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Learn how to cook a boneless turkey breast (aka turkey breast roast) with this tasty and easy recipe. Take it to the next level with our aromatic lemon herb gravy (recipe included).
Featured with this recipe
- Benefits of a Boneless Turkey Breast
- Ingredients for Turkey Breast Roast
- Citrus Herb Turkey Rub
- How Long to Cook a Boneless Turkey Breast
- Lemon Herb Gravy Ingredients
- Tips and Variations for the Best Turkey Breast Roast
- Favorite Side Dishes for a Turkey Roast
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Leftover Turkey Recipes
- How to Cook a Boneless Turkey Breast
- Boneless Turkey Breast Roast Recipe
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you all. A boneless turkey roast is a fantastic meal that is both flavorful and easy to make. It is the perfect size for a smaller gathering if you don’t want to cook a full turkey. Plus, it’s a healthy option as well, especially when you follow this recipe! All the ingredients are on the healthier side to begin with but still have all the flavor!
The herb blend used for this turkey breast recipe is so fresh and delicious! It adds so much flavor, you don’t even NEED gravy. However, if you are looking for a lighter gravy to put on your mashed potatoes, the Lemon Rosemary Gravy in the recipe below is a hit! The slight citrus flavor along with the fresh herbs gives it such a bright, wonderful flavor, sans calories. This is nice to make for Sunday dinners or special occasions. Cooking this boneless turkey breast is a simple and delicious protein every time!
Benefits of a Boneless Turkey Breast
Cooking a boneless turkey breast instead of a whole turkey has its advantages. First of all, it’s much faster to cook, which is great when you’re short on time or serving a smaller family. Plus, it’s way easier to handle and carve than a whole turkey, which can be tricky to deal with if you’ve never done it before. You also don’t have to worry about bones and all the extra stuff that comes with carving, which makes cleaning up a breeze. And here’s a fun fact: Turkey breast has fewer calories than chicken breast, so it’s a smart choice for a lighter Thanksgiving dinner or even a healthy Sunday meal.
Ingredients for Turkey Breast Roast
The ingredients are simple and so easy to create the best, juicy turkey breast roast cooked in the oven. With just a few ingredients, this roasted turkey will be your go-to dinner for any occasion!
- Boneless Turkey Breast – Also known as a turkey breast roast. Usually comes packaged in a bag or as a roast form tied together with butcher’s twine. Be sure to thaw your turkey breast completely and pat it dry with paper towels so you can add your own seasonings.
- Grapeseed oil – A neutral flavored oil that will cling onto the herbs and give the turkey breast a nice crispy outside layer. You can also use vegetable oil, canola oil, or even butter.
- Celery, onion, and carrots (optional) – Cut all the vegetables the same size to help them cook evenly.
Citrus Herb Turkey Rub
This citrus-y herb rub is the perfect mixture. Mix together the ingredients into a small bowl and add the mixture to the recipe when ready. You will love the flavor combination!
- Thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic – Fresh or dried herbs chopped up in small amounts.
- Lemon and orange zest – Add a fresh, fruity flavor and texture to the blend
- Grapeseed oil – Add this to the herb blend to help keep it moist.
How Long to Cook a Boneless Turkey Breast
When you’re cooking a boneless turkey breast, a general guideline is to go for about 30 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F. To help you out, we’ve put together a quick reference guide to give you an idea of how long to cook your boneless turkey breast. However, remember that these times are just recommendations. For the most accurate results, always use a meat thermometer. Stick it into the thickest part of the turkey roast and make sure it reaches 165 degrees F to ensure it’s done perfectly.
- 1 ½ pounds = 45 minutes
- 2 pounds = 1 hour
- 3 pounds = 1 ½ hours
- 4 pounds = 2 hours
- 5 pounds = 2 ½ hours
- 6 pounds = 3 hours
Lemon Herb Gravy Ingredients
This is an extra special gravy that is simple to make and will add to the turkey breast dinner. The gravy is filled with herbs, turkey broth leftovers, and tender vegetables. This combination will make you want to have leftover gravy all year long!
- Turkey broth – Once the turkey is cooked, take the pan drippings from the baking dish and supplement with turkey broth to make 3 cups of broth for the gravy.
- Onion, carrot, celery – Use the vegetables
- Rosemary and garlic cloves – Fresh herbs are best!
- Fresh lemon juice – The juice from fresh lemons brings all the flavors together.
- Sherry vinegar – Rich and bright flavoring that is slightly sweet.
- Cornstarch – Make a thickening slurry with cornstarch and water whisked together. If you don’t have cornstarch, flour will work in place of it.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – to taste
Tips and Variations for the Best Turkey Breast Roast
There are so many variations and ways to roast turkey breast in the oven. The best way is following the recipe; however, we always need to substitute or help with how to do each step. Here are some great tips and variations to get you through cooking your turkey breast in the oven.
- Turkey – Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel before adding the herbs.
- Oil – If you are wanting a more nutty flavor your can use olive oil.
- Herbs – Fresh or dried herbs will work for this recipe. Fresh herbs seem to have more flavor, taste, and smell to them compared to dried herbs.
- Let it rest – Remove the breast from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into the meat. This will help seal in all the juices before slicing it.
- Cutting a turkey breast – Cutting a boneless turkey breast – First place turkey breast on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice against the grain with long slices.
Favorite Side Dishes for a Turkey Roast
Make this a complete meal with all the favorite sides for special occasions. These easy sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls are always a favorite around the table. Here are some more great turkey side dish ideas:
Frequently Asked Questions
Actually both! To begin, you will cook your turkey breast covered with aluminum foil. Once the cooking is almost done, uncover for the last 10 minutes. This will give the breast a nice crisp layer on the outside, and tender and juicy white and dark meat on the inside.
It depends on how big your turkey breast is to begin with. It is usually known that cooking time is based on how many pounds of turkey per 30 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are cooking a bone-in turkey breast, it is typically 20 minutes per pound.
For the best, even roasting, roast a turkey at 325-degrees F until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast.
Often, people think that liquid is required at the bottom of the pan, but it does not need to be with this recipe. There is enough liquid and juices for the turkey to stay moist, tender, and juicy throughout the cooking process.
Leftover Turkey Recipes
A boneless turkey breast is usually meant for a smaller crowd and typically doesn’t yield much leftovers, but you never know! Leftover turkey stays good for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge so you will have lots of time to use it up! If you find that you have some leftover turkey on hand, give one of these turkey leftover recipes a try:
How to Cook a Boneless Turkey Breast
Boneless Turkey Breast Roast
Equipment
- Roasting pan
Ingredients
For the Turkey:
Herb Mixture:
- 1 Tablespoon thyme chopped
- 1 Tablespoon rosemary chopped
- 1 Tablespoon sage chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
For the Gravy:
- 3 cups turkey broth (use drippings from the turkey and vegetables in the roasting pan first, then supplement with turkey broth to reach the full 3 cups)
- 1 cup roasted onion, carrot, and celery (*from the roasting pan, finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
For the Turkey:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat oil in a large sauté pan to high heat and sear the turkey breast on each side.
- In a roasting pan, add the carrots, celery, and onion to the bottom of the pan; add the turkey on top of the vegetables. The vegetables are a flavorful way of keeping the turkey roast off the bottom of the pan. A roasting rack can also be used.
- Cover pan with foil and roast turkey for 30 minutes per pound of turkey or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.
- 10 minutes before the turkey is done rub the turkey with the herb mixture and roast, uncovered.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before you carve it.
Herb Mixture:
- Chop all the herbs and mix together in a small bowl.
For the Gravy:
- In a pot, heat liquid to a simmer. Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
- Make the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water together, then whisk into the gravy to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Blend the gravy using a blender or immersion blender. Serve hot.
Notes
Tips for this recipe:
- *You can leave the cooked vegetables out of the gravy if you prefer and add another cup of turkey broth.
- Resting turkey breast – Remove the breast from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into the meat. This will help seal in all the juices before slicing it.
- Cutting a boneless turkey breast – First place turkey breast on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice against the grain with long slices.
I LOVE LEMON. WILL MAKE THIS FOR MY CHRISTMAS DINNER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES.