Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Sauce is perfect for a small-scale Thanksgiving, Christmas or a nice family dinner any time of year!
Planning a small-scale Thanksgiving?
When a whole turkey for Thanksgiving is too much, a half turkey breast is about the right amount for up to four people and you may still have leftovers. This spinach and ricotta-stuffed turkey breast with garlic and herb sauce I make for my clients is elegant and fuss-free.
First, you’ll need to butterfly the turkey breast. Start on the thick rounded side and make a horizontal cut through the middle to within one inch of the other side. Try not to create any holes, but don’t worry about it if you do. Using butcher’s twine, which is available at any area kitchen store or grocery store kitchen department will secure the stuffed breast. Also, the spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheese combination stays intact and doesn’t usually run out.
If you don’t feel comfortable butterflying the turkey breast, ask your butcher to do it for you.
Because white turkey breast meat can be dry, I first brine the butterflied turkey breast in a water, salt and sugar solution. (Make sure the turkey has not been injected or flavored in any way.) Brining works well for lean proteins by enhancing juiciness. Because protein and muscle fibers absorb liquid during the brining process, they start off juicier and will then end up juicier as long as the protein is not overcooked. The ratio of water, salt and sugar in brines is based on weight and can vary, along with the timing.
Here’s more information on brining turkey from Whole Foods.
The safe temperature for poultry to reach is 165 degrees. With large pieces of protein, some carry-over cooking occurs so you’ll want to remove the turkey breast from the oven when it reaches 160 degrees. Carryover cooking means a protein continues to cook a bit more although it has been removed from the heat source.
It’s best to allow proteins to rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. When the protein rests, juices redistribute and get absorbed back into the meat fibers.
The creamy garlic and herb sauce has a hint of white wine and is easy to make on the stovetop while the turkey is resting. Happy Thanksgiving!
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Sauce
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Sauce is perfect for a small-scale Thanksgiving, Christmas or a nice family dinner any time of year!
Ingredients
- 6 cups hot tap water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 (2-2 1/2 pound) boneless skinless turkey breast half, butterflied
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 container (15-ounce) ricotta cheese, whole milk or part-skim
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 bag (12-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning (such as Penzeys)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- GARLIC HERB SAUCE
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (or as needed)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
TURKEY: Combine hot tap water, sugar and kosher salt in a large bowl. Mix well and wait for water to clear and sugar and salt to dissolve. Place turkey breast in the brine and refrigerate 4-6 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine shallot, ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, Italian seasoning and salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl.
Remove turkey from brine, pat dry and spread out flat. Spread stuffing ingredients over inside of turkey breast to within 1-inch of the edge. Starting with narrow end, roll up and secure with butcher’s twine.
Place turkey breast in a roasting pan. Dot the top with butter and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer registers at least 160 degrees in the center. Tent and let rest 5-10 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch slices and serve with sauce.
GARLIC HERB SAUCE; Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add wine and continue whisking 1 minute.
Slowly add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, garlic and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream. Add additional chicken broth if a thinner sauce is desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.
Recipe Notes
MAKE AHEAD: Can be prepped one day ahead. Prepare to the point of baking, cover and refrigerate.
peggy elms says
February 14, 2018 at 8:42 amI am going to make this for tonight, I wonder what the nutrition value is, trying to cut down on the fat, but not the good ones mind you. Thank you for sharng this mouth watering recipe.
Carol says
February 14, 2018 at 9:36 amHi, Peggy, I just updated the information. I just changed my recipe format and some information didn’t migrate. It seems high to me, but you can cut the calories by using lower fat ricotta. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Britany says
November 21, 2016 at 6:50 pmHi Carol ,
I am making this for thanksgiving 🙂
How long would i cook this for if i wanted the oven temp to be at 400 degrees?
thank you , 🙂 i have only one oven and am also making scalloped potatoes and they need to cook at 400 degrees but i want everything to be ready at the same time
thanks again !
Britany
Carol says
November 21, 2016 at 7:19 pmHi, Brittany, Thanks for your question. 400 degrees seems kind of high for scalloped potatoes because of the dairy but if you’re starting from raw then it’s probably right. The turkey breast takes at least an hour at 350 degrees so you should be able to bake both alongside each other. However, there’s nothing more frustrating than potatoes that refuse to cook in a baked dish such as scalloped potatoes. Been there, done that! Obviously I haven’t seen the recipe you’re using, but I like to use waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold in scalloped potatoes. Starchy potatoes such as Russets can fall apart. I slice the Yukons, then gently cook them in salted water until I can just pierce them with a knife. Drain, cool and then layer as you would in your scalloped potato recipe. If you’ve got that head start on the potatoes, both should bake together just fine at 350 degrees.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
January 17, 2017 at 6:10 pmCarol,
I love this answer! It is so wonderful to see comments from real readers asking for help and then thoughtful answers from the blogger.
So often comments are generic and nondescript. This was anything but.
So much so that I just had to comment and say ‘YEAH’ this is food blogging done right 😀
p.s the turkey looks amazing too 🙂
Carol says
January 17, 2017 at 6:50 pmThanks, Claire! I try….. 🙂
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
November 23, 2015 at 7:04 amThis looks like the perfect solution to a small Thanksgiving, or just an elegant Sunday Supper. I love the filling!