Apple Pecan and Cranberry Turkey Roulade
This Turkey Roulade is tender, flavorful, and stuffed with a festive blend of apples, cranberries, pecans, and herbs. It’s a show-stopping centerpiece that’s easier to make than it looks, and perfect for holidays or special dinners!
If you’ve never made a turkey breast roulade before, don’t worry. I’ll walk you through the butterflying and rolling process, and once it’s tied and in the oven, the rest is hands-off. The filling is cozy and packed with flavor, and the slices look beautiful on the plate. Each bite is layered with juicy turkey and savory-sweet stuffing!
The apple, pecan, and cranberry combo in the roasted turkey roulade is one of my favorites for fall and winter. It brings a little sweetness, a little crunch, and a lot of warmth. Paired with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans, this is the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you’re celebrating, making it perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving, but also great for a weeknight upgrade.
What is a roulade?
A roulade is a dish made by rolling a flat piece of meat or cake around a filling. In savory dishes like this one, a turkey breast is butterflied, flattened, and layered with a flavorful stuffing, then tightly rolled, tied with kitchen twine, and roasted. When sliced, each round reveals a beautiful spiral of filling and meat. It’s a great way to make a dish feel elegant and special, without much extra effort.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Roulade with Apples, Pecans and Cranberries
- Festive and elegant. This roulade looks impressive, making it a great alternative to a whole turkey for holidays or dinner parties.
- Savory-sweet stuffing. The combo of apples, pecans, cranberries, and herbs makes each bite pop with flavor and texture.
- Easier than it looks. Once you butterfly the turkey and roll it up, the oven does the rest. No basting or complicated steps required.
- Great with make-ahead sides. Pair it with store-bought or homemade mashed potatoes and green veggies for a balanced, satisfying meal.
Ingredients You Need
- Boneless Turkey Breast: Look for a skinless, boneless breast that you can butterfly and pound flat. This will make it easy to roll.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning the meat inside and out.
- Olive Oil: Helps the exterior brown and stay moist.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the sautéed filling.
- Red Onion: Adds a mild sweetness and depth to the stuffing.
- Apple: Use a firm variety like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for a nice sweet-tart contrast.
- Fresh Rosemary and Sage: Classic holiday herbs that bring savory warmth.
- Pecans: Add crunch and a nutty note to the filling.
- Dried Cranberries: Bring a tart chewiness and color to the stuffing.
- Breadcrumbs: Help bind the stuffing and soak up flavor.
- Mashed Potatoes: I used Main St Bistro mashed potatoes for ease. Serve these creamy mashed potatoes alongside for a comforting and easy side.
Variations & Substitutions
- Nuts: Use chopped walnuts or hazelnuts instead of pecans if that’s what you have on hand.
- Onion: Replace red onion with shallots for a milder flavor.
- Gluten-Free: For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or even cooked wild rice in the filling.
- Add-ins: Add a handful of baby spinach, kale or sautéed mushrooms to the filling for extra veggies.
How to Make Apple Pecan & Cranberry Roast Turkey Roulade
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. In a sauté pan melt the butter on medium heat.
- Sauté the Fillings: Add onion and apples and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion and apples are tender. Add the fresh herbs, cranberries, pecans, and breadcrumbs. Stir to combine, sauté for one more minute and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool down.
- Butterfly the Turkey: To butterfly turkey breast, place the turkey breast skin down in a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife slice through the thickest part of the breast to create a flap. Cover the turkey with a plastic wrap and pound the meat using the flat side of the meat mallet. Season the meat with salt and black pepper.
- Add Filling: Spread the mixture evenly on the meat. Roll the meat tightly and tie the roulade with kitchen twine every 1” to ensure that everything stays together.
- Season the Outside: Drizzle with olive oil for a nice brown skin, and season with salt and black pepper.
- Roast: Roast the turkey in a roasting pan for about an hour or until the meat reaches 150F degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
- Serve & Enjoy: Enjoy with Signature Family Size Mashed Potatoes, green beans and other side dishes.
Tips for Success
- Butterfly and pound the turkey evenly so it cooks uniformly and is easy to roll. Aim for about ½-inch thickness across the surface.
- Cool the filling before rolling. This prevents the turkey from warming too quickly and helps it stay tightly rolled.
- Tie the roulade securely with kitchen twine every inch or so. This keeps the stuffing inside and helps it cook evenly.
- Let it rest before slicing. Tent the cooked roulade with foil and rest for 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute for moist, clean slices.
Serving Suggestions
This apple, pecan, and cranberry turkey roulade pairs beautifully with a variety of side dishes! For a simple and vibrant vegetable, try lemon butter green beans or honey garlic green beans. Miso orange roasted carrots, a trio of roasted veggies, or a bacon and cabbage gratin would both go well with it, too! For something with a little heat and richness, sweet and spicy roasted sweet potatoes are a delicious choice. And of course, don’t forget the mashed potatoes! Feel free to make them at home or buy them at the store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can assemble and roll the turkey a day in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, then roast it the next day.
Use a meat thermometer and roast until the internal temperature reaches 155°F in the thickest part. Cooking time will vary based on how thick your turkey roulade is! After resting, the temperature will rise a bit more and remain juicy.
More Recipes to Try
- Maple Roasted Turkey Breast
- Braised Turkey Legs with Apples
- Rosemary Garlic Roasted Lamb
- Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
- Easy Herb Roasted Turkey
Apple Pecan and Cranberry Turkey Roulade
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb boneless turkey breast butterflied
- 2 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of black pepper
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to season before baking
- 1 packages of Signature Family Size Mashed Potatoes @main_st_bistro
Filling
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1 apple diced
- 1 tbsp of fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tbsp of fresh sage chopped
- ½ cup of pecans chopped
- ½ cup of dry cranberries chopped
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
- In a sauté pan melt the butter on medium heat.
- Add onion and apples and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion and apples are tender.
- Add the fresh herbs, cranberries, pecans, and breadcrumbs. Stir to combine, sauté for one more minute and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool down.
- To butterfly turkey breast, place the turkey breast skin down in a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife slice through the thickest part of the breast to create a flap. Cover the turkey with a plastic wrap and pound the meat using the flat side of the meat mallet.
- Season the meat with salt and black pepper.
- Spread the mixture evenly on the meat. Roll the meat tightly and tie the roulade with kitchen twine every 1” to ensure that everything stays together.
- Drizzle with olive oil for a nice brown skin, and season with salt and black pepper.
- Roast the turkey for about an hour or until the meat reaches 150F degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
- Enjoy with Signature Family Size Mashed Potatoes @main_st_bistro, green beans and other side dishes.
