Herb-Roasted Turkey

This herb-roasted turkey recipe is stuffed with aromatics and citrus and is coated in a fresh herb mixture. Baked with wine, it comes out rich, juicy, and packed with herbaceous flavor for a showstopping holiday main course. 

The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe 

If you’re tired of bland, boring turkey, this herb-roasted turkey is the perfect option for you! The best Thanksgiving turkey recipe, it comes together with just a handful of ingredients and simple steps, resulting in flavorful meat everyone will love. 

Whether you’re hosting your holiday dinner for the first time or are a seasoned pro, this recipe is sure to be a hit. I’ll walk you through the process to ensure you always have success and even provide tips and tricks to make your holiday preparations a breeze! 

Herb-Roasted Turkey Ingredients and Notes 

For the turkey

• Turkey - You’ll need a large 12 to 16-pound turkey for this recipe. Make sure it’s fully thawed before you begin. 
• Citrus - Oranges and lemon help tenderize the meat and infuse it with a bright, refreshing flavor. 
• Aromatics - White onion and a whole garlic bulb add a pungent, savory taste that pairs fabulously with the sweet citrus. 
• Wine - I recommend using a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. The acidity helps tenderize the turkey and complement the flavor of the other ingredients. Don’t worry about the alcohol content! The wine doesn’t actually touch the turkey, and the alcohol cooks off anyway. 

For the herb coating

• Olive oil - I prefer to use olive oil for a rich taste and healthy fats, but melted butter will also work. 
• Garlic - For the best taste, use whole garlic and mince it finely. Pre-minced varieties won’t be as strong. 
• Fresh herbs - Rosemary, thyme, and sage infuse the turkey with a bright, herby taste. 

How to Make This Easy Roasted Turkey Recipe 

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions for this harvest bowl are in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Thaw the turkey. Thaw the turkey completely 1-3 days before the day of roasting. (See tips below.) 

Step 2: Prepare the turkey. Bring the turkey to room temperature an hour before roasting. Remove the neck and giblets, and pat the turkey dry with a clean paper towel. While the bird comes to room temperature, mix all the ingredients for the herb coating in a bowl or jar, forming a paste. Then, season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, and stuff it with onion, orange, lemon, garlic, and the remaining fresh herbs. 

Step 3: Preheat. Remove the top rack from the oven, and reposition a rack in the middle. Preheat the oven to 325F. 

Step 4: Add the herb rub. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey and under the skin. Then, tuck the turkey’s wings behind its shoulders, and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. 

Step 5: Roast. Place the turkey breast side up in a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Transfer the pan to the oven, and carefully pour the wine into the bottom of the pan, leaving a few inches of space before reaching the turkey. Bake until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160F. 

Step 6: Serve. Remove the herb-roasted turkey from the oven, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Then, slice, and enjoy! 

How to Thaw 

Most people will thaw their Thanksgiving turkey in the fridge. However, this can take up precious fridge space. 

So, I prefer to use the cold water system, which includes placing the turkey in its packaging in a large container or in the sink and filling it with cold water. If you use this method, you will want to change the water every 30 minutes, but you can expect the bird to be thawed in 6 - 8 hours. It’s much quicker and saves room in the fridge! 

Expert Tips for the Best Roasted Turkey Recipe

• Don’t wash raw turkey. That will just contaminate your counter and sink. Instead, simply pat it dry with paper towels, and proceed with the recipe, making sure to clean your counter well. Any germs will cook off in the oven. 
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160F and is safe to eat. 
• Cover the turkey with aluminum foil if it begins to brown too quickly. Then, remove the foil in the last few minutes of baking to ensure you get a nice golden brown crust. 
• If preparing stuffing, do not cook it inside your turkey! This is not great for food safety. Instead, cook the turkey and stuffing separately, and stuff the turkey just before serving. 
• Adjust the cooking time. Adjust the cooking time depending on your oven and the size of your turkey. Generally speaking, a raw turkey requires 13 minutes of cooking time for every pound. 
• Allow your roasted turkey recipe to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and soak into the meat, keeping the turkey tender and flavorful. 

Serving Suggestions 

This Thanksgiving turkey is the perfect main course for your holiday feast! Serve it with all your favorite side dishes such as: 

• Fall Harvest Salad
• Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnut and Oat Streusel
• Cornbread
• Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

How to Store 

I always carve my turkey before storing leftover meat. If desired, save the bones to make turkey stock! 

Store turkey meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Or, freeze leftovers for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen herb-roasted turkey in the fridge overnight. 

Then, enjoy it cold on its own, in sandwiches, or with salads. Or, reheat it for a few seconds in the microwave. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

For more main courses, check out my:

PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!

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Recipe

Roasted Turkey

Learn how to make the best herb-roasted turkey recipe with citrus, an easy herb rub, and white wine for tender, juicy, flavorful meat!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: herb-roasted turkey, roasted turkey, roasted turkey recipe, thanksgiving turkey

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours

Servings: 12 -16 servings

Calories: 594kcal

Author: Ansley Beutler

Equipment

• 1 Small Bowl or Jar
• 1 Roasting Rack
• 1 Roasting Pan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 14 - 16 lbs turkey - thawed
• 1 orange - quartered
• 1 lemon - quartered
• 1 white onion - quartered
• 1 bulb garlic
• Dry white wine - I like Sauvingon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

For the herb coating

• ⅓ cup olive oil - or melted butter
• 3 cloves garlic - finely diced
• 1 tablespoon rosemary - finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme - finely chopped
• ½ tablespoon sage - finely chopped

Instructions

• 1 - 3 days before roasting - Thaw the turkey completely before the day of roasting. This can take up to 3 days for a 15 pound bird. Expect 24 hours of thaw time for every 5 pounds. See thawing notes if needed.
• 1 hour before roasting - Bring the turkey out to let it sit at room temperature for an hour. Remove the neck and giblets and pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Meanwhile, prepare the herb coating in a bowl or jar by mixing all the coating ingredients together to form a paste; set aside. Season the cavity with salt and pepper then stuff it with the onion, orange, lemon, garlic, and the rest of the fresh herbs.
  14 - 16 lbs turkey, 1 orange, 1 lemon, 1 white onion, 1 bulb garlic, ⅓ cup olive oil, 3 cloves garlic - finely diced, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon thyme, ½ tablespoon sage
• Remove the top rack and reposition a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
• Rub the herb coating all over the turkey and inside the skin. Tuck the turkey’s wings behind its shoulders and tie the legs together with kitchen twine (see photo above).
• Place the turkey breast-side up in a roasting rack inside a roasting pan.Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and carefully pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan, leaving a few inches of space before reaching the turkey. Bake the turkey in the oven for 13 minutes per pound. Check the turkey’s internal temperature and once the breast hits 160 F remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes to soak up the juices.
  Dry white wine

Notes

Thawing notes : Most people will thaw their turkey in the fridge, however, this can take up precious fridge space. You can also use the cold water system which includes placing the turkey in its packaging in a large container or in the sink and filling it with cold water. You will want to change the water every 30 minutes but you can expect the bird to be thawed in 6 - 8 hours with this method. 

Storage : Store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 120g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 355mg | Sodium: 625mg | Potassium: 1250mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg

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