This stuffed turkey breast creates a stunning holiday centerpiece when you don’t want to roast a whole bird. It’s filled with sautéed spinach, apples, garlic, and creamy Gorgonzola for a beautiful spiral of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors!
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Why You’ll Love My Stuffed Turkey Breast
- It makes for a beautiful holiday dinner. And one that looks extra fancy and impressive when sliced.
- I’ve kept the crispy, golden skin. While many stuffed turkey breast recipes use skinless turkey breast, I replace the turkey skin after stuffing and before roasting. This locks in the moisture and it crisps up beautifully in the oven!
- The filling is amazingly delicious. My combination of spinach, apples, garlic, and Gorgonzola creates a filling that’s balanced, savory-sweet, and full of flavor.
- It’s perfect for small gatherings. This stuffed turkey breast let’s you enjoy all the deliciousness of turkey without roasting an entire bird.
This stuffed turkey breast has become one of my favorite ways to serve turkey when I have a smaller crowd. It has all of the flavors of my traditional roast turkey (especially if you love turkey breast meat), but it’s quicker to prepare and gives you that beautiful spiral of filling in every slice.
I tested several different filling options but this blend of sautéed spinach, crisp apples, diced shallot, garlic, and Gorgonzola was by far my favorite (fun fact: It’s also the flavor that Whole Foods catering serves up for the holidays). So yes, I just made a Whole Foods dupe! The apples add moisture and sweetness, the spinach keeps everything fresh and savory, and the blue cheese adds that tang that feels elevated.
But my favorite part is the crispy skin on top! So many recipes remove the skin, but I think the golden turkey skin is the best part. The skin also helps to keep the turkey meat extra moist and juicy. And that’s exactly what I want when I’m serving up an intimate Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner with friends and family!
Stuffed Turkey Breast Ingredients
- Turkey breast: Look for a boneless turkey breast with the skin still attached. You can of course make this same recipe without the skin, I just personally think it’s better with the skin. 😉
- Baby spinach: The spinach wilts down quickly and adds a pop of freshness and bright green color to the filling. Feel free to swap in kale or chard as well.
- Apple: Choose a crisp, sweet-tart apple like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Fuji. And there’s no need to peel it, just core it and dice it up.
- Gorgonzola: The creamy Gorgonzola blends into the filling and provides a bold, tangy flavor that pairs wonderfully with the turkey and apples. You could always swap in goat cheese or Boursin if you’re not a fan of blue cheese.
- Shallot and garlic: These add delicate sweet and savory flavor to the filling.
How to Make Stuffed Turkey Breast
Step 1: Remove the skin and butterfly the turkey. Carefully slide your fingers between the turkey skin and meat, gently separating the skin while keeping it in one large piece. Set the skin aside. Place the turkey breast on a cutting board and holding a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, slice horizontally through the thickest portion of the breast (starting at the middle and slicing toward the edge), stopping about an inch from the opposite edge. Open the turkey like a book, then cover it with plastic wrap and gently pound it to an even ½-inch thickness.
Step 2: Cook the shallot and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 3: Add the apple and spinach. Add the diced apple and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until just wilted and all liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Step 4: Stir in the cheese and seasoning. Once the filling mixture has cooled, add the gorgonzola, salt, and pepper, and stir together.
Lisa’s filling tip: Make sure to let the filling cool completely before adding the cheese. You don’t want it melting prematurely if it’s mixed with warm filling, before stuffing the turkey.
Step 5: Fill the turkey. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the inside of the butterflied turkey lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the filling evenly over the turkey, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges.
Step 6: Roll and tie. Starting at one long edge, tightly roll the turkey into a log. Lay the turkey skin over the top of the roulade, wrapping it around as much of the turkey as possible, and secure with kitchen twine at 2-inch intervals. Brush the outside of the turkey with one tablespoon of olive oil and season evenly with the remaining salt and pepper.
Lisa’s twine tip: Try not to be overly aggressive with tying the twine. You don’t want it to cut into the meat as it cooks. So keep it snug, but not too tight.
Step 7: Roast. Place the stuffed turkey breast in a baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 55 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 155°F (68°C). If you’d like the skin extra crispy, you can turn on the top broiler in the last minute or two of cooking. I usually do that!
Step 8: Rest and slice. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. While resting, it should increase in temperature to 165°F (74°C). Remove the kitchen twine, slice into ½-inch rounds, and serve!
Storage and Reheating
- To store: If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To reheat: You can microwave individual portions for the fastest option or you can place slices in a baking dish with a splash of chicken broth or water, cover with foil, and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through. The latter method helps the meat stay extra moist!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but in my opinion, the skin adds flavor, helps to keep the meat moist, and creates a beautifully golden exterior. If you’d prefer to go skinless, just brush the outside generously with olive oil or butter before roasting.
Absolutely! And who doesn’t love time savings during the holidays? Just prepare the filling up to one day ahead and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the turkey.
Yes. You can use feta, Gruyere or fontina for a milder, melty cheese. If you’re looking to make this dairy-free you can swap in your favorite dairy-free blue-cheese alternative or omit the cheese altogether and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of toasted walnuts or pecans.
Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Serve Alongside
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Perfectly fluffy and creamy.
- Honey Glazed Carrots: So sweet and easy on a sheet pan.
- Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts: My personal favorite!
- Creamed Corn: A holiday classic on the dinner table.
If you try my stuffed turkey breast recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below. Your review helps others in the community!
Description
Ingredients
For the turkey
- 1 (2 ½-pound) boneless turkey breast
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the filling
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely diced (about ¼ cup diced)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 apple, cored and small diced (about a heaping 1 cup diced)
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the skin and butterfly the turkey. Carefully slide your fingers between the turkey skin and meat, gently separating the skin while keeping it in one large piece. Set the skin aside. Place the turkey breast on a cutting board and holding a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, slice horizontally through the thickest portion of the breast (starting at the middle and slicing toward the edge), stopping about an inch from the opposite edge. Open the turkey like a book, then cover it with plastic wrap and gently pound it to an even ½-inch thickness.
- Cook the shallot and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the apple and spinach. Add the diced apple and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until just wilted and all liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Stir in the cheese and seasoning. Once the filling mixture has cooled, add the gorgonzola, salt, and pepper, and stir together.
- Fill the turkey. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the inside of the butterflied turkey lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the filling evenly over the turkey, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges.
- Roll and tie. Starting at one long edge, tightly roll the turkey into a log. Lay the turkey skin over the top of the roulade, wrapping it around as much of the turkey as possible, and secure with kitchen twine at 2-inch intervals. Brush the outside of the turkey with one tablespoon of olive oil and season evenly with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Roast. Place the stuffed turkey breast in a baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 55 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 155°F (68°C). If you'd like the skin extra crispy, you can turn on the top broiler in the last minute or two of cooking.
- Rest and slice. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. While resting, it should increase in temperature to 165°F (74°C). Remove the kitchen twine, slice into ½-inch rounds, and serve.
Lisa’s Tips
- The key to this recipe is to NOT overcook the turkey. So many recipe say to cook the turkey to 165°F, but you will end up with dry turkey breast meat if it reaches that temperature while it’s still in the oven. So make sure to remove it when it reaches 155°F, and let the carry-over cooking while resting increase it those last few degrees.
- Regarding cook time. This recipe is quite flexible based on turkey breast size, so if you have a smaller turkey breast, just reduce the cook time. And if you have a larger one, increase the cook time. But as always, it’s best to use an instant-read thermometer and judge doneness based on temperature rather than time.
- If you make the filling a day ahead. It’s always best to let it come to room temperature before adding it to the turkey and rolling. Otherwise, you’ll have cold filling in the center of the turkey which may slow the internal cook time.
Nutrition
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