Herb Crusted Turkey Breast
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Fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley & bay leaves are rubbed on this boneless herb crusted turkey breast for a beautiful & easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe!
This post has the greatest time-lag in the history of the blog.
This is actually the turkey breast that I made for THANKSGIVING, but I got so busy during the month of December that I never posted the recipe!
It was so amazingly delicious though that I couldn’t sit by and not share it with you all!
Even though this was my Thanksgiving turkey, this could easily be made for dinner any time of the year!
Potato and Celery Root Mash Topped with Roasted Sunchokes or Rosemary Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes would be a great accompaniment to this main dish!
The dish was originally adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe and was chosen because of its limited cook and prep time! An hour out the door and you’ve got a delicious roasted turkey breast!
Herb Crusted Turkey Breast Ingredients
- 3 lb turkey breast
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 1 lemon
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- 6 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
Herb Crusted Turkey Breast Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a pan with foil or oil a roasting pan.
Place the turkey in the pan and slide one sage leaves, bay leaf and rosemary sprig under the skin of the turkey, place another sage leaf, bay leaf and rosemary sprig under the breast.
The heat will rise through the pan and release the flavors of the herbs up into the turkey breast.
Next, place the onion and lemon zest into a food processor and chop. Then add 2 sage leaves, the parsley, olive oil and salt to the mixture.
Pulse until the mixture becomes a paste.
Next, rub half of the paste mixture under the skin of the turkey breast and the other half on top and around the sides of the breast.
Looks messy, but comes out delicious!!
Now place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the breast and baste with an additional 3 tbsp of olive oil. Place back inside the oven and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer placed inside the thickest part of the breast registers at 170°.
Transfer the breast to a cutting board for carving. Let rest for 10-15 minutes then carve into slices.
This turkey was the perfect main dish for my Thanksgiving feast with friends!
There’s the turkey, in the righthand corner, about to be dominated by a hungry pack of pretty girls!! I love this picture because Gabby looks like she totally just got caught taking all the cranberry sauce!!
I would imagine this turkey would make great leftover sandwiches but I can’t tell you first hand because after these girls got a hold of it, there was nothing leftover!
Herb Crusted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless, skin-on turkey breast
- 4 fresh sage leaves, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a pan with foil or oil a roasting pan.
- Place the turkey in the pan and slide one sage leaf, bay leaf and rosemary sprig under the skin of the turkey, place another sage leaf, bay leaf and rosemary sprig under the breast.
- Place the onion and lemon zest into a food processor and pulse.
- Add 2 sage leaves, parsley, olive oil and salt to the mixture.
- Pulse until the mixture becomes a paste.
- Rub half of the paste mixture under the skin of the turkey breast and the other half on top and around the sides of the breast.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the breast and baste with an additional 3 tbsp of olive oil.
- Place back inside the oven and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer placed inside the thickest part of the breast registers at 170°F.
- Transfer the breast to a cutting board for carving.
- Let rest for 10-15 minutes then carve into slices.
Nutrition Facts
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17 Comments on “Herb Crusted Turkey Breast”
Looking through the comments, I realize that I have never formally thanked you for this recipe. I have made it about 20 times in the last year or so since finding it. It is terrific. I make it and slice it up for my work lunches, plain or as a sandwich. We will sometimes use it for a dinner entree as well. I made it for the two of us when we ran off to Napa for Thanksgiving last year. It’s so easy to do any time. I can only add that you must have a top quality turkey breast. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter how good the recipe is.
Thank you for this.
Is there a way to print out the recipe and instructions without all of the pictures? I can’t seem to locate a Print icon.
Hi Abby, I’ve added a recipe box to the bottom where you’ll be able to print the recipe! Enjoy 🙂
Thanks so much! I cannot wait to try it on Thursday. I bought a turkey breast that is almost 8 pounds, so I assume it will be OK to just double all of your ingredients.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Could you do this in the crockpot ? And if so directions please ! 🙂
Hi Natasha, I have not tried it, but I’m sure it would work. I would give it all day to roast on low or a couple hours on high. Use a meat thermometer to make sure it’s cooked through!
Whitney, those sweet potatoes with the gooey topping pictured on the table look AMAZING! Do you have the recipe for those posted anywhere?
Kat, that recipe actually came from my boy Tyler Florence: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/stuffed-sweet-potatoes-with-pecan-and-marshmallow-streusel-recipe/index.html
Almost makes me wish it was Thanksgiving! Though I wouldn’t skip the warm days coming for anything . . .
That’s the great thing about this recipe, you could make it for dinner anytime of the year!!