Butterball Turkey Breast Roast

"Mom, can you make me a turkey?"
"Sure, honey-but you realize it's August in Florida, right? Publix doesn't exactly keep turkeys on hand in the summer."

That's how our Labor Day turned into Thanksgiving.

My kids were coming to the Keys, one of their friends doesn't eat fish, so I decided on a holiday spread instead: turkey breast, stuffing, roasted potatoes, cranberry sauce, and roasted broccoli.

Everyone prefers white meat, so a turkey breast was the obvious choice. Publix, the only store in town, doesn't have heritage birds, but they did have Butterball in the freezer.

A 3-pound breast usually serves four, and with plenty of sides, I knew it would stretch for five.

Butterball Turkeys

Butterball turkeys are one of the most popular brands of turkey in the U.S., especially around the holidays. Here's what makes them different:

• Pre-brined: Most Butterball turkeys are injected with a light saltwater solution to help keep the meat moist.
• Ready to cook: No need to brine or heavily season. Just thaw, season lightly, and roast. In 2024, Butterball introduced a boneless turkey breast roast that cooks straight from the freezer.
• Gravy included: Each turkey breast roast comes with a packet of gravy you can heat while the turkey rests.
• Available year-round: You'll find whole turkeys, boneless breasts, and precooked versions in most grocery stores.
• Turkey Talk-Line: Since 1981, Butterball has staffed a hotline around Thanksgiving. Call or text 844-877-3456 for cooking advice.

Thawing a Butterball Boneless Turkey Breast

• Refrigerator: Place the unopened roast on a tray and thaw in the fridge for 1 to 2 days, depending on size. Keep it in the original packaging.
• Cold water: Submerge the sealed roast in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. A 3-pound roast takes about 2 hours.

Seasoning

Butterball turkey breasts are pre-brined, so they don't need much seasoning.

I usually use Bell's Poultry Seasoning for Thanksgiving turkeys, but it wasn't available yet, so I sprinkled on Italian seasoning.

There is a packet of gravy tucked inside the packaging. Heat it in a small saucepan while the turkey rests. Serve it with your platter of sliced turkey and stuffing.

Set the roast on a flat roasting rack inside a shallow roasting pan, then season on all sides. The roast comes wrapped in netting to keep it together as it cooks.

Leave the netting on for roasting and remove it once the turkey is done.

Turkey Gravy

The Butterball turkey breast roast comes with its own gravy packet, making it quick and easy to prepare.

Just heat, stir, and serve alongside your roasted turkey.

How Much Turkey Breast Per Person?

Plan on ⅓ to ½ pound per person. Go with ½ pound if you want leftovers.

When there are plenty of sides, people eat less turkey. Still, a good host makes sure there's enough for every appetite.

To be safe, use two turkey breasts for 6 to 8 people. For a very casual or last-minute meal with lots of sides, a 3-pound breast can stretch to six.

If you're serving a whole turkey and want extra white meat, roast a separate turkey breast on the side. You'll have enough white meat and leftovers for sandwiches.

• 4 people: 1 ½ to 2 pounds
• 6 people: 2 to 3 pounds
• 8 people: 3 to 4 pounds (roast two turkey breasts side by side on a large roasting pan, leaving space around each for air circulation)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds (48 oz.) boneless, skinless Butterball turkey breast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning or Bell's Poultry Seasoning optional)

How to Roast a Butterball Turkey Breast

• For thawed turkey: Preheat oven to 375°F.
• For frozen turkey: Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Remove the plastic wrapper. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Leave the inner netting on. It holds the meat together while roasting.
• Brush with oil or butter and season with Italian seasoning or Bell's on all sides.
• Place the roast seam or skin side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet or on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Thawed roast: Bake at 375°F, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Frozen roast (3 lb): Bake at 325°F, uncovered, for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, or until the center reaches 165°F.
• Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Heat the gravy in a small saucepan over low heat until hot.
• Slice thinly against the grain and serve with the warmed gravy.

Storing Leftovers

Freezer: Wrap tightly or use freezer bags. Store up to 3 months.

Refrigerator: Store slices or chunks in an airtight container up to 3 days.

When reheating leftovers, warm the gravy and drizzle it over the turkey. It keeps the meat moist and makes sandwiches or stuffing plates even better the next day.

Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving

A Butterball turkey breast roast also makes a great addition to your Thanksgiving table.

Since many people prefer white meat, roasting a turkey breast alongside your whole bird ensures there's plenty to go around.

It's an easy way to avoid running out of the most popular part of the turkey.

The bonus is extra white meat the next day. Use it for sandwiches, soups, or pile it on stuffing with a spoon of gravy.

Sides to Serve with Turkey Breast Roast

• Cranberry Sauce
• Stuffing
• Dinner Rolls or Cornbread
• Mac and Cheese
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Steamed Broccoli and Carrots
• Oven Roasted Baby Gold Potatoes
• Baked Sweet Potato Cubes
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

For a classic holiday table, serve turkey breast alongside Honey Baked Ham. You can purchase it fully cooked and it's so very good!

If you're in Florida, you should have a bowl of Smoked Fish Dip with your drinks and appetizers. It's tradition!

For an even easier turkey dinner, my kids enjoy pan-fried turkey cutlets. They take only 15 minutes to cook, they're gluten-free, and you still get all the flavor of turkey without the long roasting time.

For leftovers, make a NY Deli-style turkey sandwich. Use rye bread and add thinly sliced turkey breast. Top it with sweet coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing.

For all of our favorite Thanksgiving sides, visit, Healthy Sides For Thanksgiving.

Takeaway

A Butterball turkey breast roast is simple to prepare and perfect when you want an easy Thanksgiving dinner any time of year.

If it's thawed, it goes from oven to table in about an hour. No time to thaw? Unwrap the frozen roast, set it on a rack in a roasting pan, and cook at 325°F until done, about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Season lightly, roast, and check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.

The turkey is safe to eat at 165°F.

Let it rest 10-15 minutes, remove the netting, slice, and serve with the gravy warmed in a small pan.

Serve with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and your favorite sides.