Turkey Roulade (Stuffed Turkey Breast)

If you’re looking for a beautiful alternative to roasting a whole turkey, this Turkey Roulade (Stuffed Turkey Breast) is a great option for Thanksgiving or any holiday dinner. Made with two boneless turkey breasts, this recipe features a homemade apple cranberry cornbread stuffing with sautéed carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and classic poultry herbs. The turkey is butterflied, filled, rolled, and tied before cooking until tender and juicy, creating beautiful slices with stuffing tucked into the center.

One of the best things about making a turkey roulade is that you can prepare it ahead of time and choose how you want to cook it. Roast it in the oven over a bed of vegetables, fresh herbs, and chicken stock for a traditional holiday flavor, or cook it on the smoker with applewood or cherrywood for a subtle smoky finish. Both methods produce a flavorful stuffed turkey breast that pairs perfectly with homemade pan gravy.

Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving or preparing a smaller holiday meal, this stuffed turkey breast is a great way to serve all the flavors of a traditional turkey dinner without having to cook an entire bird.

What Is a Turkey Roulade?

A turkey roulade is a boneless turkey breast that is butterflied, flattened to an even thickness, filled with stuffing, and rolled into a log. The rolled turkey is secured with butcher’s twine before cooking so it holds its shape and keeps the filling tucked inside.

You may also hear this called a stuffed turkey breast or rolled turkey breast. Once cooked and sliced, the turkey reveals a spiral of savory stuffing in every piece, making it a beautiful presentation for Thanksgiving or a holiday dinner.

Unlike a traditional whole roasted turkey, a roulade is easier to portion and doesn’t require as much cooking time. It’s also a great way to serve the flavors of a traditional holiday meal without preparing an entire bird.

Why This Turkey Roulade Recipe Works

• Two cooking methods: Prepare the same stuffed turkey breast and choose between oven roasting or smoking, depending on your menu and equipment.
• Make-ahead friendly: Assemble, roll, and tie the turkey up to one day ahead, making holiday meal preparation easier.
• Flavorful homemade stuffing: The cornbread stuffing combines sautéed vegetables, apple, dried cranberries, and classic poultry herbs for a savory filling with a little sweetness.
• Even cooking: Butterflying and pounding the turkey to an even thickness helps create a uniform roll that cooks more consistently.
• Beautiful presentation: Rolling the turkey creates an attractive spiral of stuffing when sliced, making it an easy centerpiece for a holiday platter.
• Less cooking time: Two turkey breast roulades cook considerably faster than roasting a whole turkey.
• Homemade pan gravy: Cooking the roulades over carrots, celery, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, and chicken stock creates flavorful drippings that can be turned into gravy.
• Flexible for holiday cooking: The oven method delivers a classic roasted turkey flavor, while the smoker adds a subtle wood-fired flavor that complements the apple and cranberry stuffing.

Why Make a Turkey Roulade Instead of a Whole Turkey?

A whole turkey breast or a pair of turkey breast halves is a great pick for a smaller Thanksgiving. If you are cooking for six to ten people, you do not need a 20-pound whole bird (though if you do, you need to make this herb butter cheesecloth turkey recipe). My recipe below does make a nice-sized amount for a crowd, but you can also try this smaller rolled stuffed turkey breast that’s great for smaller families or groups.

Here is what makes the roulade a smart choice:

• Less waste. You are not buying a big carcass you will not use.
• Even cooking. No more dry breast while you wait on the legs.
• Easy carving. There are no bones. You cut the twine and slice.
• Built-in side dish. The stuffing is part of the main dish.

Ingredients You Will Need

Here is a quick look at what goes into this recipe. The full recipe with exact amounts is in the recipe card below.

For the turkey: You need two boneless turkey breast half pieces with the skin removed, about 3 to 4 pounds total. The seasoning is a simple mix of salt, a teaspoon of pepper, garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, and thyme.

For the stuffing: This is an apple cranberry cornbread stuffing. You need 1 box of cornbread stuffing mix, plus carrots, celery, onion, garlic, a small apple, and dried cranberries. For seasoning, use sage, parsley, thyme, and poultry seasoning. A little chicken stock brings it all together.

For the roasting pan: Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, a lemon, and fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage go in the pan. More chicken stock goes in with them.

For the basting butter: Melted butter, thyme, sage, and a spoonful of pan drippings.

A Few Ingredient Tips.

• Stuffing mix: Use whichever box you like best. I used cornbread stuffing mix. Box stuffing is made of small bread cubes that are fairly fine, which makes it much easier to spread and roll. Plain bread crumbs will not give you the same flavor, so stick with a seasoned stuffing mix.
• Stock: Chicken broth works in place of chicken stock. Choose low sodium so you can control the salt.

Equipment

You do not need anything fancy, but a few tools make this easier.

• Large cutting board and a sharp knife
• Meat mallet (or a rolling pin)
• Piece of plastic wrap for pounding
• Large skillet for the vegetables
• Large bowl for mixing the stuffing
• Roasting pan big enough to hold both roulades
• Butcher’s twine (just use kitchen twine if that is what you have)
• Instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer
• Aluminum foil
• Paper towels for drying the turkey and wiping up your work surface
• Two rimmed baking sheets and a wire rack (optional) if you want to make crispy skin

How to Make Turkey Roulade

Step 1: Make the Stuffing

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic for about a minute.

Toss in the cranberries and your dried herbs and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. The cranberries and spices will soften and wake up in the warm pan. Add the apple and stir for just a minute. You want it to stay a little firm.

Move everything to a large bowl. Add the box of stuffing mix. Pour in the stock a little at a time and toss until the stuffing mixture is moist but not wet. Let it cool for a few minutes so it is easy to handle.

You do not need an egg. The stuffing should hold together when you squeeze it. If it feels mushy, it has too much liquid.

Step 2: Butterfly and Pound the Turkey

Set one turkey breast on a clean work surface. Make a horizontal cut through the thickest side, using the blade of the knife to slice almost all the way through. Stop before you cut it in two.

Open it up like an open book. Cover the turkey with a piece of plastic wrap. Use the meat mallet to pound the thick spots until the meat is an even thickness. Repeat with the second breast.

A note on the skin: I removed the skin from my turkey breasts because there was not much on them. I find this recipe is easier without it. If your breast has skin, place it butterflied turkey breast skin side down and peel or trim the skin off. You can discard it, or save the reserved skin and make it crispy (see the tips below).

Step 3: Season, Fill, Roll, and Tie

Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Mix the garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, and thyme. Lightly coat all sides of each turkey breast with the blend.

Lay one breast flat. Spread a thin, even layer of stuffing across the turkey, leaving a half-inch bare around the edges so nothing squeezes out. Roll it up tight from the long side. Tie the roll with twine every couple of inches so it is fully secured.

If you have any bare spots on the outside, sprinkle on a little more seasoning. Repeat with the second turkey breast.

Make ahead: Cover the roulades and chill them overnight. The next day, let them sit out for about 20 minutes so they are closer to room temperature before cooking.

Step 4: Cook in the Oven

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Put the vegetables, lemon, and herbs in a roasting pan large enough to hold both roulades. Pour 1½ cups chicken stock in the bottom of the pan. Set the roulades right on top of the vegetables.

Mix the melted butter with thyme, sage, and a little pan drippings. Brush it all over the turkey.

Roast uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 20 to 30 minutes with the butter and pan juices. If the top gets too dark, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Add more stock if the pan starts to dry out.

Step 5: Check the Internal Temperature

Your cooking time will depend on how thick the rolls are, so always go by internal temperature. Use your instant-read thermometer and check the thickest part of the breasts. Then check the center of the roulade to make sure the stuffing hits 165°F too. Both need to reach 165°F.

Tent the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes. Cut off the twine and slice into ½ inch rounds.

Smoker Method

Want a smoky version? Heat your smoker to 275°F for indirect cooking. Use applewood or cherrywood. Set the pan up the same way and smoke the roulades for about 1½ to 2½ hours. Baste about every 30 minutes. Pull them when both the turkey and stuffing reach 165°F. Rest tented in foil for 30 minutes, then slice.

How to Make Crispy Turkey Skin (Roasting Between Two Pans)

If your turkey breasts came with skin, do not toss it. Crispy turkey skin is great as a garnish or as a snack on the side. The trick is to bake it flat between two pans so it cannot curl up.

1. Pat the skin very dry with paper towels.
2. Lay it flat in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Cover with another piece of parchment and set a second baking sheet right on top. The extra weight keeps the skin flat and helps it crisp evenly.
4. Bake at 375°F for 30 to 40 minutes. If the oven is already at 350°F for the turkey, plan on 45 to 60 minutes.
5. Check it near the end. When it is golden brown and crisp, lift off the top pan and move the skin to paper towels.
6. Let it cool, then break it into small pieces.

Pour the rendered fat from the baking sheet into a small bowl. You can use it in your gravy. If you are using a smoker, finish the skin in the oven, since the oven gives you more crunch.

How to Make Gravy from the Pan Drippings

Do not toss the brown bits and juices left in the pan. Strain the liquid and skim off about 3 tablespoons of fat. Heat the fat in a saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of strained drippings mixed with stock. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes until thick, then taste and add salt as needed. I also like to add the drippings to my Make Ahead Turkey Gravy recipe to keep planning easy!

Tips for the Best Stuffed Turkey Breast

• Spread the stuffing thin. Too much stuffing makes the roll hard to close and slow to cook.
• Tie it snug. Tight twine every couple of inches keeps the spiral neat when you slice.
• Season the outside twice. Coat the turkey before filling, then add a little more on any exposed spots after rolling.
• Trust your thermometer. This is the best way to avoid dry meat.
• Rest for 30 minutes. Tent it with foil. The juices settle, and the slices stay moist.
• Add the crunch. Scatter crispy turkey skin over the slices just before serving.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Leftovers

You can assemble the roulades up to a day ahead. Keep them covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

Store cooked turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Put it away within two hours of serving. Reheat slices in a baking dish with a splash of stock and cover with foil so they stay moist.

Made too much? Leftover stuffing and extra stuffing can be baked in a small baking dish alongside the turkey, or reheated the next day. Leftover slices make great sandwiches with my maple bourbon cranberry sauce.

What to Pair With Turkey Roulade

• Mashed potatoes or these sweet potato fritters
• A crowd favorite: smoked mac and cheese
• Italian Brussels Sprout Salad or this Fall Harvest Pasta Salad
• Sweet potato pie bars for dessert!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes To Try

Smoked Stuffing Recipe

Smoked Turkey Breast

Drum Smoker Turkey

Campagne Brine Recipe