Are you ready to make the BEST Thanksgiving turkey recipe? Trust me, it’s easier than you think!

You don’t need to brine and you don’t need to baste. Just a few simple steps and you’ll have a perfectly golden, juicy, and insanely flavorful roasted turkey recipe that’ll impress your family and guests.

There’s something about cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving that intimidates a lot of people. I totally get it. I remember being intimidated the first time I cooked a turkey. It’s because you don’t want to screw up a big, holiday meal with all your friends and family over…am I right?

But here’s the funny thing, cooking a turkey is actually super easy! Think of it as cooking a really large chicken. It might take longer to cook, but other than that, the process is pretty darn similar.

Sure, some people get fancy with expensive equipment, gadgets, smokers, and flavors, but you don’t need any of that to make a classic, ultra-flavorful, and juicy turkey. Just follow my Thanksgiving game plan so you know what to buy and cook when. Then follow the recipe and tips below. Easy!

Roast Turkey Ingredients

Besides the turkey, you just need herbs, aromatics, and a little seasoning. Simple really is best!

• Turkey: Any whole frozen (or fresh) turkey at the market works. For details on what size is best, read below.
• Fresh Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, and sage are classic poultry herbs. And while you can use dried, I do think fresh imparts a more robust flavor.
• Onion and Garlic: The onion will go inside the turkey and the garlic will be rubbed on the outside. But together, these aromatics will infuse the meat and skin with savory goodness.
• Lemon: Adding lemon wedges inside the turkey helps keep the meat moist and adds a zing of freshness.
• Butter: A generous amount of butter makes for a juicy turkey without the need to brine. Now there’s some time savings!
• Salt and Pepper: For that perfectly seasoned bird.

I also put vegetables under my turkey (like celery, carrots, and onion) while it’s roasting. This isn’t required, but I do recommend it. Not only will it amp up your turkey recipe, but it will take your turkey gravy flavor to the next level too!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Don’t Forget to Thaw The Turkey

The biggest mistake people make is buying a frozen turkey the day before Thanksgiving. Don’t do that! Remember that a big turkey is going to take a while to defrost in the fridge. It takes about 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey to properly thaw. My recommendation – buy your turkey at least a week before Thanksgiving. Then, let it thaw in the fridge 3 to 4 days before the big day.

No, You Don’t Need to Wash It

All you’ll do is contaminate your sink and kitchen and make a mess. We’ve talked about this before with chicken, and the same applies here. Any bacteria on the turkey will get killed in the oven while baking.

Don’t Cook Stuffing In the Turkey

If you want perfectly cooked stuffing and perfectly cooked turkey, cook them separately. If you overfill the cavity of the turkey it slows down the cooking time. And besides, it’s better to fill the turkey with aromatics and herbs that give it flavor and moisture. So cook your stuffing in a casserole dish instead.

How to Prepare and Cook Turkey

Thaw and remove giblets. Once your turkey is thawed, let it rest at room temperature for an hour. Remove the bag of giblets and the neck, found in the large cavity and sometimes the smaller neck cavity (check both areas just to make sure you got everything out). You can save these items for gravy or discard them.

Pat dry and stuff. Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Removing any extra moisture ensures extra crispy skin. Then, season the inside of the turkey generously with salt and pepper, and stuff the cavity with quartered onion, lemon, and fresh sprigs of herbs. If anything, go lighter on the sage than the other herbs, as it’s more potent.

Make herb butter. Make the herb butter by stirring together the softened butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme in a small bowl.

Spread herb butter all over. Loosen the skin of the turkey on top of the breasts by gently sliding your fingers underneath. Add about 1/3 of the herb compound butter and spread it evenly underneath the skin. Spread the remainder of the herb butter all around the outside of the turkey.

Don’t truss the legs! Resist the urge to tie the turkey legs together. Yes, it makes the turkey picture perfect, BUT trussing prevents the air from circulating properly, leaving the meat to cook unevenly. So even though your mom (and likely grandmother) did it, skip it.

Cook the turkey. Place the turkey on a roasting rack or on a bed of veggies (or both – which is what I do). Then there’s only one thing left to do – cook the turkey!

Always Let Your Turkey Rest

Once you remove the turkey from the oven it’s imperative that you let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute in the meat, making for a juicer turkey. Better to have a juicy turkey than a sopping wet cutting board!

Carve and Serve Your Beautiful Bird

The only thing left at this point is to admire your gorgeous turkey, carve it, make some flavorful turkey gravy and wow your guests. Just follow my tips on how to carve a turkey. For a complete Thanksgiving spread, consider serving the turkey with:

• Cranberry Sauce
• Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Mashed Cauliflower (for a low-carb option)
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Honey Glazed Carrots
• Creamed Corn
• Healthy Green Bean Casserole
• Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Need help with a timeline on the big day? Check out my Thanksgiving game plan, and peruse the Thanksgiving menu I’ve put together. I’ve also got a prime rib or honey baked ham if turkey isn’t your jam. And If you’ve got turkey leftovers (which are always the best), transform them into a turkey cobb salad or turkey casserole!

I’m pretty confident that with this tutorial, you’ll become a Thanksgiving turkey master. So if you make it, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.