This year, your holiday gatherings might be smaller, but that doesn’t mean they should be any less special. You can still enjoy turkey with all the trimmings, just make one of these turkey breast recipes instead. A six-pound turkey breast can feed around eight people, and it won’t pack your freezer with leftovers if you only have a party of four or two. And there are a few more reasons we like turkey breasts.
- Turkey breasts thaw quicker than whole turkeys, so you don’t need to plan several days in advance. Place the frozen breast in your refrigerator just 24 hours before cooking.
- Turkey breasts also cook quicker than whole turkeys. They’re usually ready after about 15 minutes per pound.
- A smaller breast can feed more people by weight. While you need to allow about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person for whole birds, 3/4 pound per person of a breast is quite reasonable.
- A turkey breast takes up way less space in your freezer, refrigerator, and inevitably your oven. This leaves more room for baking other dishes at the same time.
- You can get more creative with turkey breasts. When it comes to roasting turkeys, there aren’t a lot of options. But turkey breasts can be rolled, topped, or stuffed, and cooked in an instant pot, slow cooker, or even your air fryer. See the turkey breast recipes below for some easy and delicious options.
12 Turkey Breast Recipes for Smaller Thanksgiving and Christmas Feasts
All of these turkey breast recipes are naturally dairy-free, and can be made gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and paleo, for every guest to enjoy. For all the trimmings, see our Classic Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Menu of Recipes.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Stuffed Turkey Breast with Turkey Gravy
Since you aren’t roasting a whole turkey, you can get a little fancier. This turkey breast is stuffed with holiday-inspired flavors, and wrapped in prosciutto for the ultimate infusion of flavor.
Turkey Sheet Pan Dinner
If you’re serving a party of 6 or less people, then this sheet pan dinner is an easy and delicious solution. The turkey and vegetables are roasted together in one pan.
French Onion Turkey Breast (and Leftover Bistro Sandwiches)
This rich turkey breast is infused with caramelized onions and topped with naturally dairy-free gratin. The recipe includes using the pan juices to make gravy and a wonderful bistro-style sandwich for the leftovers.
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
You can’t go wrong with an Ina Garten recipe for the holidays! This is a very traditional-style recipe with garlic, lemon, olive oil, and a mix of fresh herbs. If you opt to substitute dried herbs, reduce the quantities to 1 teaspoon.
Oven Roasted Maple Turkey Breast
If you’re looking for warm and earthy with a little sweet and a little spice, then this could be your perfect main dish.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
This is a basic recipe that includes instructions for cooking the main dish in your air fryer. It’s a great way to save precious oven space for green bean casserole, holiday stuffing, and homemade pull-apart rolls.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
If you’re short on time, make the turkey breast in your pressure cooker! This recipe only takes around 30 minutes of cooking time.
Citrus-Marinated Turkey Breast
Add a little zest to your holiday meal with orange juice, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar. The acid helps not only to flavor the meat, but also to tenderize it.
Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey Breast
Turkey breasts can be a little dryer than whole turkey, but mayonnaise adds and locks in moisture.
Turkey Breast Roulade
Are you dealing with holiday stress? Pound it out with this turkey recipe. It’s flattened and rolled for delicious flavor infusion.
Garlic & Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Orange Sauce
It’s hard to beat the classic combination of garlic and herbs. But this recipe goes a step further with flavor, by basting the meat in citrus.
Roasted Turkey Breast with Onions, Dijon, and Sage
For a savory twist, this recipe is generously rubbed with mustard and sage.
Got Leftovers? See Our Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
