This post is sponsored by the National Turkey Federation. You can find delicious turkey recipe ideas on their website, www.eatturkey.org.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to make something special that was a bit different from the normal roasted turkey. This Turkey Rollatini is exactly that! It’s the kind of thing you may only make for special occasions and is a wonderful centerpiece on your holiday table.
Of course, there are some tips and tricks to really nailing this recipe. So, let’s dive in and make this Turkey Rollatini!
What to use as stuffing for your rollatini?
Before we tackle the rollatini, let’s talk stuffing. I used a simple, but delicious, sausage and corn bread stuffing for my version. I cook the sausage in a skillet with some celery, onion, and garlic, and then add some cranberries, herbs, bread crumbs, and chicken stock.
I posted the full stuffing recipe I used below, but you shouldn’t feel restricted here. You can use almost any stuffing recipe for the rollatini. Then only thing I would note is to make sure the stuffing you are using isn’t too chunky or it will be hard to roll. Other than that, you could use anything for this recipe!
What cut of turkey works best?
There is less flexibility in the turkey cut. You want a turkey breast that is boneless. I like the cuts that have the skin on the breast still as it gets crispy and golden brown, but if you can only find a boneless, skinless, breast then that works also.
The weight of your breast can vary but somewhere in the two-pound range works really well and will feed 5-6 people without a problem. Sometimes you might find these boneless breasts as big as three pounds, which will feed at least 8 once they are stuffed and sliced.
How to prepare turkey rollatini
This isn’t a hard recipe to make, but just make sure you have time to do the steps. If you’ve never made a rollatini before, it can be a bit intimidating. But, it is very doable.
First, cook your stuffing and let it cool a bit so it’s at least room temperature. If the stuffing is too hot, it’ll be hard to work with. You can absolutely make the stuffing in advance also!
When you are ready, unwrap the turkey breast and use a sharp knife to butterfly it open. Then cover the turkey with some plastic wrap and pound it thinly with a mallet or rolling pin. The turkey should be an even thickness of about ¼-1/2 inch thick.
Next, add your stuffing to the turkey in a layer that is about as thick as the turkey. Leave about ½-inch of room around the edge of the turkey breast so you can roll it easily. Press the stuffing into the turkey so it’s in a condensed layer.
Now time to roll! Starting on one side, roll the turkey into a tight cylinder and then use some twine to secure it in place. Don’t worry if you lose a little filling.
Place the turkey rollatini on a baking dish, with the seam side of the rollatini down, and drizzle the turkey with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. It’s ready to bake!
- Want a different stuffing option? Check out this peach stuffing which I used for pork, but would work for turkey also!
The most important tool for turkey rollatini
To make this recipe successfully, you absolutely need a kitchen thermometer. There are just too many variables in the turkey rollatini to rely on time for baking.
I like to bake mine at 375˚F and it will take somewhere in the 90-minute range for baking, but it could take up to two hours so a meat thermometer is really the only way to know.
When the thermometer hits 170˚F in the thickest part of the rollatini, it’s ready to serve!
What to serve with this recipe
Once the Turkey Rollatini has rested for a few minutes, slice it into coins and serve it with traditional Thanksgiving fare like mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy! Gravy is a must for pouring over the rollatini!
Want to try a classic turkey recipe? Try this Turkey Manicotti version!
Storing and reheating the rollatini
If you have leftover Rollatini, have no fear! It stores great in the fridge for up to five days (or you can freeze it for up to three months). Reheat the turkey rollatini in a 350˚F oven until it’s warmed through.
Another option for reheating, if you have the rollatini cut into coins, is to sear the slices in a skillet with a little olive oil!
Turkey Rollatini
Ingredients
Basic Stuffing:
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 stalk celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup dried cranberry
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 6 oz corn bread stuffing mix
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
Rollatini:
- 2-3 pound boneless turkey breast, butterflied
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Twine for tying
- Gravy for serving
Instructions
For Filling:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add sausage and brown well, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Cook 5-6 minutes until sausage is done.
- Add onions, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 5-6 minutes until veggies soften.
- Finally, add cranberries, thyme, stuffing mix, and chicken stock and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
To Make Rollatini:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Butterfly your turkey breast open with a sharp knife. Lay it out on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, then pound with a mallet to get the breast to an even thickness, about ¼-inch thick. Ideally, the turkey breast will be about 8×10 in size, but that may vary depending on the size of your turkey breast.
- Add a layer of stuffing to the turkey breast. You will probably need ½-3/4 of the stuffing recipe and will have some leftover. The layer of stuffing should be about the thickness of the turkey breast and leave about ½-inch of room around the edge of the turkey breast.
- Roll the breast tightly into a cylinder and use some kitchen twine to secure the turkey in a tight roll. Drizzle rollatini with olive oil and season the exterior of the turkey breast with salt and pepper.
- Bake turkey rollatini for 80-90 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 170˚F in the center of the rollatini. Due to the nature of rollatini, this time could increase by 20-30 minutes. You absolutely need to use a meat thermometer to successfully know when your turkey rollatini is done.
- When the turkey reaches the right temperature, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Then, remove twine and slice into ½-inch coins. Serve with traditional Thanksgiving sides and gravy.
- Reheat stored rollatini in a 350˚F oven for 10 minutes until warmed through or in the microwave for 1 minute on high.
