Roast a boneless turkey breast with this boneless turkey breast recipe, flavored with a deliciously savory marinade. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
Foolproof Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe
Once the calendar page flips over to November, I start thinking about Thanksgiving. There's so much to plan! Whether you're hosting at home or bringing a covered dish to someone else's house, Thanksgiving requires thought.
I have a roster of side dishes and desserts that regularly make an appearance at Thanksgiving, but over the years I'd never really settled on one particular main dish recipe.
Until now.
This foolproof boneless turkey breast recipe is the turkey recipe for the books.
It's much easier than having to manhandle a giant whole turkey into a pan, and since it has a simple marinade to use for basting, you'll be surprised by how much flavor a boneless turkey breast can have.
Side dishes can be easy, too. My squash casserole and broccoli casserole are always big Thanksgiving hits.
There are just four ingredients in the marinade: malt vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, and olive oil. You probably have some of them in your pantry already! Let's get down to cooking.
Tips for Making Boneless Turkey Breast Roast
- Line your pan with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- No roasting rack? Here's a solution. Crunch up a long length of foil like a snake, then bend it into a loose coil. Voila! Instant disposable roasting rack.
- Don't worry about the timing of the basting during cooking. Just baste it when you remember to and it will come out fine.
- This boneless turkey breast is absolutely wonderful for sandwiches, and very economical. It costs far less per pound than deli meat!
- Homemade cranberry sauce is really easy to make. Only three ingredients! Try this tangerine cranberry sauce (swap in orange juice if you prefer).
- Got leftovers? Make this casserole with your leftover turkey.
Foolproof Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless turkey breast, thawed
- ¼ cup malt vinegar gluten free: substitute rice vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325 F and prepare a roasting pan with a rack. Line the pan with foil or parchment for easy cleanup if desired.
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Remove the wrapper (and gravy packet, if any) from the thawed boneless turkey breast. You can leave the butcher's string on, but loosen it a little so it doesn't cut into the turkey. Place the turkey breast upside down on the roasting rack in the pan.
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Combine the malt vinegar, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a bowl. Whisk. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continuously, until an emulsion is formed. Split the marinade into two separate bowls (to prevent cross-contamination).
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Use one bowl of marinade to thoroughly coat the turkey breast, starting with the underside of the breast. Then, turn the breast right side up and coat the top and sides. Place the pan in the oven.
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Roast for about 2 hours, or until a thermometer reads 165 F when inserted in the thickest part. During the cooking process, occasionally baste with the second bowl of marinade.
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Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
That Turkey looks so good! I am so jealous that your Walmart has that service! They sent me a card the other day in the mail about it and I thought it had finally come to our area, but I checked and not yet! Hopefully soon!
Your turkey looks mouthwatering. I love the brownness on the skin - that's my favorite part!
Am I the only one that doesn't see a temp to preheat oven too?
Whoops! I just edited the recipe to show that the temperature should be set to 325 F. In the future, I'm not allowed near a keyboard until I have my first cup of coffee.
Thanks for pointing it out!
Katie
How many people would this serve? If i can't find malt vinegar anywhere will it make a huge difference? Thank you.
Hi Pat! You start out with about 3 lbs of turkey breast meat, then that reduces a little while cooking. You should be able to serve approximately 4 to 5 people. The malt vinegar is good (and inexpensive; usually about $2 a bottle), but if for some reason you are unable to find it, a lemon juice & brown sugar & olive oil marinade works very well too. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll be glad to help.
Do you cook it Covered?
Nope, not at all. Cook it uncovered on a roasting rack. If for some reason it gets extremely brown before it's done, you could lightly cover it in foil, but I haven't had that happen to me yet. Thanks for stopping by, and let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
-Katie
Hi, I can't wait to make this turkey recipe but I've never made an emulsion before. Could you give me a little help with what it is suppose to look like and how thick it would be. I found these 3 lbs turkey on sale a couple of weeks ago and I'm eager to give it a try. Thanks so very much
Hi Tonia,
Sure! It's just a fancy word for a thorough mixture of an oil-based liquid and a water-based liquid. In this case, you simply whisk the ingredients together for about a minute until everything is smooth. It will be about as thick as a shaken vinaigrette.
Let me know if you have any other questions at all, and thank you for stopping by!
Best,
Katie
Fantastic! Will definitely make this again.
Thanksgiving isthe best holiday for cooking and of course eating. That turkey looks perfectly cooked and will be a favorite of everybodies.
My family complains every year about the turkey that is served at our extended family Thanksgiving dinner. They always say it is dry and tasteless. This one looks so moist. I'm going to volunteer to make this recipe and bring it to dinner this year.
I am drooling. I just love turkey and this looks amazing. I will have to make it for dinner one evening.
That turkey breast looks delicious and juicy.The recipe is pretty easy too. Thanks! I just might try your cranberry sauce recipe too. I always used canned.
I've never tried making a whole turkey breast at home. Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Now that is a beautiful bird! I can imagine that will look great on a Thanksgiving table. Can't believe we're satying that!
This boneless turkey breast recipe is delectable! Really perfect for Thanksgiving. Serve this and you will definitely receive a big WOW from your family!
It looks so delicious! I would like to make this anytime of the year. Walmart is on top of this turkey game.
This is a great way to use a turkey breast. Whenever I cook one, I throw in some chopped root vegetables to roast at the same time, add a green salad, and you've got a fantastic Fall meal!!