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If you’re trying to decide how to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve cooked A LOT of turkeys over the years, and I’m sharing 7 of our favorite Thanksgiving turkey recipes so you can choose the method that works best for your family.
Want that classic golden oven roasted turkey? We’ve got it. Need to free up the oven? Try the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Cooking for a smaller crowd? Go with a turkey breast. And if you want big, smoky flavor, our apple pecan smoked turkey is calling your name.
There’s no one right way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey, so let’s find the right turkey for YOUR Thanksgiving!
Why You’ll Love These Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
- 7 completely different methods: Oven, slow cooker, Instant Pot, smoker and a few turkey tricks you probably haven’t tried before.
- Whole turkey or turkey breast: Feeding the entire extended family or keeping Thanksgiving small? We’ve got options for both.
- Find the method that fits your kitchen: Save oven space, shorten cooking time or go all-in on a traditional roasted bird.
- Tested family favorites: We’ve been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for years, and these are the turkey recipes we come back to again and again.
Which Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Should I Make?
| If You Want… | Choose… |
|---|---|
| The classic Thanksgiving centerpiece | Oven Roasted Turkey |
| Extra juicy meat + gorgeous presentation | Cheesecloth Turkey |
| A unique, ultra-juicy method | Turkey in a Bowl |
| Hands-off/oven-free | Slow Cooker Turkey Breast |
| Big smoky flavor | Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast |
| Need turkey FAST | Instant Pot Turkey Breast |
| Simple/beginner-friendly | Herb Roasted Turkey Breast |
7 Ways to Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving
Classic Oven Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Sometimes you just want the classic! Our oven roasted turkey is brined, rested, buttered and roasted for that traditional Thanksgiving turkey everyone pictures in the center of the table. If you’re cooking your first turkey—or just don’t want to mess with a good thing—start here.
Best for: A traditional Thanksgiving dinner and larger gatherings.
Cheesecloth Turkey
If you’re nervous about your Thanksgiving turkey drying out, cook it with cheesecloth! The butter-soaked cheesecloth helps protect the turkey as it roasts while creating a beautifully golden Thanksgiving centerpiece. It’s a fun twist on the traditional oven-roasted method and a great choice when juicy turkey is your number one priority.
Best for: A whole turkey with beautiful golden skin.
Turkey in a Bowl
Yes, you read that correctly—turkey in a bowl! This is one of the most unique ways we’ve ever cooked a turkey and one of those recipes that makes people ask, “Wait…you cooked it HOW?” If you’ve already mastered traditional roasted turkey and want to try something completely different this Thanksgiving, this one’s for you.
Best for: Anyone who wants to try a unique turkey cooking method.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Turkey in the slow cooker means your oven stays completely free for rolls, casseroles and all those Thanksgiving side dishes fighting for space! We brine a bone-in turkey breast, cover it in herb butter and let the crockpot do the work. A quick trip under the broiler at the end gives you that golden skin.
Best for: Smaller gatherings and anyone desperate for more oven space.
Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast
If you’ve got a smoker, Thanksgiving is the day to use it! This smoked turkey breast starts with an apple-maple brine, gets covered in a smoky spice-and-butter rub and cooks over pecan smoke. It’s juicy, smoky, a little sweet and anything but boring.
Best for: Big flavor and freeing up the oven.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Need turkey FAST? This Instant Pot turkey breast pressure cooks in just 30 minutes! Butter, sage, thyme and orange juice give it tons of Thanksgiving flavor, and a quick broil afterward gives the outside that golden finish everyone wants.
Best for: Small gatherings, busy Thanksgiving kitchens and last-minute turkey emergencies.
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
You absolutely do not need to cook an entire turkey to have Thanksgiving turkey! This simple herb roasted turkey breast uses fresh thyme and sage and is a great option when you’re feeding a smaller group—or when your family prefers white meat anyway.
Best for: Small Thanksgiving dinners and turkey beginners.
How to Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving
No matter which Thanksgiving turkey recipe you choose, there are a few basics that will make the big day go much more smoothly:
- Thaw it early. A frozen whole turkey can take several days to completely thaw in the refrigerator, so don’t wait until Thanksgiving Eve!
- NOTE: A frozen turkey needs to thaw 24 hours per every 4-5 pounds.
- Choose your cooking method. Decide whether you’re roasting a whole turkey or cooking a turkey breast in the oven, slow cooker, Instant Pot or smoker.
- NOTE: Cooking time will vary dramatically depending on the size of your turkey and the method you choose, so follow the individual recipe rather than relying on one minutes-per-pound rule.
- Season it well. Brining, herb butter and plenty of seasoning are all great ways to add flavor and help keep turkey juicy.
- Cook by temperature, not just time. Turkey size and cooking methods vary, so a reliable meat thermometer is your best friend.
- NOTE: Turkey breast should reach 165°F in the thickest part without touching the bone.
- Let it rest. Give the cooked turkey time to rest before carving so those juices don’t end up all over your cutting board instead of in the meat.
The hardest part really isn’t cooking the turkey, it’s deciding which turkey to make. Pick your method above, follow that recipe step-by-step and you’ve got this!
Thanksgiving Turkey FAQs
Plan on about 1 to 1 ½ pounds of whole turkey per person. If you want plenty of leftovers (and you KNOW I do!), aim for the higher end. For a boneless turkey breast, plan on about ½ pound per person.
Allow about 24 hours of refrigerator thawing time for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. That means a 15-pound turkey will need about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Give yourself an extra day if you can—you do not want to discover a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving morning!
Turkey is safely cooked when it reaches 165°F. For a whole turkey, check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh and wing without touching the bone. A good instant-read meat thermometer is the easiest way to know your turkey is done without overcooking it.
It depends on your Thanksgiving! A whole turkey is great for a larger gathering, gives you both white and dark meat and makes that classic Thanksgiving centerpiece. A turkey breast is easier, usually cooks faster and is perfect for a smaller group or a family that prefers white meat.
That’s exactly why we’ve included both in this roundup!
For a whole turkey, our classic oven roasted turkey is the best place to start because it uses a traditional method and walks you through the entire process. If you’re cooking for a smaller group, the herb roasted turkey breast is even simpler.
Want more hands-off cooking? Try the slow cooker turkey breast and let the crockpot do most of the work!
The most important thing is to avoid overcooking it. Use a meat thermometer rather than relying only on cooking time and pull the turkey when it reaches the proper internal temperature.
Depending on the recipe, we also use techniques like brining, herb butter and even butter-soaked cheesecloth to add flavor and help you get juicy, tender turkey.
Let a whole turkey rest for about 30-45 minutes before carving. A smaller turkey breast usually needs about 15-20 minutes. Resting gives the juices time to redistribute through the meat instead of running all over your cutting board when you slice it.
Don’t let carving be the thing that stresses you out after you’ve successfully cooked the bird! We have a whole step-by-step guide for how to carve a turkey that will walk you through removing the legs, thighs and breasts and slicing everything for serving.
What to Serve With Thanksgiving Turkey
Once you’ve figured out the turkey, bring on the SIDES! These are a few of our must-haves for Thanksgiving dinner…
Whether you go traditional with an oven roasted turkey or switch things up with smoked or slow cooker turkey, keep the sides you love. Thanksgiving is not the day to skip the mashed potatoes!
Need more ideas? Check out all of our favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipes to finish your menu.
What Can I Make With Leftover Turkey?
I might love Thanksgiving leftovers almost as much as Thanksgiving dinner! Cook a little extra turkey on purpose because there are SO many good ways to turn it into a completely different meal the next day.
Here are some of our favorite leftover turkey recipes:
Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich
Turkey, crispy bacon and creamy avocado make an easy post-Thanksgiving lunch.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Creamy, cheesy pasta is one of the best ways to use up a bunch of leftover turkey at once.
Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich
Thanksgiving dinner piled onto a sandwich. Enough said.
Turkey Pot Pie
Turkey and vegetables tucked into a creamy filling with a flaky crust.
Triple Decker Club Sandwich
Layers of turkey, bacon and all the classic club sandwich fixings.
Leftover Turkey Soup
Turn that leftover turkey into a comforting soup instead of throwing all that flavor away.
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Sliders
An easy way to turn turkey into a meal the whole family will actually be excited to eat again.
Leftover Turkey Club Sandwich
Another quick lunch when your refrigerator is overflowing with Thanksgiving turkey.
There really isn’t one “best” way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey—it depends on YOUR Thanksgiving! Go classic with an oven roasted turkey, free up that precious oven space with the slow cooker or Instant Pot, cook a smaller turkey breast, or fire up the smoker and make something everyone will be talking about.
We’ve tried them all, we love them all, and now the hardest part is just choosing which one to make this year. Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
