Stuffed Turkey Breast with Gravy
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This succulent stuffed turkey breast features a turkey roll with spinach, ricotta and bacon, and a savory, brown-butter sage gravy. Ideal for smaller celebrations, it’s the perfect alternative to a whole Thanksgiving turkey. This easy make-ahead dish is ready in under 2 hours.
🦃 Why We Love Turkey Roulade
- It’s a quick easy recipe without the fuss. Just prep the boneless turkey roll in 20 minutes, then bake. So simple and worry free. No basting required.
- This turkey roulade is tender and juicy with a crisp skin and delicious filling – a mixture of salty bacon, creamy ricotta, cream cheese, wilted spinach, and fresh herbs.
- It’s a main that pairs well with traditional Thanksgiving sides, like cranberry sauce, gruyere potatoes au gratin, Italian Sausage Stuffing, and green bean casserole.
- This roasted, stuffed turkey breast looks elegant and special. It’s the ideal centerpiece for your Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
🧑🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Brine Turkey Breast (completely optional): For enhanced moisture and flavor, feel free to brine the turkey breast before cooking.
- Thickness matters: Ensure the turkey breast is of even thickness for uniform cooking. Butterfly the turkey breast to create a flat surface for stuffing. Use a meat mallet to pound the turkey breast slightly, ensuring even thickness.
- Rolling and Tying: Spread the filling evenly over the turkey breast. Roll the turkey breast tightly around the stuffing. Secure with kitchen twine so it maintains its shape during cooking.
- Seasoning and Herbs: Season the outside of the rolled turkey breast with a butter/olive oil mixture with a blend of salt and pepper, and herbs. (Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage work well for added flavor.)
- Roasting Techniques: Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. The turkey is done when it reaches 165ºF. If you desire a super crispy skin, roast at a high temperature initially (around 400ºF), then lower the temperature for the remainder of the cooking time.
- Resting Period: Allow the stuffed turkey breast to rest for about 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicier meat.
- Gravy Perfection: For a smoother gravy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps or solid bits.
- Garnish and Presentation: Garnish the sliced turkey with fresh herbs for a visually appealing presentation. Serve the gravy on the side or drizzle it over the sliced turkey just before serving.
🛒 Ingredients
For the Filling
- Thick-Cut Bacon: Adds a crisp, salty flavor that enhances the meaty taste of the turkey. If you don’t want to include bacon, just sauté the spinach in olive oil or butter instead.
- Shallot: Adds an subtle earthy flavor to the mixture that’s more mild than a traditional onion. If you have a sweet onion on hand, you can always use that – just make sure to mince it finely so there are not big chunks of onion in the filling.
- Garlic: Adds delicious flavor to our stuffed turkey breast and gravy. Fresh garlic really makes a difference, so don’t skip it!
- Fresh Spinach: This healthy ingredient adds great texture and color to the filling. Make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible so you don’t end up with a runny filling. If desired, you can use kale instead.
- Whipped Cream Cheese: Adds richness, and helps bind the filling together. We use whipped cream cheese (not the block type) as it incorporates more easily with the ricotta.
- Large Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together.
- Fresh Thyme: Adds a fresh herbaceous flavor that pairs really well with turkey.
- Ricotta Cheese: We use whole-milk ricotta for a rich, creamy filling.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Ground Black Pepper: Adds an earthy rustic taste with a slight bit of heat.
For the Turkey
- Turkey Breast Roast: We use a boneless, skin-on, turkey breast roast for this recipe. We want the turkey to be boneless so we can roll it up. Having the skin on helps keep the meat juicy while adding a delicious crunch.
- Butter: Contributes rich delicious moisture and a buttery flavor.
- Olive Oil: Helps achieve the crispiest skin on the stuffed turkey breast.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavor of the turkey.
- Cracked Black Pepper: Adds an earthy taste and aroma.
For the Brown Butter Gravy
- Chicken Stock: Contributes moisture and flavor. We use stock instead of broth, as stock is thicker with a more gelatinous consistency, and has a stronger flavor. If you have turkey stock on hand, that’s even better.
- Butter: We use butter with flour to create a roux to thicken the gravy.
- Garlic Clove: Adds delicious rustic flavor to the mixture.
- Fresh Sage: Pairs well with both turkey and brown butter, so it’s the perfect herb for our gravy. Make sure to use fresh sage, as dried sage doesn’t add the same flavor to the gravy.
- All-Purpose Flour: Mixed with butter it creates a roux.
- Heavy Cream: A splash of heavy cream makes the gravy luxuriously creamy. Make sure to use cream, not a lower fat milk.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Cracked Black Pepper: Adds a delicious rustic flavor with just a touch of heat.
📖 Recipe Steps
Prepare the Filling
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is browned crisp. Remove the bacon, drain it on paper towels, and then chop it into ¼” pieces and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan.
- Return the pan to medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until they’re soft and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped spinach to the skillet. Cook until it wilts, another 2 to 3 minutes. Allow the spinach to shed heat, until it’s cool enough to be handled. Then transfer it to a cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. Squeeze hard to remove any excess liquid so the stuffed turkey breast filling will not be runny.
- Add the drained spinach to a large bowl along with ricotta cheese, cream cheese, egg, crispy cooked bacon, and thyme. Mix everything together until well combined.
Prepare the Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place the turkey roll on a cutting board, skin side down. Butterfly the turkey breast by making a horizontal cut 3/4 of the way through the breast. Then open it up like a book. Cover the turkey with plastic wrap, and pound it to an even 1/2-inch thick.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, olive oil, salt and pepper, and a pinch of thyme. Brush 1/4 of the mixture over the inside of the turkey breast, and spread the filling evenly over the breast. Leave a small 1/2-inch border around the outside, so the turkey fully encases the filling.
- Tightly roll the turkey breast to seal in the filling. Smooth out the skin on top. Use kitchen twine to tie the roulade to secure it. Place the turkey, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with the remaining butter mixture.
- Roast the stuffed turkey breast for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165ºF, and the skin is golden brown. (Make sure you’re checking the temperature of the meat, not the temperature of the filling.) Remove the turkey from the oven. If desired (optional), brush the top of the roulade with more melted butter. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board. Cover it with foil. Let it rest while you prepare the gravy.
Prepare the Brown Butter Gravy
- In a saucepan (or a medium-sized skillet), melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally – until it’s just starting to turn golden brown and smells slightly nutty. Next, add the garlic and sage. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant and the butter is golden brown.
- Add the flour. Whisk until a thick roux forms. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. While whisking, slowly add the stock-drippings (from the baking sheet) to the saucepan. Whisk until no lumps remain. Add heavy cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the gravy, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until it’s bubbling and slightly thickened.
- Transfer the sage brown butter gravy to a gravy boat. Drizzle the sauce over individual servings of stuffed turkey breast.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions for making the BEST stuffed turkey breast, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
We prefer skin-on, boneless turkey breast roasts as the skin helps seal in moisture to prevent the meat from drying out during cooking. However, if only have skinless turkey rolls available where you shop, you can wrap the turkey roulade in prosciutto or bacon to keep it juicy and flavorful.
A general rule for estimating the cooking time for a stuffed turkey breast: 30 minutes per pound. But it might take a little bit longer. Always use a food thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature of the meat should register 165ºF.
Yes, you can make a stuffed turkey breast up to 48 hours in advance. Transfer the cooked turkey roll to an airtight container and refrigerate. Before rewarming in the oven, let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Brush the roulade with melted butter to make sure it stays moist.
Yes, you can. I recommend making 2 (or more, as needed) stuffed turkey breasts to feed the number of guests at your gathering. This is also a great opportunity to make at least one turkey roulade without bacon, in case some of your guests don’t eat pork.
🍽 Sides to Pair with Turkey Roulade
For Thanksgiving dinner, pair your stuffed turkey breast with all your favorite holiday sides. For more delicious ideas, visit our Thanksgiving Category.
- Brussels Sprout Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
- Honey Butter Cornbread
- Sweet Potato Fluff
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Flavor testers rated this the BEST stuffed turkey breast with gravy. They greatly enjoyed the crisp brown skin on the turkey roll, the luxurious spinach, bacon and ricotta filling, and the tender, juicy meat. They also loved the rich, well-seasoned, sage brown-butter gravy.
If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.
Stuffed Turkey Breast with Gravy
- Total Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
This succulent stuffed turkey breast is the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece. It features a savory filling, and a rich, well-seasoned, brown butter gravy. It’s an easy make-ahead recipe that’s ready in under 2 hours. Prep in 20 minutes, then bake. No basting required.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 4 strips (about 2 ounces) thick-cut bacon
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 ounce whipped cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
For the Turkey
- 1 (3 pound) turkey breast roast, skin-on and boneless
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
For the Brown Butter Gravy
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Filling
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is browned crisp. Remove the bacon, drain it on paper towels, and then chop it into ¼” pieces and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan.
- Return the pan to medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until they’re soft and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped spinach to the skillet. Cook until it wilts, another 2 to 3 minutes. Allow the spinach to shed heat, until it’s cool enough to be handled. Then transfer it to a cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. Squeeze hard to remove any excess liquid so the stuffed turkey breast filling will not be runny.
- Add the drained spinach to a large bowl along with ricotta cheese, cream cheese, egg, crispy cooked bacon, and thyme. Mix everything together until well combined.
Prepare the Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place the turkey roll on a cutting board, skin side down. Butterfly the turkey breast by making a horizontal cut 3/4 of the way through the breast. Then open it up like a book. Cover the turkey with plastic wrap, and pound it to an even 1/2-inch thick.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, olive oil, salt and pepper. Brush 1/4 of the mixture over the inside of the turkey breast, and spread the filling evenly over the breast. Leave a small 1/2-inch border around the outside, so the turkey fully encases the filling.
- Tightly roll the turkey breast to seal in the filling. Smooth out the skin on top. Use kitchen twine to tie the roulade to secure it. Place the turkey, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with the remaining butter mixture.
- Roast the stuffed turkey breast for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165ºF, and the skin is golden brown. (Make sure you’re checking the temperature of the meat, not the temperature of the filling.) Remove the turkey from the oven. If desired (optional), brush the top of the roulade with more melted butter. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board. Cover it with foil. Let it rest while you prepare the gravy.
Prepare Brown Butter Gravy
- In a saucepan (or a medium-sized skillet), melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally – until it’s just starting to turn golden brown and smells slightly nutty. Next, add the garlic and sage. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant and the butter is golden brown.
- Add the flour. Whisk until a thick roux forms. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. While whisking, slowly add the stock-drippings (from the baking sheet) to the saucepan. Whisk until no lumps remain. Add heavy cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the gravy, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until it’s bubbling and slightly thickened. Transfer the sage brown butter gravy to a gravy boat.
Notes
Why let the meat rest while prepping the gray: It’s always best to let cooked meat relax for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the meat time to redistribute their juices throughout the fibers so they’re reabsorbed. Otherwise, as you slice the turkey roll, those savory juices will just roll off onto the cutting board and the meat will not be as moist.
How to store leftovers: Transfer the turkey and gravy to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1.5 Hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Stuffed Turkey Breast 👉🏻 Join the Convo
Are you excited to make this turkey roulade? Will you be serving it for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another occasion? Share your thoughts on this easy turkey roll recipe in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you .
