 inches between each knot, and then trim the strings.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven-proof rack over top. Place the turkey seam-side down on the rack, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roll reads 155°F.
Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest, loosely tented with foil for 15 minutes. The turkey will rise in temperature as it rests to 165°F. Snip the kitchen twine. Transfer the roll to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange on a platter and serve with gravy.
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Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sausage & Herbs
Looking for a smaller, more flavorful turkey option for the holidays? This stuffed turkey breast is juicy, packed with flavor, and cooks in just over an hour. It’s also make-ahead friendly and easy to carve—perfect for a stress-free holiday meal!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 large stalks celery, finely diced
- 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 ounces mild Italian pork sausage, casings removed (or substitute chicken or turkey sausage)
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 9 cups store-bought seasoned or unseasoned stuffing cubes
- 1¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 whole (2 halves) (5 to 6 pound) skin-on turkey breast, boned and butterflied (see note)
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Homemade gravy, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sausage and continue to cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is cooked and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme and cook for 2 minutes more, using your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, stuffing cubes, chicken broth, parsley, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and sausage mixture. Stir until all the bread is moistened.
- Place the butterflied turkey breast skin-side down on a countertop or work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the turkey breast to an even ½-inch thickness — this takes some time and muscle so be patient. Rub the meat with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spoon about half of the stuffing in an even ½-inch layer over the breast, leaving a 1-inch border all around. (Place the extra stuffing in a buttered 8-inch baking dish, and bake during the last 40 minutes of the turkey's cooking time.)
- Starting at the long end, roll the turkey into a long cylinder (start at the end with less skin; this way the skin will end up mostly on the outside of the roll). Don't worry if the stuffing peeks out in some spots. Tie the roll with kitchen string with about 2 inches between each knot, and then trim the strings.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven-proof rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place the turkey seam-side down on the rack. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon oil and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roll reads 155°F. Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest, loosely tented with foil for 15 minutes. The turkey will rise in temperature as it rests to 165°F. Snip and discard the kitchen twine. Transfer the roll to a cutting board and slice into ½-inch thick slices and arrange on a platter. Serve with gravy.
- Note: Ask your butcher to bone and butterfly the turkey breast for you (you can also ask if they will pound it to a ½-inch thickness to save you a step later). If you're buying a boneless turkey breast, look for one that is about 4 pounds.
- Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared and cooked 1 to 2 days ahead of time, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Slice the turkey roll cold and reheat, covered, in a 300°F oven until warm, 40 to 45 minutes.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 1063
- Fat: 56 g
- Saturated fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 82 g
- Sodium: 2100 mg
- Cholesterol: 253 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn – I can’t wait to try this recipe for my first attempt at cooking Thanksgiving dinner! Question: would there be enough drippings for gravy? Not sure what to do about gravy otherwise. Thanks!
Hi Courtney, It really doesn’t make a lot of drippings. I use mostly chicken broth for my gravy when making this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
I made this last year and it was wonderful!! Plan on making again but wondering can I make the stuffing on Tuesday, assemble on Wednesday and cook on Thursday? Thank you Jenn…your recipes are always my-go to’s for delicious, made to impress meals!!!
Yes I think that will work fine, Vikki. Enjoy!
Thank you! I’m making this along with your make ahead mashed potatoes (hands down THE BEST WAY to make mashed potatoes!!!) and your roasted carrots. I delegated the rest of the meal 😉 Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and thank you again for being a life line to us home cooks!!!
💓 Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Hi again Jen, yesterday I asked you about using homemade sourdough bread cubes because I can’t find unseasoned cubes. Can I just use seasoned bread cubes? Thank you
Hi Barbara, It’s fine for you to use seasoned bread cubes here. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jen, is it really important to use low salt chicken broth. I’ve read that it doesn’t taste much better and water.
Hi Barbara, It’s fine to use regular; just cut down a bit on the salt.
Hi Jen, My “Go To Chef, Always”
I made this recipe last year with herb seasoned stuffing cubes – all loved it, and my teen asked me to make again it the following week!
Question: What modifications do you suggest to lower the sodium content as this year I am making for my parents, who need to limit their sodium. (Herbed stuffing cubes and sausage have a good amount of sodium.)
Thank you for your guidance here and for all you do to make our home a very happy one with your delicious meals. 🙂
Dianne
Hi Dianne, I am flattered to hear I am your go-to for recipes! To reduce the sodium in this, I’d go with the unseasoned variety of stuffing cubes. There will still be some sodium in those but I imagine there should be less. Also, I’d cut back on the added salt and add more to taste if necessary when serving. Hope that helps!
Thank you for your prompt response and suggestions. I am making my shopping list now! May you enjoy a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.
Hello!
I’m very excited to try this recipe this weekend! Question. Dinner is on Sunday but I plan on making this on Saturday. Do I need to cut it into slices to reheat or can I leave it whole and reheat it that way?
Hi Diana, You can reheat it whole, but it will take longer to heat through. Hope everyone enjoys!
Why is the weight listed for the turkey breast under the ingredients section different then under the note section. Which weight should l order when l go to the butcher?
Hi Jane, the 5 to 6 pound turkey breast listed in the ingredient section assumes that the bone is still in the breast. In the note, where the 4 pounds are mentioned, that’s if the breast has already been deboned. When you talk to your butcher, ask if the turkey breast currently has the bone in it. If so, you should be ordering a 5 to 6 pound one that he/she can debone. If it’s already deboned you’ll need a 4 pound breast. Hope that clarifies!
What is the texture of the interior skin? I have some picky eaters and I’m wondering if I should remove the skin and bard with bacon… if I were to do that, how soon should I remove the bacon to allow the surface to develop some nice color?
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Strangely, you don’t even notice the interior skin. However, this would also be wonderful wrapped in bacon — and I wouldn’t worry about getting color on the skinless meat, as it may dry out; I’d just cook it the whole time with the bacon. Hope that helps, and I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it this way!
Question– I want to make this for Easter, but I’ve got about 16 people. Would it work to double the recipe and cook two rolled turkey breasts at once? Would you adjust the cooking time? Thanks for your help.
Yes, you can double this. The bake time may be a bit longer, but not by much. Hope everyone enjoys!
Thanks for the advice! About 10-15 minutes more, maybe? Guess I’ll just need to check the temperature to see.
Also, I will be cooking it the day before, so when I reheat the turkey rolls I will need to increase the time as well, right?
I’ve got a few of your other recipes on my menu and I’m excited! We love all your recipes. 🙂
I’d guess about 10 minutes, but yes, using a thermometer is your best bet. (And so glad you like the recipes!) 🙂
Success! I served it with your turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, sauteed asparagus and peas, a pear, feta, and candied pecans salad, and strawberry orange and mint salad. Everyone loved it!
I made this on Thanksgiving with friends. It was incredible. It turned out moist, full of flavor, and was fairly simple to put together. We all agreed it was so much better than doing a whole turkey. Make sure you get a turkey breast without bones. I highly recommend this recipe. Everything I have cooked from this website has turned out well.
Off the charts DELICIOUS! And, I don’t even like turkey all that much. I made this for Thanksgiving 2020. Even deboned the breast myself. It was my first time (at age 55) ever having cooked a Thanksgiving dinner (Thanks for nothing COVID!), and the fact that I could prep it the day before made it especially appealing. It was wonderfully moist, mouthwateringly delicious and received rave reviews from everyone. I will definitely make this one again and again. I’m not much of a cook, so if I can make this anyone can.