Feel confident serving a beautifully roasted turkey with crispy golden-brown skin and juicy, tender meat when you have this simple Oven Roasted Turkey recipe by your side!
Complete your holiday table with low-carb favorites like keto stuffing, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, green beans, and a classic pumpkin pie for dessert.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Oven Roasted Turkey
- Flavor: Buttery richness, fresh herbs, and savory aromatics come together to create that familiar holiday turkey flavor.
- Skill Level: Simple 15 minute prep and clear temperature cues make this a great option even for first-time turkey cooks.
- Tools: A roasting pan with a rack and an instant-read or leave-in meat thermometer are the two essential tools for roasting the turkey.
- No rack? No problem! Place turkey on a ‘raft’ made with chopped celery, onions, and radishes. While the turkey roasts, the savory juices cook into the veggies. These veggies can be served with the turkey, pureed and added to the gravy, or used to make turkey broth.
- Serving: Plan on about 1 to 1½ pounds of whole turkey per person, especially if you want leftovers. As a guide, a 10 to 12-pound turkey serves about 10, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday dinner.
Cook Time: 3 Hrs 40 Mins (15 Mins Prep) Servings: 10 Cooking Method: Oven
Ingredient Notes
- Whole Turkey: Use a fully thawed 10 to 12 pound turkey, and check both the neck and main body cavities for the neck and giblet packet before roasting.
- Butter: Melted butter adds rich flavor and helps the skin achieve that enticing golden brown color! Oil is a good, dairy-free option.
- Onion: Chop into quarters, place loosely in the turkey cavity and the roasting pan. It adds a mellow, savory, and slightly sweet flavor to the turkey and the pan drippings as it roasts.
- Garlic: Place whole cloves in the turkey cavity to add flavor and aroma without burning.
- Herbs: Fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme add savory, earthy flavor to this holiday turkey. A packaged poultry herb blend makes an easy shortcut.
- Celery: Roughly chop and add to the roasting pan to lend savory flavor to the drippings.
- Chicken Broth: Low sodium chicken broth keeps the pan juices from becoming too salty as they concentrate. Turkey broth works equally as well.
Variations
- Amp up the flavor and brush the skin in Step 4 with a blend of melted butter and herb garlic seasoning.
- You can also brush melted bacon grease over the skin for an even crispier skin and a touch of smoky flavor.
To Thaw Safely
- Place turkey in a bag and pan to catch any drips, then refrigerate 24 hours for every 4 pounds.
- Be sure to cook it within 3 days.
- Your turkey is fully thawed when the breast meat is pliable, the legs and wings move freely, and read between 30°F and 40°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh.
How To Roast a Turkey in The Oven
- Remove giblets and neck (if included) and pat the skin dry.
- Brush outside of the turkey with butter and season the inside (full recipe below).
- Tuck wings under the body and truss the legs together.
- Roast the turkey, breast side up in a pan with vegetables and broth.
Secrets to Juicy Turkey
- Take The Chill Off: Bring the turkey out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking to help it roast more evenly.
- Pat Dry: Use a paper towel to pat the turkey surface dry before brushing with butter or oil. Less surface moisture means better browning.
- For Perfect Skin: Basting isn’t necessary and increases cooking time when the oven door is opened repeatedly. Place a foil tent over the parts of the turkey that become overly browned before the turkey is done.
- Cooked, Not Overcooked: Use roasting time as a guide because the turkey size, shape, and individual ovens can change the cooking time. Check it a bit early, and with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast, it should read 165°F.
- Let It Rest: Remove from oven and rest covered for 20 minutes before slicing. This step allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat.
Serving and Storing Roasted Turkey
- Remove meat from the carcass before storing covered with plastic or in an airtight container. Save the carcass to make broth.
- Refrigerate oven roasted turkey within 2 hours of serving for up to 4 days. Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheat turkey, covered and with a splash of broth, in a low oven until hot. Small portions can be gently reheated in the microwave.
- You can add any leftover meat to soup, use in stuffed peppers, or to create quick and easy turkey tacos or a low carb flatbread wrap.
Build a Low Carb Holiday Dinner
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Oven Roasted Turkey
This oven roasted turkey is seasoned with fresh herbs and aromatics, then slow roasted until juicy and golden. It's an easy, classic centerpiece for a low carb holiday dinner.
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 pound whole turkey
- ¼ cup oil or melted butter
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 ribs celery
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 package mixed poultry herbs
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- ½ cup chicken broth or turkey broth
Instructions
- Remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity if present. Pat the skin dry with paper towels.
- Brush the butter or oil over the skin and season the turkey generously with salt and pepper. Add the onion, poultry herbs, and whole garlic cloves to the cavity. Tuck the wing tips beneath the turkey and tie the legs together.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large roasting pan and add the turkey breast side up. Add the broth to the bottom of the pan along with the celery and remaining onion. Add neck and giblets if desired.
- Place the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F. Roast the unstuffed turkey for 15 to 17 minutes per pound or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- If the skin begins to appear too brown, tent with a piece of foil over the top.
- Remove the turkey from the roasting pan to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
- The turkey should reach 165°F. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 361IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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