Sheet-Pan Turkey Breast with Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Turkey breast, potatoes and brussels sprouts roasted together on one tray until the edges caramelize, with a spoonful of cranberry sauce alongside. A high-protein dinner with almost no cleanup.
- Total
- 85 min
- Prep 20 · Cook 55 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Resting meat
- Savory
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 220°C. Cut the potatoes into 2.5 cm chunks and the brussels sprouts in half through the stem. Pat the turkey breast dry, trim any loose bits, and season it all over with 1 tsp of the salt and half the black pepper.
~15 min
Drying the skin lets it crisp and brown instead of steaming, while early salting seasons the meat before roasting.
-
Toss the potatoes and brussels sprouts in a bowl with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the rest of the black pepper. Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet, leaving a clear space in the middle.
~5 min
A single layer with space between pieces lets hot air circulate so vegetables roast and caramelize rather than steam.
-
Set the turkey breast in the empty space, skin side up, and drizzle with the last 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 25 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown at the edges.
~25 min
Skin side up exposes the fat to direct heat so it renders and browns, basting the meat as it roasts.
Roasting Keep vegetables in a single layer with space between them so they brown instead of steam. Crowding the pan is the most common mistake.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the tray roasts, put the stuffing in a bowl and pour over the 250 ml water. Stir once and let it stand so the stuffing absorbs the water.
~10 min
Stuffing absorbs the water and rehydrates so it steams into a moist, cohesive mound rather than staying dry and crumbly.
-
Pull the tray out, spoon the soaked stuffing into a compact mound beside the turkey, and return it to the oven. Roast 25 to 30 minutes more, until the turkey reaches 74°C in the thickest part and the potatoes and brussels sprouts are tender and browned.
~30 min
The stuffing needs the full roasting time to cook through, and 74°C ensures the turkey is safely done without drying out.
If the vegetables brown faster than the turkey cooks, slide them to the outer edges and give the turkey the centre, or tent the tray loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
The stuffing mound should be moist but not wet: if it looks soupy after soaking, press it gently so it holds together before it goes on the tray.
Roasting Keep vegetables in a single layer with space between them so they brown instead of steam. Crowding the pan is the most common mistake.
-
Move the turkey to a board and rest it 10 minutes. Spread the vegetables and stuffing on the tray, slice the turkey against the grain, and serve with the cranberry sauce spooned over or alongside.
~10 min
Resting lets the juices redistribute through the meat so slicing does not leave it dry.
Resting meat Rest the turkey 10 minutes before slicing so juices redistribute. Cutting immediately lets them run out and leaves the meat dry.