Stuffed Turkey Breast

Don't need to cook a 20-pound bird this year? This Rolled and Stuffed Turkey Breast, or Turkey Roulade, is perfect for smaller Thanksgiving gatherings. Its stuffing of Italian bread, dried cranberries, shallots, celery, pine nuts, and sausage will have all your guests asking for the recipe!

Are you in Thanksgiving menu planning mode already? I'm not quite yet, but that's okay! Our Thanksgiving menu stays pretty much the same year after year.

We always, always, always, have Turkey and Southern Cornbread Dressing. Always. It's the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving meal and I sometimes think certain family members would swoon and fall over in a faint if I, for some unknown reason, didn't make dressing.

You can't have Thanksgiving here without dressing. And Polly's Pink Stuff and Southern Butterbeans and Sweet Potato Casserole. You just can't.

Even though there are certain dishes that are set in stone, I always try to add a few new ones for us to try each year. It's usually side dishes, but every once in a while I offer a choice for the entree.

I think I just might slip this Stuffed Turkey Breast onto the table. It would be a nice surprise and a bit of a change for everyone.

If you're coming to my house for Thanksgiving, don't start hyperventilating...this will be in addition to the usual turkey and dressing. Y'all can take a deep breath now :-)

Let's Try Something New This Year

I've seen this technique demonstrated several times and every time I watched I thought - "Wow, that looks good. I should make that!" And so I did.

I made up my own stuffing recipe but used the classic technique for rolling and prepping the turkey breast itself.

You'll use a half breast that is butterflied and pounded somewhat flat then filled with a delicious stuffing containing Italian bread, onions, shallots, dried cranberries, Italian sausage, pine nuts, and parsley.

The rolled breast (technically, a roulade) is encased in the reserved turkey skin, wrapped in cheesecloth, and slathered in butter. The result? Very delicious if I do say so myself.

This is a great alternative to the usual roast turkey and is perfect for a small gathering since it serves 4 to 6.

How to Make Stuffed Turkey Breast

I always like to show you the photos and step-by-step instructions for my recipes to help you picture how to make them in your own kitchen. If you just want to print out a copy, you can skip to the bottom of the post where you'll find the recipe card.

Start by making the stuffing

Preheat the oven to 400F. Choose a good, firm Italian style bread for this recipe. Slice the bread, remove the crusts, and cut the slices into cubes.

Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and cook until lightly toasted. Set the bread cubes aside to cool while you continue making the stuffing.

Slice or chop the shallot and celery. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallot and celery along with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute until the shallot is translucent.

Add the sausage into the same skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon or potato masher, until no pink remains.

Now, add the cranberries, thyme, and broth. Continue cooking for an additional minute or two, scraping up any cooked bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the toasted bread and pine nuts and stir until all the bread is moistened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Taste for salt and pepper and add a bit more if needed.

Allow the stuffing to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

Stuff the Turkey Breast

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife and your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the breast (or ask your grocery store butcher to do it for you). Set the skin aside and save it for later. 

Place the breast with the original skin side down on a cutting board. If necessary, butterfly the thicker areas to get an even thickness throughout.

Pound the breast out with a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin until it is about ½” thick. Sprinkle the inside generously with salt and pepper.

Spread the cooled stuffing over the pounded turkey breast.

Create the Roulade

Starting at one long side, carefully roll up the breast to enclose the stuffing. Place the reserved skin over the seam edge of the rolled turkey breast.

Wrap the entire breast in a double thickness of cheesecloth. Tie each end with kitchen twine. Tuck the ends under the package. Tie additional twine in three or four places down the length of the roll.

Rub the softened butter over the entire rolled turkey breast making sure to cover all surfaces.

Bake Until Golden Brown

Place the wrapped stuffed turkey breast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roulade reads 155 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes. During the resting time, the internal temperature should increase to 165 degrees.

When ready to serve, remove and discard the cheesecloth and twine. Slice crosswise into approximately 1” pieces.

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Stuffed Turkey Breast

A stuffed, rolled turkey breast filled with Italian bread, dried cranberries, shallots, celery, pine nuts, and Italian sausage. Perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving gathering.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 698kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups cubed Italian bread
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium shallot halved and thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 ribs `celery diced
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 6 ounces mild Italian sausage
• ▢ ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ⅓ cup chicken broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 3 pounds boneless turkey breast half with skin
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter softened

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Instructions

Make the Stuffing

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Slice the bread, remove the crusts, and cut the slices into cubes. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and cook until lightly toasted. Set the bread cubes aside to cool while you continue making the stuffing.
• Slice or chop the shallot and celery. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallot and celery along with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute until the shallot is translucent.
• Add the sausage into the same skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon or potato masher, until no pink remains.
• Add the cranberries, thyme, and broth. Continue cooking for an additional minute or two, scraping up any cooked bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the toasted bread and pine nuts and stir until all the bread is moistened.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Taste for salt and pepper and add a bit more if needed.
• Allow the stuffing to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

Stuff the Turkey Breast:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife and your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the breast (or ask your grocery store butcher to do it for you). Set the skin aside and save it for later. 
• Place the breast with the original skin side down on a cutting board. If necessary, butterfly the thicker areas to get an even thickness throughout.

  Pound the breast out with a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin until it is about ½” thick. Sprinkle the inside generously with salt and pepper.
• Spread the cooled stuffing over the pounded turkey breast.

  Starting at one long side, carefully roll up the breast to enclose the stuffing. Place the reserved skin over the seam edge of the rolled turkey breast.
• Wrap the entire breast in a double thickness of cheesecloth. Tie each end with kitchen twine. Tuck the ends under the package. Tie additional twine in three or four places down the length of the roll.
• Rub the softened butter over the entire rolled turkey breast making sure to cover all surfaces.
• Place the wrapped stuffed turkey breast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roulade reads 155 degrees.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes. During the resting time, the internal temperature should increase to 165 degrees.
• When ready to serve, remove and discard the cheesecloth and twine. Slice crosswise into approximately 1” pieces.

Notes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 698kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 596IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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This post was originally published on November 12, 2015.