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Tender, juicy, perfectly roasted turkey is easy to make with this fool-proof recipe! It’s a must-serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas, and great whenever you want a delicious main dish to feed a crowd.
Look no further if you’re searching for a never-fail, simple-to-make Roasted Turkey recipe! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or this is your first time making a whole Turkey, this easy-to-follow recipe will guide you through the process.
Roasting a beautiful Turkey creates a centerpiece for your meal and is a showstopping main dish that will compliment all your sides perfectly! The dish is taken to a new level with the bright flavors of lemon, onion, garlic, and rosemary. This turkey is juicy and perfectly cooked inside, with a deliciously crispy skin that everyone will love!
Since the cooking time depends on the bird’s size, this recipe is also incredibly easy to adjust for a larger or smaller crowd. Whether you’re hosting forty people or cooking for four, this tried and true Roasted Turkey will amaze any crowd. With just 10 simple ingredients and 30 minutes of preparation, you’ll have a tender, flavorful Turkey on the table in no time!
Make This Recipe For…
- Thanksgiving
- Potlucks and Covered Dish Suppers
- Feeding a Crowd
- Christmas
- Casual Entertaining
- Family Dinners
- Easter
Ingredients Needed To Make This Easy Roasted Turkey
- Whole Turkey
- Onion – peeled and quartered
- Lemon – quartered
- Fresh Thyme
- Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh Sage
- Garlic – six cloves minced, two cloves whole
- Butter – room temperature
- Salt
- Pepper
PRO TIP: Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, to let it come to room temperature. If the turkey is not room temperature it can change the cook time slightly and make the butter seize up when you brush it over the skin.
How To Make This Easy Roasted Turkey
- Arrange the oven rack so the turkey will sit in the center, then preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Make a herb butter by adding the softened butter, 6 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of thyme, 1 tablespoon of rosemary, 1 tablespoon of sage, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Remove the neck and giblets from inside the cavity of the room-temperature turkey. Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Gently rub the turkey’s inner cavity with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Stuff the turkey’s cavity with the chopped onion, lemon wedges, the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, and fresh herbs. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan and tuck the wings underneath the turkey. Melt the garlic herb butter in the microwave or over low heat, and brush all the butter over the outer skin of the turkey.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast at 325 degrees for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted between the turkey breast and the thigh.
- Check the turkey about halfway through the cooking time. If the skin is getting too brown, place a large piece of foil over the bird and continue to cook. When done, remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
How Long Does It Take To Roast Turkey?
The time it takes to roast a turkey depends entirely on its size. Generally, my rule of thumb is 13-15 minutes per pound of turkey. I usually buy a turkey that’s 10-15 pounds depending on how many guests I’m serving, so it takes around 2-4 hours to roast.
How Do I Make My Turkey Tender And Juicy?
The trick to making an incredibly tender and juicy turkey is to take it out immediately and let it rest. You want to roast the turkey until the breast temperature registers between 165 and 170 degrees and the thickest part of the thigh is around 180 degrees.
If the turkey juices run clear when you remove the thermometer, that’s a good sign that it’s finished roasting. At that point, you’ll want to remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for about 30-45 minutes so that it becomes re-saturated in its juices.
Additions and Substitutions For This Recipe
You can make all kinds of fun additions and substitutions to this recipe; here are a couple of variations I’ve tried and enjoyed…
Additions
- Pork Sausage Stuffing
- Fresh Oregano
- Apples and Celery
- Fresh Ginger
- Chopped Leeks
Substitutions
- Fresh Oranges substituted for the lemons
- Quartered Shallots substituted for the onions
- Bay Leaves substituted for the sage
How To Serve This Easy Roasted Turkey Recipe
A beautiful, perfectly cooked turkey is a showstopping dish, it’s practically the centerpiece of your table! There are so many excellent side dishes and appetizers you can pair with a delicious main dish like Roasted Turkey, but here are a couple of my favorites…
Side Dishes
Easy Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- One 10-15 pound Turkey – thawed and brought to room temperature prior to roasting
- 1 Onion – peeled and quartered
- 1 Lemon – cut into quarters
- 1 oz packaged Fresh Thyme
- 1 oz packaged Fresh Rosemary
- 1 oz packaged Fresh Sage
- 8 cloves of Garlic – six cloves minced, two cloves left whole
- 10 tablespoons Butter – room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons Salt
Instructions
- Arrange the oven rack so the turkey will sit in the center of the oven, then preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make a herb butter by adding the softened butter, 6 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of thyme, 1 tablespoon of rosemary, 1 tablespoon of sage and 1 teaspoon of salt to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Remove the neck and giblets from inside the cavity of the room temperature turkey. Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Gently rub the inner cavity of the turkey with remaining salt and the pepper.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the chopped onion, lemon wedges, remaining 2 cloves of garlic and the remaining fresh herbs. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan and tuck the wings underneath the turkey. Melt the garlic herb butter, in the microwave or over a low heat, and brush all of the butter over the outside skin of the turkey.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast at 325 degrees for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use an instant read thermometer inserted between the turkey breast and the thigh.
- Check the turkey about half way through the cook time. If the skin is getting too brown, place a large piece of foil over the bird and continue to cook. When done, remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
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