Juicy and tender stuffed turkey breast is filled with cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and fresh herbs. Make this memorable main dish for holiday hosting or an everyday meal.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Key Ingredient Notes:
- How to make stuffed turkey breast:
- 1. Prepare the filling
- 2. Prepare the stuffed turkey breast
- 3. Mix the dry rub
- 4. Roast the turkey breast
- Keep the turkey moist
- Tips for Success:
- Make-Ahead Tips:
- Storing Tips:
- Stuffed Turket Breast FAQs:
- More Turkey Recipes:
- Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItWhy you’ll love this recipe:
If you’re only cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a few people, skip the whole roasted turkey, and prepare a stunning stuffed turkey breast instead.
It’s perfect for small gatherings, Friendsgiving, or date night at home.
- Flavor – From the creamy, savory filling to the dry herbed rub and buttery fresh herb topping, the flavor in this stuffed turkey breast is out of this world.
- Quick – A whole roast turkey can take half a day to cook. However, rolled turkey is ready to serve in just 40 minutes.
- Approachable – You don’t need to be an experienced cook to pull off this recipe. My instructions are so easy to follow, you could easily whip up stuffed turkey breast any night of the week.
For the ultimate holiday dinner, you absolutely must serve rolled turkey with brown butter mashed potatoes and honey glazed roasted carrots!
Key Ingredient Notes:
turkey breast
- Turkey breast – You’ll need a boneless, skinless turkey breast that weighs around three pounds. Bone-in turkey breast will not work, because the turkey will be butterflied and pounded thin. Look for a high-quality, fresh turkey breast that hasn’t been pre-brined or injected with any sodium solutions.
- Cream cheese – For the best flavor and texture, use a brick of cream cheese, not spreadable cream cheese from a tub.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves add robust, savory flavors.
- Spinach – Fresh spinach works well in baked recipes because it cooks down and softens into a creamy, smooth texture. Avoid frozen spinach, because it contains a substantial amount of water which would add too much moisture to the filling.
- Sundried tomatoes – These add a bold, sweet, and smokey flavor. They’re made by dehydrating regular tomatoes until they lose all their water content. This concentrates their flavor and transforms their texture from juicy and soft to chewy and meaty.
- Fresh herbs – Parsley, thyme, and rosemary complement the flavors in turkey breast and will fill your kitchen with a mouth-watering aroma!
- Kosher salt – Every well-stocked kitchen needs a container of kosher salt! I recommend keeping it on hand, but if you don’t have it, regular table salt will work as long as you reduce the salt amount by half.
dry rub
- Olive oil – Use this to lock in moisture in the turkey breast, evenly distribute the dry rub, and create a beautiful crust on the outside of the breast.
- Spices – Garlic powder and smoked paprika add a little bit of a kick.
butter herb topping
- Unsalted butter – This helps the fresh herbs stick to the meat, adds rich and savory flavors, and keeps the roast nice and juicy while it rests.
- Fresh herbs – Additional rosemary, thyme, and parsley get brushed onto the outside of the turkey breast after it’s finished cooking, adding even more fresh, herby flavors.
How to make stuffed turkey breast:
Before you get started, preheat your oven to 400°F.
1. Prepare the filling
- Combine the cream cheese, garlic, spinach, sundried tomatoes, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
2. Prepare the stuffed turkey breast
- Butterfly the turkey breast. Use a sharp knife to cut the thickest part of the turkey breast in half, opening up the breast like a book, without cutting all the way through.
- Pound the turkey. Place the butterflied breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Then, pound it out to about ¼-inch thickness. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap only.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pounded turkey, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges free from the mixture.
- Roll the turkey. Starting from the long side, gently but firmly roll the stuffed turkey breast, using the bottom layer of the plastic wrap to assist with rolling.
- Secure the rolled turkey breast with toothpicks or baker’s twine, and transfer it to a large baking dish.
3. Mix the dry rub
- Combine the garlic powder, smoked paprika, rosemary, and salt in a small bowl.
- Brush the olive oil onto all sides of the rolled turkey.
- Rub the dry mix into the turkey breast, making sure to cover every nook and cranny.
4. Roast the turkey breast
- Transfer the stuffed turkey breast to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until the thickest part of the turkey breast has reached at least 160°F. Depending on the size of your turkey, you may need more or less cooking time.
- Broil the turkey for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside.
- Remove the cooked turkey from the oven, and tent it with a piece of foil, allowing it to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Keep the turkey moist
If your turkey begins to brown too quickly, cover the dish with foil, and continue baking until the turkey is cooked through.
4. Make the butter herb topping
- Stir the melted butter and fresh herbs together in a small bowl.
- Brush the butter-herb mixture over top of the stuffed turkey breast.
- Remove the toothpicks or baker’s twine, cut the stuffed turkey breast into thin slices, and enjoy!
Tips for Success:
- Aim for an even thickness when butterflying and pounding the turkey breast. This ensures the stuffed turkey will cook evenly throughout.
- Allow the cooked turkey to rest before slicing into it. Resting redistributes the juices, making for a more juicy and tender roast.
- Don’t overstuff the turkey breast. You don’t want the cheesy filling oozing out the sides! If your turkey breast is smaller than three pounds, you might have extra filling left over.
- Cover the turkey loosely with foil if you think the turkey is browning too quickly. This will allow it to bake fully without drying out.
- Dry the outside of the turkey breast with paper towels before adding the olive oil and herbs. The oil won’t stick if the outside of the breast has too much moisture on it.
Make-Ahead Tips:
An impressive presentation and a quick cooking time should be reason enough to make this recipe. The fact that it can be prepared ahead of time… well that’s just an added bonus!
- Butterfly and pound the turkey breast, make the filling and spread it on the turkey.
- Cover the turkey in dry rub. Then, roll it up, and seal it shut with twine or toothpicks.
- Wrap the rolled turkey breast tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Storing Tips:
- Store leftover stuffed turkey breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheating turkey breast stuffed with cheese can be tricky because it’s possible that the cheesy filling will melt out the sides as it’s warming up. For the best results, reheat individual slices in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. A low and slow warm-up is best!
Stuffed Turket Breast FAQs:
Should turkey breast be covered or uncovered when roasting?
It depends on the recipe. If you’re roasting a large, bone-in turkey breast that might dry out, you can cover it with foil for a portion of the cooking time. Foil traps the steam, which will help keep the turkey moist and juicy. If you’re making a small, boneless turkey breast that will cook quickly, foil probably won’t be necessary.
What is a turkey roulade?
A turkey roulade is made by wrapping fresh turkey breast around a filling mixture, and roasting it in the oven until it’s cooked through. Turkey roulade can be stuffed with traditional sausage and bread stuffing, creamy cheese mixtures, or a breadcrumb filling.
Can you freeze stuffed turkey breast?
Yes, rolled turkey breast can be frozen raw or cooked. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or cooking.
More Turkey Recipes:
Stuffed Turkey Breast
Juicy and tender stuffed turkey breast is filled with cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and fresh herbs. Make this memorable main dish for holiday hosting or an everyday meal.
Ingredients
Turkey breast
- 3 pound turkey breast butterflied and pounded out to ¼-inch thick
- 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese softened
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup spinach finely chopped
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon rosemary finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Dry rub
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Butter and herb topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Prep the turkey breast
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°F).
- Butterfly the turkey breast in half without cutting it all the way through. Put the turkey between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top plastic wrap, but keep the bottom one, to help with rolling the turkey breast once stuffed.3 pound turkey breast
- In a bowl combine cream cheese, garlic, sundried tomatoes, spinach, salt, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Mix well to combine.8 ounces cream cheese, 3 cloves garlic, ½ cup spinach, ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon parsley
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pounded-out turkey, leaving about ½ inch around the edges uncovered.
- Using the plastic wrap, gently, but firmly roll the turkey from one long side toward the other. Secure with toothpicks to keep it rolled or tie with bakers’ twine and place in a baking dish.
Make the rub
- In a small bowl add garlic powder, smoked paprika, rosemary and salt, mix to combine. Brush on the olive oil all the sides of the turkey then rub the mix all over the sides of the turkey wrap.1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Place the stuffed turkey breast in the oven for 15-25 minutes to bake. (Note: If your turkey is smaller or larger than 3 pounds, you may need more or less time.
- Once the temperature reaches 160 F degrees when the thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the turkey, switch to broil and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until browned on the outside.
- Tent the cooked turkey breast with a piece of foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Make the butter and herb topping
- Stir together melted butter and fresh herbs and brush over the top. Remember to remove the bakers’ twine or toothpicks before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes or your favorite side and enjoy!2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Tips & Notes
Note 1: Make sure to use boneless turkey breast!
Note 2: I recommend using a brick of plain, full-fat cream cheese for the best taste and texture. Cream cheese from a tub won’t work well.
Storing Tips:
– To make ahead, assemble to turkey breast, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake as usual when you’re ready to eat!
– Store leftover stuffed turkey breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
– Reheat individual slices in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. A low and slow warm-up is best!
– To make ahead, assemble to turkey breast, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake as usual when you’re ready to eat!
– Store leftover stuffed turkey breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
– Reheat individual slices in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. A low and slow warm-up is best!
Nutrition
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 650kcal
Carbohydrates: 9g
Protein: 78g
Fat: 35g
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 1764mg
Did you make this?Share a comment or a review below!
