Turkey Breast Roulade with Blue Cheese & Apple
Not cooking for a huge crowd this Thanksgiving? This Blue Cheese & Apple Turkey Breast Roulade makes 6 servings, and can be prepped a day in advance. It is so packed with sweet and savory flavor that you might end up wishing you had made two!
Turkey Breast Roulade with Blue Cheese & Apple
My Thanksgiving gathering is definitely on the smaller side, with just 5 people. But, after talking to many readers over the years, it turns out that groups similar to my own are quite common for Thanksgiving. Not everybody is cooking for 30 people!
If this describes your holiday get-together, or you’re looking to add an additional entree alongside a classic roast turkey to serve even more people, this Turkey Roulade recipe is for you!
This sophisticated yet approachable dish is something I’ve been making for many years. In fact, I once spent a whole month making turkey roulades at an old recipe development job in the publishing industry, so I know exactly how to make them so that they come out perfectly every time. I’m sharing that technique with you today!
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Roulade Recipe
- Blue cheese might seem like an usual flavor for Thanksgiving, but it offers a unique, gourmet twist that keeps the meal interesting. The cheese mellows as the roulade roasts, and pairs perfectly with the sweet apples.
- You can fully assemble the turkey breast roulade the day before the holiday so all you have to do is pop it into the oven when it’s go time!
- It’s the perfect choice for entertaining a smaller crowd on a holiday. You’ll end up with about 5 pounds of meat.
What is Turkey Roulade?
The word “roulade” comes from the French word rouler, meaning “to roll.” A turkey roulade is a dish where a turkey breast is butterflied, pounded flat, stuffed with some type of filling, and then rolled up and roasted.
Stuffed Turkey Breast Ingredients
- turkey breast – you’ll need one whole turkey breast that has been boned and butterflied. More on how to order this from your butcher, below!
- butter – for cooking the filling and also brushing over the turkey roll before it goes in the oven.
- blue cheese – adds a tangy, creamy richness to the stuffing.
- onion – adds lots of savory flavor to the stuffing.
- apples – add a touch of sweetness to complement the blue cheese.
- kale – adds color and a slight bitterness that balances the apples.
- egg – a binding agent for the stuffing.
- herb-seasoned stuffing mix – the structure and bulk of the stuffing.
- chicken stock – for moistening the stuffing mix and binding the stuffing together.
- salt and pepper – for seasoning this stuffed turkey breast to perfection.
How do you cut a turkey breast for roulade?
You’ll need one whole turkey breast (both halves) for this recipe, and it needs to be boned and butterflied (it will be about five pounds).
Rather than cutting it myself, I let my butcher handle this. This is a special-order item at most stores and butcher shops, but just call your local store’s meat counter and explain what you need.
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It shouldn’t be an issue, especially around the holidays (lots of people make roulades!). You can even request that they save the bones for you if you want to use them to make homemade turkey stock.
How to Make a Turkey Roulade
- SAUTE. Cook the onion in butter in a large skillet. Add the apples and kale and cook until everything is tender and kale is wilted.
- MIX. Whisk the egg in a large bowl, then stir in the stuffing mix, stock, salt, pepper and onion mixture.
- STUFF. Lay the turkey breast flat, skin side down. Sprinkle it with the remaining salt and pepper, then spread the stuffing mixture evenly over the meat, leaving a bit of a border on all sides. Sprinkle the cheese over the stuffing.
- ROLL. Starting at a short end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll, then use twine to firmly tie the roll every few inches to make a compact cylinder.
- BRUSH. Place the roulade seam side down on a rack set over a sheet pan and brush the roulade with melted butter.
- ROAST. Transfer to oven and cook 2 hours or until center of roulade reaches 150 degrees F. Tent with foil and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
How to make turkey roulade ahead of time?
If you like to get as much of your Thanksgiving prep work out of the way ahead of time (I do!), you can make the stuffing, and stuff, roll and tie your roulade the day before you plan to roast it.
The great thing about this plan is that if you keep the assembled stuffed turkey breast in the fridge, uncovered, overnight, the skin will have a chance to dry out, leaving you with extra crispy skin once it’s roasted the next day. Yum!
Home Chef Tips for Rolled Turkey Breast
- Don’t be afraid to use as much kitchen twine as necessary to tie the turkey roll securely. You just snip it off at the end anyway!
- To ensure your turkey roulade is perfectly cooked, use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It is very hard to make a roulade without this tool.
- For a beautiful finish, ladle homemade gravy over the turkey breast roulade when serving.
Stuffed Turkey Roll Variations
- FETA – Not a fan of blue cheese? Try feta instead.
- BACON – Add a bit of crumbled oven bacon to the stuffing for a smoky flavor.
- NUTS – A handful of chopped walnuts and pecans add crunch and nutty flavor to the stuffing for the rolled turkey breast.
What to Serve with Turkey Breast Roulade
Complete your holiday meal with all of the classic side dishes everyone loves:
- Homemade Stuffing
- Quick Yeast Rolls
- Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
- Mashed Potatoes with Heavy Cream
- Thanksgiving Salad
- Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
- Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Rolled Turkey Breast Roulade
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 2 apples chopped
- 1 bunch kale ribs removed and discarded, thinly sliced
- 1 egg
- 2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 whole turkey breast, boned and butterflied 2 halves (about 5 pounds)
- 1 wedge blue cheese, crumbled 4 ounces
Instructions
- Heat 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add apples and kale and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until kale is wilted, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, place egg in large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add stuffing mix, stock, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and onion mixture, stir until well combined.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place baking rack on rimmed sheet pan.
- Lay turkey breast, skin side down, on work surface. Sprinkle turkey with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread the stuffing mixture evenly over meat, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle cheese evenly over stuffing.
- Starting at one short end, roll turkey like a jelly roll, tucking in any stuffing that may fall out on the sides. Using twine, firmly tie the roll every 2 to 3 inches to make a compact cylinder.
- Place the roulade seam side down on prepared rack on sheet plan. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush over roulade.
- Transfer to oven and roast 2 hours or until center of roulade reaches 150 degrees F. Remove from oven and cover roulade with foil. Allow to rest at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Home Chef Tip: You can make the stuffing, and stuff, roll and tie your roulade the day before you plan to roast it. Keep the assembled roulade in the fridge, uncovered, overnight.
