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Home » Food » Main Dishes » Stuffed Turkey Breast

Stuffed Turkey Breast

By Lana Stuart · Published: Nov 9, 2020 · Last Modified: Nov 5, 2020 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray; text overlay for pinning.
Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray; text overlay for pinning.
Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray; text overlay for pinning.
Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray; text overlay for pinning.
Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray; text overlay for pinning.

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.

Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray.

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

A loaf of Italian bread cut into cubes on a cutting board.

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.

Photo collage showing chopped shallot and celery on the left and the same cooking in a skillet on the right.

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.

Italian sausage added to the skillet with shallot and celery.

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

Cranberries, thyme, and broth added into the skillet with the sausage and vegetables.

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.

Toasted bread added to sausage mixture in skillet.

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

Fresh parsley added into the skillet with the sausage-bread stuffing mixture.

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.

Photo collage showing how to remove the skin from the turkey breast.

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.

Turkey breast with stuffed mounded on top.

Spread the cooled stuffing over the pounded turkey breast.

Rolled turkey breast with skin over the top.

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.

Photo collage showing the rolled, stuffed turkey breast covered with cheesecloth and coated with softened butter.

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

Cooked stuffed turkey breast on a baking sheet.

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.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Oven Roasted Turkey with Gravy
  • Pork Loin Stuffed with Prunes and Apricots
  • Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese
  • Baked Fruit
  • Copper Pennies
  • Apple Cranberry Salad
  • Cranberry Orange Relish

Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipes Curated for You

  • Rolled Turkey Breast with Cranberry Couscous Stuffing from Fig & Cherry
  • Stuffed Roast Turkey Breast from Simply Recipes
  • Holiday Stuffed Turkey Breast Roulade from Eating Richly
  • Stuffed Turkey Breast from Juls' Kitchen

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Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray; text overlay for pinning.

Have you tried this recipe? I'd love for you to give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or in the comments section further down.

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Sliced stuffed turkey breast on a serving tray.

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: 697kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cubed Italian bread
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 oz. mild Italian sausage
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ⅓ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 lb boneless turkey breast half with skin
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 tbsp 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: 697kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 528mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 41mg | 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.

About Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chef Mimi says

    November 09, 2020 at 8:33 am

    This is beautiful! I love the stuffing, and all sliced up the turkey makes such a nice presentation.

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 09, 2020 at 10:45 am

      Thanks Mimi! I think it's perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner.

      Reply
  2. Miss P says

    November 17, 2015 at 4:48 pm

    Wow! What an impressive presentation. That will certainly be the most striking dish on the table. Tasting wonderful to boot is not a bad deal at all.

    Miss P

    Reply
  3. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

    November 15, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    This looks absolutely gorgeous and I've not doubt it tastes as good as it looks!

    Reply
  4. Meseidy Rivera says

    November 15, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    This look beautiful and delicous!

    Reply
  5. the food hunter says

    November 15, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    Love love love this recipe.

    Reply
  6. Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says

    November 13, 2015 at 6:01 pm

    This is a fabulous idea - especially for those of us having a smaller Thanksgiving. I am definitely inspired to give this recipe a try!

    Reply
  7. [email protected] Mom says

    November 13, 2015 at 4:26 pm

    I much prefer a stuffed turkey breast over a whole cooked turkey any day! This looks fantastic!

    Reply
  8. Liz says

    November 13, 2015 at 8:21 am

    I'd be in deep trouble if I didn't roast a huge bird for Thanksgiving, however, your recipe would be marvelous for the rest of the year! Such a gorgeous presentation!!!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 13, 2015 at 1:04 pm

      I agree, Liz, and it would be nice for a small Thanksgiving dinner.

      Reply
  9. Paula - bell'alimento says

    November 12, 2015 at 10:51 pm

    Lana this looks lovely! I love the stuffing mixture!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 13, 2015 at 1:03 pm

      Thanks, Paula! Actually, I could just eat that stuffing right by itself.

      Reply
  10. Liz says

    November 12, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Nice recipe. Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 12, 2015 at 10:49 pm

      You're welcome, Liz!

      Reply

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Lana Stuart, author of Never Enough Thyme

Hi! I'm Lana Stuart, the cook, writer, and founder of Never Enough Thyme. I've been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 so I could share my delicious home cooking recipes with all of you. You'll find almost 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Me →

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