Spinach and mushroom stuffed turkey breast
Stuffed turkey breast with spinach and mushrooms is a really easy but delicious and sophisticated way to make a Thanksgiving turkey. Just season, stuff and roast!
Yield: 8 -10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 heaping cup)
- 16 oz. fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well to remove excess liquid
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 1 (8-9 lb.) bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (thawed if frozen)
- ½ lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and adjust racks so you have enough room for the turkey.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and sauté until the excess liquid is cooked off, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Set aside and let cool slightly.
- Rub the surface of the turkey breast with the cut side of the lemon. Season with remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and remaining 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Be sure to season all sides of the turkey.
- Separate the skin of the turkey breast from the meat to create pockets for the stuffing mixture. Stuff about 1 cup of the spinach-mushroom mixture into each pocket. Add the remaining mixture to the underside of the neck flap. (See photos in the post above.) Secure with metal skewers if desired. (I'm lazy and usually skip this and just fold the extra neck flap skin over the opening.
- Place the turkey into a large roasting pan with a rack (see notes) and place in oven. Roast at 350 for one hour, then check and baste the turkey with the juices that have accumulated in the pan. If the turkey is browning too quickly on top, cover with aluminum foil.
- Return to the oven and roast for another 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. Baste every 30 minutes. (It helps to check the turkey in multiple places and to make sure you get close to the most inner part and get that area all the way cooked through.)
- Once the turkey breast is cooked through, remove from oven and let sit for at least 15 minutes, to help the juices reabsorb. (Cover loosely with aluminum foil to retain heat.)
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
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Notes
Turkey breast: You need a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast for this recipe. Aim to find one that’s 8 to 9 pounds. The turkey needs to be completely thawed before you cook it. If you buy yours frozen, allow up to 3 days for it to thaw completely in the refrigerator.
The frozen spinach also needs to be thawed to use in the stuffing. Be sure to squeeze it out and remove all the extra liquid.
The Parmesan cheese adds great flavor but you can skip it if you need this to be dairy-free.
Basting: I baste for the first time after the 1-hour mark and then every 30 minutes or so. You can use a turkey baster or just a spoon to scoop up some of the drippings in the pan and spread them all over the tops and sides of the turkey breast.
Browning: You’ll want to check your turkey at about an hour - and every so often after that - to make sure the tops aren’t browning too much. Once they’ve gotten a good deep golden brown, cover the tops with aluminum foil to prevent any burning.
No roasting rack? No problem. Place thick slices of onions underneath the turkey breast to prop it up off the bottom of the pan. This helps the hot air circulate and cook everything through. It also makes for some seriously delicious, tender onions.
How to carve a turkey breast
The easiest way is to cut the entire breasts off of the bone.
Take a sharp knife and start on one side of the big center breast bone. Cut all the way along the bone and then cut down along the bone all the way to the bottom of the breast using continuous slicing motions. It should be pulled all the way away from the center breast bone now.
Next come from the kind-of side bottom of the breast that is still attached and cut all the way across until you can lift the whole breast out. (Any parts you miss can just be pulled right off.)
Repeat on the other side.
Lay both turkey breasts, with the stuffing in and skin on, on your cutting board. Slice into thin or thick slices, depending on your preference, and fan out on your serving platter.
How to store leftover Thanksgiving turkey
Leftovers should be cooled then stored in the refrigerator. (Don’t let it sit out for more than 2 hours.)
You can slice the rest of the turkey off the bone or store it altogether. (If you are short on room in the fridge, it helps to slice the turkey and throw away the carcass.)
Place the leftover turkey in a plastic storage bag, a plastic container or a bowl with a lid. Or if you still have the bones, just cover your platter well with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze leftover turkey. Place in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container, label and date it, then store in the freezer for up to 5 months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and it’s ready to use.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and it’s ready to use.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 613mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
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