Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey
Last updated on February 21st, 2026
That time is coming! The BEST time of year! When we all get together and eat ourselves silly! We never host Thanksgiving, and as a result – I have never made a Turkey! As a mama of two, AND a food blogger, that just really didn’t sit well with me! I had to get my hands on a bird and try it for myself! This Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey blew my family’s mind! This recipe was actually pretty easy! The bird isn’t scary at all! It’s a total labor of love and the flavor of this turkey was absolutely WILD! It just goes to show that anybody can and should try to tackle this tradition, if they want to!
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So why do people get together and roast a whole bird on Thanksgiving anyway?
The very first Thanksgiving celebration happened in 1621! So long ago! I actually really wish I had paid attention in History class because at this point in my life, I find this stuff really interesting! Anyway, on Thanksgiving in 1621, the Pilgrims and Wampanoag ate corn, wild fowl, venison, and nuts. And there’s actually no evidence that they even ate a turkey on Thanksgiving.
So, where did this tradition even come from then? Well, by the 18th and 19th century, turkeys were wild and they were plentiful in America! They were big enough to feed many people and so they became a very practical protein to serve at large gatherings! Very early on, people would sometimes choose to serve duck, goose, and venison for Thanksgiving. Turkey eventually won everybody over because it was easier to obtain and easier to raise!
What if I don’t even like turkey?
I hear this a lot actually! People complain that turkey is boring or dry, but I would just say they’ve never had an AMAZING TURKEY! And that’s okay! All it takes is one delicious plate to, maybe, change their mind! My garlic herb roasted turkey was oozing (literally) with flavor!
This recipe is beginner friendly and helps to keep that tradition alive! Plus, it’s a little easier to manage because I chose to make a smaller turkey, since I have a small family! Turkey is also super affordable and there is a ton you can do with the leftovers! I was even able to whip up a stock and gravy with those delicious juices! It really is a versatile bird!
Did you know?
Turkeys are pretty neat! They have about 5,000-6,000 feathers! The color of their heads can change from blue, to red, to white depending on their mood! These little dudes (or gals) have so much to appreciate about them! Only the male turkeys gobble and when they’re really on a mission, they can fly up to 55 MPH! Isn’t that cool?! I feel like whenever people come across turkeys, they’re always just bobbin’ and waddling at a snail pace across a street or something!
Okay, so what ingredients do I need to make this turkey?
For the herb and spice butter and the turkey:
Whole Turkey
Butter
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Paprika
Thyme
Rosemary
Sage
For the cavity:
Orange
Lemon
Onion
Garlic
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
For the pan:
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Chicken Broth
For the stock:
Turkey Neck, Gibbets, and Heart
Water
Garlic
Sage
Thyme
Salt
Garlic Powder
For the gravy:
Stock
Flour
Worcestershire
Thyme
Heavy Cream
Turkey Drippings
Black Pepper
Parsley
What equipment do I need?
- Roasting Pan and Rack
- Turkey Baster
- Meat Thermometer
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Silicone Brush
- Large Skillet
- Whisk
- Stockpot
- Mixing Bowl
- Strainer
- Aluminum Foil
Where do I start?
To get started, you’ll want to make sure your turkey is completely thawed or you can also buy your turkey when it’s raw! We can’t have any part of it frozen! Preheat the oven to 325F and get started on the prep work! Wash the fruit and veggies and take your butter out to soften. Peel and crush all garlic cloves. Wedge the orange and lemon, quarter the onions, and cut the carrots and celery into large chunks.
To make the herb and spice butter:
Mince all herbs for the herb and spice butter and add those along with the rest of the other ingredients to a small bowl.
Mash it into a paste with a fork. Then, set aside until ready to use.
To prep and stuff the bird:
Rinse the turkey and pat it dry as best as you can! Move the turkey to a large cutting board and remove the neck, giblets, and heart from the cavity. Set those aside for now.
Gently loosen the skin over the breasts. Using your hands, scoop some of the herb and spice butter and gently push it under that skin. You’ll use about a quarter of the paste here. Next, take all of the ingredients for the cavity and stuff it up inside the turkey. Whatever doesn’t fit, will go into the pan for roasting.
Once the cavity is filled, make two small holes in the skin on both sides of the turkey. Cross the legs and tuck the ends into the holes. Alternatively, you can use twine for this. Tuck the wings back and underneath the turkey, so they don’t burn while roasting, then carefully move it onto the rack in the roasting pan.
To rub the turkey and prepare the pan:
Using a silicone brush, liberally brush the rest of the herb and spice butter all over the top, bottom, and sides of the bird! Pour the chicken broth into the pan and scatter all of the herbs, fruit, and veggies for roasting around it. You can leave the herbs whole, no need to chop those up.
Now it’s finally time to roast our turkey and make our stock!
Add the turkey to the oven and plan to bake it for several hours! While it’s baking, let’s get started on our stock!
In a stockpot, add the neck, giblets, and heart, then cover with water. Toss in the thyme, sage, salt, crushed garlic, and garlic powder. Stir to combine. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for a while as the turkey is roasting!
After about an hour or so, remove stock from the stove, strain it, and set aside to cool slightly.
Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use. Discard neck, giblets, herbs, and garlic or reserve for another use if you desire. You can mince some of it up and incorporate it into your gravy if you want!
As the turkey bakes:
You’ll want to baste the turkey with its own juices several times during the baking process. If it starts getting dark, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil. Turkey is done when it has reached 165F in the thickest part of the thigh.
When it’s done, it’s very important to let it rest for a while before carving it. This helps to keep those juices in there! Move it to a cutting board to let it hang out for a while and in the meantime, let’s get started on our gravy!
To make the gravy:
Mince up the herbs for the gravy, then dump all of the drippings from the roasting pan into a bowl or measuring cup. As it cools, the fat will float to the top. Scoop those chunks out and any fat from the roasting pan and add to a large skillet on medium heat.
If you don’t have enough fat, you can use some butter as well. Once it’s melted, whisk in the flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. Keep whisking and allow that to cook for a couple of minutes so it doesn’t give off a raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the some of that stock we made, stirring constantly. Turn heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the rest of those drippings, the Worcestershire, herbs, pepper, and heavy cream. Keep whisking until smooth and allow to simmer for a few minutes more to thicken until you get to a gravy consistency!
Remove from heat immediately and add to a small bowl or gravy boat.
To serve garlic herb roasted turkey:
Using a sharp chef knife, carefully carve the turkey, starting along the breastbone. Serve garlic herb roasted turkey with fresh gravy and garnish with parsley, if desired! Enjoy with creamy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and whatever other fixings you like!
Tips:
- It’s best to remove the pan from the oven completely to baste the turkey. This keeps the oven temperature more consistent!
- There will be leftover stock, which is great! Refrigerate and incorporate into a soup, make some more gravy, whatever you want! The stock will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for 4-6 months!
Looking for some more Thanksgiving recipes? Check these out!
Looking for ways to use up all of the leftover turkey?
Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey
Equipment
Ingredients
For the herb and spice butter and the turkey:
- 11 lbs Whole Turkey thawed
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 Thyme Sprigs minced
- 3 Sage Leaves minced
- 2 Rosemary Sprigs minced
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 ½ tsp Black Pepper
For the cavity:
- 1 Orange wedged
- 1 Lemon wedged
- 1 Small Yellow Onion quartered
- 4 Garlic Cloves peeled and smashed
- 4 Sage Leaves
- 2 Thyme Sprigs
- 1 Rosemary Sprig
For the pan:
- 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Medium Carrots scrubbed and cut into large chunks
- 2 Celery Ribs scrubbed and cut into large chunks
- 1 Small Yellow Onion quartered
- 2 Rosemary Sprigs
- 2 Sage Leaves
- 2 Thyme Sprigs
For the stock:
- Turkey Neck, Giblets, and Heart
- Water
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and smashed
- 5 Sage Leaves
- 1 Thyme Sprig
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
For the gravy:
- 2 cups Turkey Stock
- 5 Thyme Sprigs minced
- 3 tbsp Fat from the Turkey Drippings + Remaining Drippings from the Turkey
- 3 tbsp Flour
- 1 tsp Worcestershire
- 1 tsp Heavy Cream
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- Parsley minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉ and get started on the prep work!
To make the herb and spice butter:
- Add all ingredients for herb and spice butter to a small bowl.
- Mash it into a paste with a fork. Then, set aside until ready to use.
To prep and stuff the bird:
- Rinse the turkey and pat it dry as best as you can! Move the turkey to a large cutting board and remove the neck, giblets, and heart from the cavity. Set aside for now.
- Gently loosen the skin over the breasts. Using your hands, scoop some of the herb and spice butter and gently push it under that skin. You'll use about a quarter of the paste here.
- Next, take all of the ingredients for the cavity and stuff it up inside the turkey. Whatever doesn't fit, will go into the pan for roasting.
- Once the cavity is filled, make two small holes in the skin on both sides of the turkey. Cross the legs and tuck the ends into the holes. Alternatively, you can use twine for this.
- Tuck the wings back and underneath the turkey, so they don't burn while roasting, then carefully move it onto the rack in the roasting pan.
To rub the turkey and prepare the pan:
- Using a silicone brush, liberally brush the rest of the herb and spice butter all over the top, bottom, and sides of the bird!
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan and scatter all of the herbs, fruit, and veggies for roasting around it. You can leave the herbs whole, no need to chop those up.
Now it’s finally time to roast our turkey and make our stock!
- Add the turkey to the oven and plan to bake for 3-4 hours. While it's baking, let's get started on our stock!
- In a stockpot, add the neck, giblets, and heart, then cover with water.
- Toss in the thyme, sage, salt, crushed garlic, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
- On medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about an hour.
- Remove stock from the stove, strain it, and set aside to cool slightly.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use. Discard neck, giblets, herbs, and garlic or reserve for another use if you desire. You can mince some of it up and incorporate it into your gravy if you want!
As the turkey bakes:
- You'll want to baste the turkey with its own juices every 45 minutes during the baking process. If it starts getting dark, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.
- Turkey is done when it has reached 165℉ in the thickest part of the thigh.
- When it's done, it's very important to let it rest for 20-45 minutes before carving! This helps to keep those juices in there!
- Move it to a cutting board to let it hang out for a while and in the meantime, let's get started on our gravy!
To make the gravy:
- Dump all of the drippings from the roasting pan into a bowl or measuring cup. As it cools, the fat will float to the top.
- Scoop those chunks out and any fat from the roasting pan and add to a large skillet on medium heat. If you don't have enough fat, you can use some butter to get to the 3 tbsp.
- Once it's melted, whisk in the flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. Keep whisking and allow that raw flour to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the homemade turkey stock, stirring constantly.
- Turn heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the rest of those drippings, the Worcestershire, herbs, pepper, and heavy cream.
- Keep whisking until smooth and allow to simmer for about 3-5 minutes more to thicken until you get to a gravy consistency!
- Remove from heat immediately and add to a small bowl or gravy boat.
To serve garlic herb roasted turkey:
- Using a sharp chef knife, carefully carve the turkey, starting along the breastbone.
- Serve garlic herb roasted turkey with fresh gravy and garnish with parsley, if desired! Enjoy with creamy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and whatever other fixings you like!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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Proud of you for jumping right in! Looks delish
Thank you so much ❤️
Looks delicious 😍😋