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Why I Make a Turkey Roulade
Every year, there’s the big Thanksgiving question: do you stick with the same turkey tradition, or change it up? This turkey roulade is my answer to both. It’s got all the familiar, nostalgic flavors of savory sausage, sweet apples, and aromatic herbs, but wrapped up in a beautiful roll that’s easy to make and just the right size for a smaller gathering.
Plus, it’s an incredibly beautiful main dish to impress guests, but with hardly any work!
Growing up, we always made a whole turkey. But there’s only so many times you want to make a huge, 15-pound bird. For smaller get-togethers or Friendsgiving meals, I love to make this roulade. It’s still something that feels special and makes the house smell incredible, but without the time commitment of roasting an entire bird. Seriously, it’s probably at least less than half the time. Plus, you can prep it ahead of time and have something gorgeous to slice and serve.
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Perfect for smaller Thanksgiving gatherings.
- An impressive holiday main dish.
- Something easier than a whole bird, but still elegant.
- A make-ahead Thanksgiving option – Assemble the day before, then roast right before serving. Plus, it’s easy to reheat.
- Super flavorful as there’s filling in each slice.
This recipe originally appeared in my 2025 Holiday Guide, which is available to order!
History Lesson
Technique & Tradition
What is a roulade? – The word comes from the French word meaning “to roll.” In European cooking, a roulade refers to a thin sheet of food (meat, pastry, or even cake) spread with a filling, rolled, secured, and cooked. A turkey roulade uses this approach with a flattened turkey breast, creating a spiral of flavorful filling within each slice.
Where it comes from – In addition to France, similar dishes exist throughout Europe, including Germany and Italy. The modern turkey roulade is an American twist, using this old technique to create a turkey breast that feels special and perfect for smaller gatherings.
Turkey Roulade Ingredients
Every ingredient in this turkey roulade is super flavorful and included for a reason:
- Bulk sausage – Adds a savory, rich base to the filling.
- Onion – Adds sweetness and depth.
- Garlic – Brings warmth and aroma.
- Apple – Adds a bit of sweetness and some texture. Make sure to seek out a crisp, sweet apple, like a Honeycrisp or Winesap. If you can, get a few extra apples to use as a garnish.
- Fresh sage, thyme, and parsley – A trio of herbs that are perfect during the Thanksgiving season. Buy some extra sage to garnish!
- Kosher salt and black pepper – For seasoning layers.
- Cornbread crumbs – Helps bind the filling and adds a touch of sweetness.
- Parmesan cheese – Adds a salty, nutty finish.
- Turkey breast – The main ingredient for this roulade. Look for one that still has the skin intact so you can get a beautiful, crispy exterior.
- Unsalted butter – For a basting liquid while the turkey is roasting.
- White vermouth – Adds a subtle complexity to the basting butter. You can also use a good white wine instead.
- Bonus: Make sure to have some butcher’s twine on hand to tie up the roulade.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make a Turkey Roulade
This turkey roulade is easy to make, with the preparation of the turkey breast being the only time-consuming part (and really not even that much time):
Brown the sausage – Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Sauté sausage until browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add butter to sausage drippings, if needed.
Sauté aromatics and apple – In the reserved fat, cook onion, salt, and black pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and sage; cook 1 minute. Stir in the apple and cook until just tender, 5 minutes. Let cool.
Make the filling – Once cooled, stir in cornbread crumbs, parsley, and Parmesan cheese until evenly combined.
Prepare the turkey – Cover the turkey breast with plastic wrap and gently pound it to an even ½-inch thickness. Spread the cooled filling evenly over the surface, pressing lightly to help it stick. Starting from the short end, roll the breast up tightly. Some filling may spill out, and that’s okay. Tie the roulade with four pieces of butcher’s twine to hold its shape during roasting.
Prepare basting butter – In a saucepan, melt butter with vermouth, thyme, and sage. Let steep 10 minutes over low heat. Keep warm.
Roast and baste – Place the roulade in a roasting pan. Roast in the preheated 375°F oven, basting every 15 minutes with the infused butter. Cook until deep brown and internal temp reaches 160°F, about 1-1 ½ hours. Tent with foil and let rest 20 minutes to reach a final temp of 165°F. Remove twine, slice, and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Pound the turkey evenly for easy rolling – A smooth, even layer of turkey helps the roulade cook uniformly and roll tightly. Also, make sure to keep the skin intact so that it gets brown and crispy while roasting.
- Let the filling cool – Warm filling can steam the turkey and make rolling slippery, so let it cool before adding.
- Double-wrap ties – A butcher’s knot (over-under twice) holds tighter than a standard tie. It’s how I always like to tie knots when working with meat to make sure everything is secure.
- Use a slotted spoon for sausage – You want to keep the flavorful fat in the pan for your aromatics. If there isn’t enough liquid once the sausage is removed, you can add butter to equal the required amount.
Follow These Tips
Serving
Slice the roulade into 1-inch-thick pieces and arrange on a platter with apples and fresh sage for garnish (totally optional, but really it’s pretty and tells people what’s inside the roulade). Pair this recipe with any number of classic Thanksgiving sides, like mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and cranberry sauce.
Make sure to check out all of my Thanksgiving recipes, so you can compile your entire menu!
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge and then warm using the instructions below.
- Reheat: Warm slices in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, until heated through (about 15 minutes). Or place in the microwave and warm, covered, for about 1 minute on high power.
More Turkey Recipes
- Cowboy butter turkey
- Orange spiced turkey
- Classic dry brine turkey
- Turkey roulade with bacon and kale stuffing
- Citrus dry brine turkey
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
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Turkey Roulade with Apple & Sage
Ingredients
- 1 3-lb boneless, skin-on turkey breast (see note below)
- ½ lb bulk sausage
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 6 leaves fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 sweet crisp apple core removed and diced (Honeycrisp works well)
- ¾ cup cornbread cumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese grated
For the basting butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp white vermouth (or white wine)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 leaves fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and sauté until it is browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove the sausage and set it aside. Measure the grease from the sausage and add butter, if needed, to equal 2 tbsp total.½ lb bulk sausage
- With the sausage grease in the skillet over medium heat, add the onion, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until the onion is softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and sage and sauté for 1 minute. Add the apple and continue to sauté until it begins to soften, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.1 cup chopped onion, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 6 leaves fresh sage, 1 sweet crisp apple
- Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the cornbread crumbs, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Stir to incorporate.¾ cup cornbread cumbs, 2 oz Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- With the turkey breast skin-side facing down, use a meat mallet to pound the breast to about ½-inch thickness. Salt and pepper the turkey and place the prepared stuffing mixture over the meat. Starting with the short end to ensure a nice roll, roll up the breast. Make sure no turkey skin is rolled inside the roulade, and cut off any excess skin. Use four to six 10-inch-long pieces of butcher's twine to secure the roulade tightly. Place in a roasting pan.1 3-lb boneless, skin-on turkey breast (see note below)
- Prepare the basting butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the vermouth, sprigs of thyme, and sage leaves over low heat. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Keep warm while basting the roulade.4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 leaves fresh sage, 4 tbsp white vermouth (or white wine)
- Roast the roulade in the preheated 375°F oven. Brush with the basting butter every 15 minutes. Roast until the skin is dark brown and the meat registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer in the middle of the roulade, about 1-1 ½ hours. Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes, which will allow the juices to redistribute properly, and bring the finished internal temperature up to 165°F. Once rested, cut and remove the twine before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Made this. Great look and flavor. Still a little dry, but turkey, for me, is dry. Have some filling left over in the freezer, I’ll try it again with chicken next time. Clean up sooo easy. A big plus! Thanks for sharing.
Kaleb…this absolutely made our Thanksgiving!! This roulade recipe was perfect as written (the filling is delicious) and directions were very clear. My family doesn’t necessarily love turkey, but after serving this for Thanksgiving dinner we are all converts. This will be our go-to main event for the holiday from here on out. Thank you!!