This Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe is perfect for when you’re craving turkey but don’t want to deal with brining and baking a whole turkey. Perfect for 2 or 4 with no leftovers!
A Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe
In our family, turkey has always been reserved for large family gatherings at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. However, I tend to crave turkey and stuffing all year long. I just love it! This Turkey Breast recipe is Turkey Dinner on a smaller scale but still satisfies those stuffing cravings. Imagine coming home to the amazing aromas of turkey and stuffing on any weeknight!
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This past Thanksgiving was the first one that we didn’t have a full blown turkey dinner and a table full of family. Our feast was smaller and vegan because we were visiting our daughter in Vancouver. We enjoyed both stuffed tofurky and glazed tofu ham along with roasted veggies and home made cranberry sauce. I was so proud to see her and her friends gather together around the table to give thanks.
Apple Herb and Pine Nut Stuffing
Fall is in full swing and I have been waiting for the new crop Honey Crisp apples to make an appearance. They are absolutely my favourite apple because they are crisp and have the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Apple is most commonly used in pork dishes but I felt it was the perfect slightly sweet yet punchy addition to my stuffing. Then, I cleaned out my herb garden for some thyme and sage; the most classic herbs used in stuffing.
Finally, for a little texture, I added some toasted pine nuts to the mix. The trick to fluffy, not stodgy stuffing is not to add too much moisture to the mixture even though it’s tempting to always add more butter. Remember, the apples will also release some moisture as they bake.
How Do You Butterfly a Turkey Breast?
Friends, let me tell you… this recipe looks a lot more difficult than it really is. Once you have butterflied the turkey breast, you’ve passed the most difficult part of the recipe.
To butterfly the turkey breast, place the skin side down on a board. Place your hand on top and insert a sharp knife into the middle of the thickest part of the breast. Cut through the breast horizontally taking care to keep the knife level as you slice. Stop short of cutting all the way through the breast.
Open the breast like a book and cover with plastic wrap. Using a heavy meat hammer, pound the breast until it is half an inch all over.
Remove the plastic wrap and cover it with stuffing. Press it down slightly so that it doesn’t move when you roll the breast. After the breast is rolled, use kitchen twine to tie it into a nice roasting shape. If you like, tuck the end flaps in and hold into position with toothpicks.
How Do You Cook A Stuffed Turkey Breast?
Begin by searing the stuffed breast in a hot frying pan with some olive oil. Once all the sides are browned, cover and bake in a 375 F oven.
This is also a great time to add cubed potatoes and/or vegetables to the pan. Alternatively, roast the stuffed breast at 400 F in an open roasting pan for an hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
Allow the breast to sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing into rounds.
What to Serve with Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast
Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast can be delicious at any time of the year. In the autumn serve it with extra stuffing balls, Pumpkin No Knead Bread, gravy, and mashed potatoes. During the summer, it would be perfect with creamed peas and a light strawberry spinach salad.
Now that you have mastered cooking a stuffed turkey breast, here’s how to cook turkey legs in a slow cooker. If you love dark meat and an easy ‘fix and forget’ recipe, this one’s for you!
Yield: 4 servings
Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe
This Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe is perfect for when you're craving turkey but don't want to deal with brining and baking a whole turkey. Perfect for 2 or 4 with no leftovers!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 turkey breast
- 3 slices bread; torn into small crumbs
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/4 onion; finely diced
- 1/2 tbsp thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp dried sage leaves
- 1/3 apple; small diced
- 1/4 cup butter; melted
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 1/2 lb (0.65 kg) boneless turkey breast
Instructions
- Place torn bread crumbs in a medium bowl.
- Add pine nuts to a dry frying pan and heat until they start to become fragrant. Stir to prevent burning. Remove from pan and add to bread crumbs.
- Add some olive oil to the pan and sauté the onions for a few minutes until they become translucent.
- Add the onions, thyme, sage, and apple to the bowl with the bread crumbs. Season and pour melted butter over all.
- Mix well. Dressing should just stick together but not be pasty. If it still seems a touch dry, add water by the teaspoon until it just sticks together.
- To prepare the turkey breast; place on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, slice it almost in half starting at the right side. Be very careful not to cut it all the way through and to keep the knife level so that the top and bottom end up an equal thickness.
- Open the turkey breast like a book and lay flat on the cutting board. Using a meat hammer, pound the breast flat so that it is an even thickness all over.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Pre-heat oven to 375 F.
- Place stuffing on top of the breast and press in so that it sticks slightly.
- Beginning at the short end, start rolling the turkey up. When you have a fully rolled breast, tie in even rounds with cooking string.
- Add some more oil to the pan you used for the onions, and sear the turkey roll on all sides. Season as you sear.
- Place in a roaster or Dutch oven, cover and bake for an hour or until the turkey reaches 165 F.
- Allow to stand for 5 minutes, remove string and slice in rounds. Serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 280Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 332mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 19g
Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.
