Easy One Pan Turkey Dinner

This Easy Turkey Dinner is a one pan Thanksgiving Dinner or Christmas Dinner that’s made with roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and vegetable side dishes – all on one pan and in under an hour! The easiest holiday dinner you’ll ever make!

 

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

The holidays can be a wonderful, joyful time of the year but it can also be a time of increased stress, especially if you’re the one tasked with preparing and hosting a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner for your friends and family.

Here at The Busy Baker our goal has always been to simplify cooking for our readers – cooking doesn’t have to be complicated, even when it’s for a small crowd and even when it’s a special meal, like Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you’re cooking for a smaller family between 2 and 6 people, this One Pan Turkey Dinner recipe is THE recipe you need in your arsenal. It calls for classic, holiday ingredients that are easy to find in any supermarket, and it’s easy enough to make, even for a beginner in the kitchen.

In full transparency, this is our go-to holiday recipe when we spend the holidays away from family and it’s just the 4 of us. It gives us all the nostalgic flavours of the holidays without all the effort of roasting a whole turkey (and without all the dishes, too!). Trust us, if you’re looking to simplify your holiday cooking THIS is the recipe you need!

One pan turkey dinner is an easy and streamlined way to cook a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner for a smaller crowd. Our method minimizes cleanup, maximizes flavour, and enables you to have a beautiful, celebratory dinner with minimal effort, making it perfect for festive gatherings or hassle-free holiday celebrations with your friends and family.

Our one pan turkey dinner features a roast turkey breast, mashed potatoes, veggies on the side, and a quick and easy gravy, but we also provide a TON of substitution ideas and ways to make this recipe your own! By following our simple timing formula, you’ll end up with a delicious holiday dinner everyone will love!

Here are just a few reasons we love this recipe!

1. It’s A TIME-SAVER – This recipe saves time and cooks faster than a whole turkey with separate sides.
2. It’s EASY to MAKE– This recipe only requires a roasting pan, a meat thermometer, and a few kitchen basics – you don’t have to be an expert in the kitchen for it to turn out very well!
3. It makes the BEST LEFTOVERS – The turkey breast makes the best leftovers – enjoy the meat with the leftover veggies or add it in slices to sandwiches or wraps for lunches.
4. It’s FESTIVE – It has all the classic holiday flavours but with minimal work and clean up.
5. It’s tender and JUICY – There’s nothing better than juicy turkey over the holidays and this turkey breast is no exception.

Want to make the best turkey dinner you’ve ever made? Follow all our best tips and tricks for success!

Since different ingredients have different cooking times, start with the 40-minute ingredients (turkey breast, large potatoes, sweet potatoes, or any other 40-minute veggies). Then, add the 20-minute ingredients (vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots, or broccoli) later, followed by the 10-minute ingredients (like green beans or other 10-minute veggies) at the end. Our staggered approach ensures nothing overcooks, everything is ready at the same time and you get an easy Thanksgiving meal with minimal effort and washing up.

Cut the veggies into similar sizes within their time categories to ensure consistent and even cooking.

Different turkey breasts cook differently depending on the thickness of the turkey breast, the internal temperature when you put it in the oven, and how each oven cooks just a bit differently. For best results, use a Meat Thermometer or an Instant Read Thermometer (paid links) to make sure you don’t undercook or overcook the turkey breast.

Prep the 20 minutes and 10 minutes veggies while the turkey breast and 40 minute veggies cook. Make the gravy and the mashed potatoes while the turkey rests (before slicing). Resting the turkey properly will ensure you will have the juiciest turkey on your table.

Add the zest and juice of a lemon over the Brussels sprouts and/or green beans, chop some fresh mint or sage as fine as you can and sprinkle it over the carrots right as you pull the tray out of the oven, for a touch of freshness.

Running into trouble? Try one of our quick fixes or prevention ideas for smooth sailing with this one pan turkey dinner recipe!

It is important to rub the butter mixture all over the turkey. The turkey breast is skinless, so the rub helps to maintain the moisture in the meat and keep it from drying out during the cooking process.

Make sure you use an instant read thermometer to check to see if the meat is done and you remove it from the oven at the right moment. If it’s not cooked yet, give it a few more minutes and check again.

If the oven runs too hot, the outside of the turkey breast and veggies will burn and the inside of the turkey breast won’t be cooked through. Lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius) or cover the whole sheet pan with aluminum foil until the turkey is done.

If you’re really into flavour, feel free to use this recipe as a starting point. Add some chopped fresh mint to the carrots, some lemon zest and juice to the Brussels sprouts, or any other spices you prefer.

Here’s everything you’ll need to have on hand in your kitchen to make this easy Thanksgiving dinner recipe (paid links):

• Cutting Board
• large knife
• mixing bowls
• Garlic Press
• measuring cups and spoons
• Potato Ricer
• Silicone Spatula
• medium saucepan
• Whisk
• large sheet pan
• Parchment Paper
• Instant Read Thermometer

Here’s a list of all the ingredients you’ll need to have on hand to make this easy Christmas dinner recipe (paid links):

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 

For the roast turkey:

• 2-2 1/2 pound skinless boneless turkey breast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs we use a mix of thyme, oregano, and rosemary

For the roasted carrots:

• 12 tiny carrots or 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Brussels sprouts:

• 3 cups brussels sprouts
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the potatoes:

• 6 potatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter optional

For mashed potatoes:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper optional

For the gravy:

• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2-3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup chicken stock

There are SO many ways to make this Easy One Pan Turkey Dinner the way you like it! Try one or more of these delicious variations for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

1. Spicy – Add cumin, paprika, cajun seasoning, and some cayenne pepper to the butter mix for more spice on the turkey breast.
2. Lemon pepper – Add lemon zest and peel and fresh cracked pepper to the butter mix and on the veggies.
3. Maple Dijon – Add maple syrup and Dijon mustard to the butter garlic and herbs mixture. It gives the turkey a sweet and tangy flavour.
4. Mediterranean – Use herbs like oregano and basil with the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean-style turkey breast.

1. Stuffed breast – Use our Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Bacon Stuffing recipe to fill the turkey breast with a delicious homemade stuffing!
2. Bacon wrapped breast – Use this easy Bacon Wrapped Dijon Roast Turkey Breast recipe for a fun twist.
3. Turkey drumsticks – Use turkey legs, and season them with a dry rub made out of 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon each lemon pepper and dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.

You can use whatever vegetables you and your family enjoy next to turkey with this recipe. To make things easier, we divided the vegetables in 3 categories: those that need to go in with the turkey from the beginning, those that need to go in at the 20 minute mark, and the ones that only need 10 minutes.

For all these veggies, you will need to wash them, peel (if needed), and chop in bite sized pieces.

1. Vegetables that need 40 minutes of cooking time:
   • Potatoes, in the baking paper pouch, chopped in larger cubes for mash
   • Sweet potatoes, cut in big wedges
   • Butternut squash, cut into large cubes and seasoned with melted butter and cinnamon
   • Parsnips, cut into thick sticks
   • Whole garlic heads, 1/4 inch slice off the top removed, optionally wrapped in aluminum foil
2. Vegetables that need 20 minutes of cooking time:
   • potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes for roasted potatoes
   • sweet potatoes, in 1 inch cubes for roasted sweet potatoes (optionally you can add some roughly chopped pecans and mini marshmallows on top)
   • Brussels sprouts
   • Baby carrots or carrots cut in 1 inch pieces
   • Broccoli florets, large
   • Cauliflower florets, large
   • Red onions, quartered or thickly sliced
   • Fennel, in thick slices (its subtle anise flavour is a great holiday twist)
   • Fresh cranberries in a little baking paper pouch
3. Vegetables that need 10 minutes of cooking time:
   • Green beans frozen, thawed
   • Mushrooms, halved
   • Kale leaves

Use this easy Homemade Stuffing recipe and roast it for 20 minutes in a baking paper pouch or covered with aluminum foil and 20 minutes uncovered. You only need day-old french bread cubes, butter, onions, celery, garlic, herbs, chicken stock and egg .

We hope you love this easy Thanksgiving Dinner recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite easy holiday recipe? We’d love to know!

• Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
• Easy Juicy Roasted Turkey
• Roast Turkey Gravy From Scratch
• Roast Turkey Breast
• Easy Cranberry Sauce
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Easy Green Bean Casserole
• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots
• Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
• Gingerbread Pumpkin Icebox Cake