This Roast Turkey Breast with Saucy Cranberry Sauce is your answer to a stress free holiday and a great alternative to cooking a whole turkey.
Now I know with the holidays coming up that many of you are getting an early start on planning out your spreads. Let me tell you that cooking turkey breast is your answer to stress free holiday cooking.
This recipe is perfect especially if you’re only cooking for a few people, don’t want to cook a whole turkey and end up with tons of leftovers that you have no idea what to do with.
Besides the simplicity of this recipe, I really love this cranberry sauce, it’s sweet but tangy and well the obvious reason is that it pairs magnificently with this turkey breast.
As far as the turkey breast goes, I’d recommend going with a breast with the skin on for a bit more flavor but skinless works just as well, not to mention it will be a bit healthier. You’ll need about 4 lb of turkey breast, mine came in two pieces, but sometimes you can find a whole piece and it may have the bone in too, which is fine.
Ingredients
- Turkey – We want to use just the breast today so no need to buy the whole turkey! Be sure to buy it with the skin on.
- Cranberries – Fresh or frozen either works just perfectly for this recipe!
- Apple jelly – To add some nice and simple sweetness and texture to our cranberry sauce.
- Orange – Just the juice today, this will add some acidity and brightness to our sauce.
- Spices – We’re just using all spice today, its full of some really great depth of flavor and complexity that will round out our sauce nicely.
- Cornstarch – This will thicken our sauce up nicely without adding any flavor to our sauce.
- Herbs – Chopped fresh rosemary and dried thyme.
- Butter – Unsalted, to brown our turkey in.
- Onions – White or yellow onions, something that cooks down well.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
How To Make Roast Turkey Breast with Saucy Cranberry Sauce
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
- Prep the sauce: In a food processor add 2 cups of the cranberries, orange juice, apple jelly, five spice and cornstarch. Pulse a few times until smooth. Set aside.
- Prep the turkey: Season the turkey breast with the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper generously.
- Brown the turkey: In a large skillet melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the turkey breast and brown on both sides until golden. Place the turkey in a roasting pan that’s big enough for the breast. I used a 5 qt Dutch Oven.
- Saute the sauteables: In the same skillet melt the remaining 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to brown and becomes soft and translucent. Season the onion with salt and pepper.
- Create the sauce: Add the cranberry mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup of cranberries. Pour the cranberry sauce around the turkey breast, you can pour over the turkey breast too, but I like the turkey breasts to be nice and golden when done.
- Finish the dish: Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature of the turkey breast is at 165 F degrees. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing the turkey.
Looking To Make Your Turkey Extra Special?
You’re accomplishing two very important things when you create a brine for your turkey. Since it’s a very lean type of meat, especially the breast, this will help it plump up and get extra juicy. No more dry bites of turkey!
You’re also getting flavors deep into the actual meat rather than just having them sit on top. If this all sounds very appealing to you then I definitely recommend you check out my Brined Turkey Breast recipe, all that juicy meat will pair perfectly with our tart cranberry sauce.
No Food Processor?
No problem! If you do not have a food processor, just stir everything together in a sauce pan and cook it down for about 5 minutes until the cranberries soften a bit.
Slow Cooker Option
Follow all the steps up to and including step 6, but instead of placing the turkey in a roasting pan, place it in a slow cooker and pour the sauce around it. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Check the internal temperature and make sure it’s at 165 F degrees, otherwise cook it longer.
How to Serve
This wonderful recipe will go well with any of your favorite sides! You can try some potato wedges like you see in the photos, or you can check some of these recipes out:
Leftovers
Fridge
Store your turkey in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or sliced up on the stovetop. Use a skillet over medium heat. I like to reheat it using a bit of the gravy so that it doesn’t dry out.
Freezer
Your turkey will last 2-3 months in the freezer. I would suggest slicing the turkey and freezing it for an hour on a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap. Transfer the pieces to a large freezer bag or an airtight container. With this method, you can grab a few slices when you need them without everything sticking together. Thaw either in the microwave or at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Sauce
Cranberry sauce when stored properly can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, which is why this is perfect for making ahead.
More Related Recipes:
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Roast Turkey Breast with Saucy Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup apple jelly
- 1/2 teaspoon five spice
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 pound turkey breast with skin
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 4 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 2 medium onions chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
- * In a food processor add 2 cups of the cranberries, orange juice, apple jelly, five spice and cornstarch. Pulse a few times until smooth. Set aside.
- Season the turkey breast with the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper generously.
- In a large skillet melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the turkey breast and brown on both sides until golden. Place the turkey in a roasting pan that’s big enough for the breast. I used a 5 qt Dutch Oven.
- In the same skillet melt the remaining 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to brown and becomes soft and translucent. Season the onion with salt and pepper.
- Add the cranberry mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup of cranberries.
- Pour the cranberry sauce around the turkey breast, you can pour over the turkey breast too, but I like the turkey breasts to be nice and golden when done.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature of the turkey breast is at 165 F degrees.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing the turkey.
Recipe Notes
- Crockpot Alternative: Follow all the steps up to and including step 6, but instead of placing the turkey in a roasting pan, place it in a slow cooker and pour the sauce around it. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Check the internal temperature and make sure it’s at 165 F degrees, otherwise cook it longer.
- A 9 x 13 roasting pan will also work for this recipe.
- “Five Spice” is a blend of five powdered spices which would typically include cloves, cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns and fennel seed. You can find this already prepared at your local grocery store.
- *If you do not have a food processor, just stir everything together in a sauce pan and cook it down for about 5 minutes until the cranberries soften a bit.
Did you thaw your turkey breasts for 24 hours before cooking? Going to try this recipe soon and I see that the grocery store has a 5 lb frozen turkey breasts! Love all your recipes!
My turkey breasts were already thawed but yeah if they’re frozen, you can thaw them in the fridge. Glad you’re enjoying my recipes!
I probably just missed it, but along with the skin on is it also bone-in? Thanks, sounds great!
Yes, these had the bone in.
Easy and had great reviews. I loved getting two moist turkey breasts plus rich gravy with NO effort!
What roasting pan would you suggest for this? Can I roast in a cast iron skillet?
You can use a cast iron skillet, or any roasting pan that’s big enough to fit the turkey breast, 9×13 should be just fine.
This would certainly be terrific in a crock pot. We suched as the sauce a lot we thought we would make it as our own version cranberry sauce to use over and over as it was so great. Many thanks for the recipe.
My pleasure!
I love this idea – 2 in one, plus the sauce is flavoured with the turkey juices! We’re in sync, I’m planning to do a dressing + breast baked in the same dish, making it next week, can’t wait!!!
I know, isn’t it great! Can’t wait to see your version.
Hi what is 5 spices?
Five spices is a blend of five powdered spices which would typically include cloves, cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns and fennel seeds, but you can buy it already prepared and it’s called five spice.
I am definitely making the crockpot version when I go up to Ottawa In a couple weeks to my daughters place. Perfect to come home to after some serious shoppin. YUM!!
This would be great in a crock pot. We liked the sauce so much we thought we would make it as our own version cranberry sauce to use again and again as it was soooo good. Thanks for your comments, we really love to hear from our followers.