Juicy Roast Turkey Breast – a classic, tried-and-true roasted turkey breast that is always a crowd-pleaser (and so easy to make)!
Perfect Roast Turkey Breast
Perfect for your smaller Thanksgiving gatherings! If you are in need of a simple, classic roast turkey recipe – this is for you!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Less Turkey: Sometimes you don’t have a big crowd for Thanksgiving and you don’t need an entire turkey … that is where a turkey breast would be perfect!
- Less Cook Time: No need to slave over the oven all day with this one! In just a little over 2 hours your turkey breast will be ready to go!
- Buttery Goodness: Is there a better combo than turkey, melted butter and salt and pepper? It all melds together beautifully!
What You Will Need
- turkey breast (bone-in): we used a 7-8 pound turkey breast in the photos.
- butter (or ghee): this adds moisture and makes the skin brown and beautiful!
- salt and pepper: I prefer to stick with these simple seasoning, but feel free to add some sage or rosemary in there!
- stuffing (optional): I prefer using orange, onion, garlic and fresh rosemary.
How Long to Roast a Turkey Breast
Cook your turkey breast for 14-16 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. and the juices run clear.
How to Roast a Turkey Breast
Step 1: Remove turkey from its packaging and pat dry.
Step 2: Rub with softened butter.
Step 3: Season with salt and pepper
Step 4: Place on roasting pan and roast at 325 for approximately 14-16 minutes per pound.
Step 5: Baste every 30 minutes with additional melted butter.
Step 6: Remove from oven when internal temp reaches 165. Let rest and then carve.
Step 7: Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs + Tips
- Additional butter: You may need an additional 1/4 cup of butter if you want to go heavy on the basting, or you can use juices from the pan – personal preference!
- Stuffing: The turkey breast pictured was stuffing with some cut up yellow onion, orange chunks, head of garlic and some fresh rosemary. Stuffing the turkey will increase the cook time by a little bit. Stuffing is completely optional!
- Meat thermometer: I highly recommend getting a internal meat thermometer to help ensure the bird had reached 165 degree internal temp.
- Seasoning: Feel free to add additional seasoning in with the salt and pepper – I love using ground sage.
- Leftovers: Stlil have leftovers? We love this Leftover Turkey + Wild Rice Soup!
- Turkey Cook Times: I always find this cook-time breakdown from the FDA helpful!
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- How to Make Turkey Gravy
- Smoked Turkey Breast
- Gluten-Free Stuffing
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie
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Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Juicy Roast Turkey Breast
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 7-8 servings
- Category: Thanksgiving
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Juicy Roast Turkey Breast – a classic, tried-and-true roasted turkey breast that is always a crowd-pleaser (and so easy to make)!
Ingredients
- 7–8 pound turkey breast (bone-in)
- 1/2 cup butter (or ghee), softened
- salt and pepper (approx. 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of each)
- stuffing (optional): orange, onion, garlic and fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Ensure turkey breast is fully thawed. Remove from package (ensure to remove any gravy packet from cavity) and place on a large plate.
- Pat dry with a clean paper towel and place on a roasting pan with a roasting rack.
- Take 1/4 cup of softened butter and rub all over the turkey breast, in every nook and cranny, including under the skin.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Place in the oven (middle rack, uncovered).
- Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter and use to it to baste the turkey breast every 30 minutes.
- Roast for 14-16 minutes per pound or until the internal temp is 165. Continue cooking for 10-15 minute increments until the internal temp reaches 165.
- Remove from oven and let rest 15-20 minutes.
- Carve and serve immediately.
Notes
- Additional butter: You may need an additional 1/4 cup of butter if you want to go heavy on the basting, or you can use juices from the pan – personal preference!
- Chicken/ Turkey Broth: Feel free to add in 1/2-1 cup of either turkey or chicken broth in the bottom the roasting pan if you want to have enough juices to make turkey gravy.
- Stuffing: The turkey breast pictured was stuffing with some cut up yellow onion, orange chunks, head of garlic and some fresh rosemary. Stuffing the turkey will increase the cook time by a little bit. Stuffing is completely optional!
- Meat thermometer: I highly recommend getting a internal meat thermometer to help ensure the bird had reached 165 degree internal temp.
- Seasoning: Feel free to add additional seasoning in with the salt and pepper – I love using ground sage.
- Leftovers: Stlil have leftovers? We love this Leftover Turkey + Wild Rice Soup!
Keywords: roast turkey breast
Julie says
I’m making this Sunday and wanted to ask, if I leave it uncovered won’t it get dry? And if I don’t have a rack can I use rolled up foil?
Thank you 💕
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Julie! I have never had an issue with it drying out (you baste it quite a bit during the process), but if you want to you certainly can – I would leave it uncovered for maybe the last 30 minutes or so just to help the skin get a little brown and crispy. If you don’t have a roasting rack then I would maybe use like a couple whole carrots or something to help get it off the bottom of the pan! Enjoy!
Julie says
Thank you! I will be sure to baste it like you say 💕 I’m excited to try this. Happy Easter 🐇
★★★★★
Erin says
Of course! Happy Easter to you!
Lauren says
I made this with the stuffing and roasted it in a roasting pan with turkey bone broth. I added poultry seasoning and bacon ends to the skin (to keep it moist and rotated the bird halfway through baking). It was a hit, delicious, done but not dry. Would definitely recommend and would make again.
★★★★★
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Lauren! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review – I appreciate it!