This year, for the holidays, make this delicious Turkey Roulade with Sausage Stuffing! The turkey breast is brined overnight to keep it moist, and the sausage and herb stuffing is easy to make and so delicious!
Just like last year, I am skipping the big turkey thing. Last year, I roasted a turkey breast with orange glaze, and the year before I made a cranberry orange ham. Roasting a whole turkey can sometimes be overwhelming, so I always prefer to make something smaller like this delicious turkey roulade with sausage stuffing! It is SO GOOD!
It’s really easy and delicious! Plus, making this the turkey roulade takes only a little bit over 1 hour to cook in the oven. So much easier and faster.
Another great thing about this turkey roulade is that most things can be prepared the day before. On the day of, all you have to do is assemble and bake. Keep reading to learn more about my make-ahead plan that will turn Thanksgiving dinner into a breeze!
Make Ahead Plan
I love prep-ahead recipes, especially when it’s for the holidays. It’s already overwhelming to even make the side dishes, so an easy turkey main dish is always a great idea. Here is my prep-ahead plan for this turkey roulade:
The day before:
- Make the sausage and herb stuffing.
- Make the brine and brine the turkey breast.
The day of:
- Butterfly the turkey breast and pound it to ½ inch thick throughout.
- Spread the prepared stuffing over the turkey, leaving ¼ inch borders around.
- Roll it up as tightly as possible, and tie with kitchen twine.
- Brush the assembled turkey roulade with melted butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake! It should take about 65 to 75 minutes in the oven at 375 degrees F.
Brine the Turkey Breast
For this turkey roulade recipe, I’d highly recommend brining the turkey breast overnight. Turkey breast meat is very lean, so it tends to dry out very easily in the oven.
Dry and tough turkey is a no-no for me. Brining a turkey breast doesn’t take much. It has to be done in advance anyway, so it actually works out great if you are prepping ahead.
Brine the turkey breast for about 8 hours, and no more than 14 hours. Over-brining will turn the meat a bit too salty.
How to Butterfly a Turkey Breast
Butterflying a turkey breast is actually quite easy. They key is to get a boneless turkey breast if you can because deboning uncooked poultry is quite tedious. Most boneless breasts are about 3 to 4 pounds.
Here’s how to butterfly a boneless turkey breast:
- Slice through the middle of the turkey, lengthwise, but don’t slice all the way through. Stop at about 1 inch before reaching the other end with your knife.
- Open the turkey breast like a “book.”
- Flatten the turkey to 1/2 inch thick evenly with a meat mallet. Put plastic wrap over it as your pound the meat for safety.
Note: Do NOT get the “boneless turkey breast roast.” Sometimes, those don’t include entire or whole turkey breast pieces. Get actual “boneless turkey breast.”
The Sausage and Herb Stuffing
I love this homemade sausage and herb stuffing so much! It’s very tasty and easy to make. It is also perfect for the turkey roulade because it doesn’t have any big chunks of bread, making it easier to roll and assemble.
It’s a super easy and quick stuffing recipe because I actually take a shortcut: I use boxed stuffing for the base! Yes, really! But it is really delicious because it also has Italian sausage, apples, fresh herbs, and other amazing ingredients. So it’s not just boxed stuffing mix.
Here’s what’s in the sausage stuffing:
- Unsalted butter
- Celery, onions and garlic
- Fresh Honeycrisp apple
- Italian sausage
- Fresh herbs: Italian parsley, thyme, rosemary
- Stuffing mix (boxed)
- Chicken or vegetable broth
Assembling the Turkey Roulade
To assemble and bake the turkey roulade, make sure you have kitchen twine and a large cutting board or sheet pan to lay the turkey breast.
Here are the basic steps for assembling the turkey roulade:
- Butterfly the turkey breast and pound it to ½ inch thick evenly.
- Spread the prepared sausage stuffing evenly on top of the turkey breast, leaving about a ¼ inch border.
- Starting from the short end, roll it up as tightly as possible without squeezing the filling out.
- Tie the turkey roll with kitchen twine. I used 5 strands of kitchen twine.
- Brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for about 65-75 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Remember to let it rest for about 15 minutes after it’s out of the oven. Cut out the kitchen twine and discard. Then slice it and serve. Yummy!
It serves about 6 people. If you need to feed more people, simply make 2 turkey rolls.
This turkey roulade serves about 6 people. It can easily be multiplied. Just get another boneless turkey breast and double the stuffing ingredients. This way, you can make 2 turkey roulades. Baking time will not change.
This is a great make-ahead recipe because many of the components can be prepared the day before. In fact, the brine has to be done the night before so the turkey can brine for 8 hours or so.
My favorite side dishes:
- Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin
- Cauliflower Gratin
- Cornbread Stuffing (recipe coming soon!)
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Mascarpone
- Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash Salad
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Phew, that was a lot to take it! The recipe can be found in the recipe card below, with detailed instructions and tips. Happy cooking, and happy holidays!
Tips for Success
- Prep ahead: The stuffing can be made and refrigerated the day before. The brining needs to be done at least 8 hours in advance. The day of, you just need to butterfly the turkey breast, assemble it, and bake. These steps will save you a lot of time (and stress!).
- Brine the turkey breast so you get moist turkey. Brining should be done at least 8 hours in advance.
- If you want to serve more than 4-6 people, simply make however many turkey roulades you need. You don’t need to double the cooking time, of course.
Turkey Roulade with Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
Turkey
- 3 pounds boneless turkey breast, skin off - (See note)
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted - (for brushing)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- A few grinds of black pepper
Brine for the Turkey
- 4 cups very cold water, divided
- ¼ cup Kosher salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 cups ice cubes
Sausage Stuffing
- ½ pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 1 small honeycrisp apple, peeled and small diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 6 oz boxed stuffing mix - (classic or herbs)
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth - (plus more as needed)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
The day before, brine the turkey breast
- Pour 3 cups of very cold water into a large pot or container that fits in your fridge. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup of the water with the ¼ cup Kosher salt, ¼ cup brown sugar, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 sprig rosemary, and 3 sprigs of thyme. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes until dissolved. Add this brine "concentrate" to the pot or container with the 3 cups of very cold water and add the ice cubes. The brine should be cold. If not, refrigerate until it is.
- Add the turkey breast to the brine. Use something heavy to weigh it down so it stays submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Note: Don’t brine it for more than 15 hours or it will turn very salty.
Make the stuffing, preferably the day before
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until fully cooked and browned, breaking it apart like crumbles. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- On the same skillet over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter, and cook the onions, celery, and apples until softened, stirring. Add the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Return the cooked sausage to the pan.
- Add the stuffing mix and chopped parsley, and mix. Gradually stir in the broth until moistened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be moist. If it is dry, add more broth. Note: If you're making it ahead, store the stuffing in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Make the turkey roulade
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut about 5 to 6 long strands of kitchen twine. Set aside.
- Remove the turkey from the brine. Pat it dry thoroughly.
- Butterfly the turkey: Slice through the middle of the turkey breast, lengthwise from the longer side, but don't slice all the way through. Stop at about 1 inch before reaching the other end with your knife. Open the turkey breast like a “book”. Evenly pound it to about 1/2 inch thick. Tip: cover with plastic wrap so the turkey juices don’t go flying all over.
- Spread the prepared stuffing over the flattened turkey breast, leaving about a ¼ inch border. Roll it, starting from the shorter end, as tightly as possible. Tie it with kitchen twine as tightly as possible (I used about 5 strands of kitchen twine).
- Brush it with 1 tablespoon melted butter and season all over with about ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Transfer to a baking dish.
- Bake for about 65 to 75 minutes, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F. Rotate the pan halfway through for even cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. Remove the kitchen twine and slice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Special equipment: kitchen twine, baking dish, meat mallet.
- Boneless turkey breast: Make sure you get the “boneless turkey breast” and not the “boneless turkey breast roast.”
- Prep ahead: Make the sausage stuffing the day before and refrigerate in an airtight container. Brine the turkey breast 8 to 12 hours in advance.
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