Thanksgiving Turkey Roulade with Italian Sausage Stuffing
Published 11/12/2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make this year’s Thanksgiving dinner like no other with this delicious turkey roulade! Tender turkey breast is butterflied and stuffed with bitter-sweet cranberry sauce and a savory pork sausage stuffing for an easy turkey recipe that’ll be an instant crowd-pleaser.
As much as we love cooking a whole turkey dinner on Thanksgiving, it can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned chefs. That’s where this turkey roulade recipe shines, as it is much easier and quicker to prepare while still delivering all the delicious flavors of a traditional Thanksgiving feast.
We wanted to create a recipe for Thanksgiving that could be served to a smaller group and that is easy to prepare!
To prepare, simply brine your turkey overnight. The next day, create a simple pork sausage stuffing to fill the turkey with before rolling and wrapping it up. Place it in the oven to bake, basting it periodically, and viola! You’ve got yourself a delicious roasted turkey roulade.
What You Need Turkey Breast Roulade
The cut of meat that is used for this turkey roulade is a boneless, split turkey breast. Around Thanksgiving, you can usually find a turkey breast at any grocery store. When it is not the holiday season, you can usually find a frozen turkey breast or you may have to special order one from the butcher.
Other than the turkey, we make a small batch of stuffing that is rolled into the turkey as well as cranberry sauce. You can use store-bought cranberry sauce or make our homemade cranberry sauce instead!
Do not skip the turkey seasoning! The seasoning is what gives this recipe its amazing flavor.
Tools You Need for Turkey Roulade
Kitchen twine: this is to ensure that the butterflied turkey breast doesn’t unroll while cooking.
Baster: you will need a baster to periodically baste the turkey as it roasts, ensuring it stays moist.
Variations and Substitutions
Cubed stuffing: Dried bread chunks make a great substitute for cubed stuffing.
Chicken broth: If you don’t have chicken broth, vegetable broth or beef broth will work just fine. Just note that the flavor will vary.
Cranberry sauce: You can use a store-bought or homemade cranberry sauce. Up to you!
whole
Thanksgiving Turkey
This is the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe out there. Roast your turkey, make a homemade gravy, and you are all set.
Storage + Freezer Directions
Store any leftover turkey roulade in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze, slice the roulade into equal serving-sized pieces and layer them between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap in a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More of our Favorite…
Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
Looking for more healthy Thanksgiving recipes to fill your holiday table with? Check out all of our best turkey day recipes in one spot!
Serving Suggestions
Still got an entire Thanksgiving menu to create? Consider Fit Foodie Finds your one-stop shop for all of this year’s Thanksgiving eats. From your favorite classics to more unique and delicious dishes, we’ve got everything you need to finish off your holiday feast.
Favorite Classics:
Unique & Delicious:
Thanksgiving Turkey Roulade
Ingredients
Turkey Brine
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 1.75-2 lb. boneless split turkey breast
Stuffing
- ¼ lb. ground Italian pork sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ large white onion, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup minced carrot, 1 small carrot
- ¼ cup minced celery, 1 small celery stalk
- 2 cups cubed stuffing or dried bread chunks, we used pepperidge farm brand
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup chicken broth
Other Ingredients
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- 2.5 tablespoons turkey seasoning
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
- Prepare a turkey brine. Bring 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of kosher salt to a boil and whisk until the salt is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Place the turkey breast in a large bowl or plastic container (with a lid if possible). Cover the turkey with cold water. Pour the salt water brine over the turkey and then cover and refrigerate overnight. If there isn’t time to brine overnight, let the turkey brine as long as possible.
- Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat and add the pork sausage. Break the sausage up into small pieces and fry until partially cooked. Add the olive oil, and onion, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss and saute together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, carrots, and celery to the pan. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Stir the stuffing, thyme, and broth with the vegetables and remove from heat. Cover and let rest for 5-7 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay the turkey breast on a large cutting board. Cut the breast down the middle to butterfly it open. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top and pound the turkey breast flat to about ½ inch thickness.
- Spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the turkey and then spoon the stuffing over the cranberry sauce. Spread the stuffing over the surface of the turkey. There may be extra stuffing, it will be used later.
- Starting at the end of the turkey, carefully roll the stuffing and cranberry sauce into a roulade. It’s okay if some stuffing spills out.
- Use two or three pieces of kitchen twine to tie the roulade in place so it doesn’t unroll during the baking time.
- Spoon any excess stuffing in the middle of the baking sheet and spread it out. Transfer the roulade to the baking sheet and place it on top of the stuffing.
- Prepare the basting liquid. Warm chicken broth and butter over medium heat until just simmering. Set aside for later.
- Season the roulade with the turkey seasoning and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches between 160º-165ºF. Baste the roulade every 15-20 minutes. It will continue to bake for 5-10 minutes when removed from the oven.
Tips & Notes
- Brining the turkey breast is optional but highly recommended.
- You can buy a bone-in turkey breast, but be sure to buy a heavier breast because you will be removing the bones before baking.
- We stuffed our roulade with cranberry sauce and stuffing, feel free to use any other
- Thanksgiving favorites like green bean casserole or cheese.
- We used store-bought cranberry sauce, but you can make homemade cranberry sauce, too.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
Such a good recipe! Easy to follow and was ready in 2 hours with minimal prep. My husband already requested it for Christmas dinner!
This recipe is INCREDIBLE! We made it for a team lunch and I’m still thinking about it.