If you have small group for Thanksgiving and would rather not spend the entire day in the kitchen, you could go the prepared food route. But then you lose a central pleasure of the holiday — a home-cooked harvest meal. Besides, from my experience, takeout turkey dinners tend to be expensive and not that good.
Thankfully (pun intended), this recipe has you covered. It dishes up a stunning turkey centerpiece with seasonal sides for four in about an hour from start to finish, all done on one sheet pan. Rather than a whole turkey, half of a breast of the bird is used here. (Turkey breasts are often sold whole — in that case, have it split and freeze the other half.) It is slathered with a rub of garlic, mustard and fresh herbs, and then, after a head-start in the oven, is surrounded on the same pan with Brussels sprouts and half-moon slices of delicata squash, which roast until tender. Delicata squash is not only inherently sweet and creamy, but also easier to work with than many other squashes, as its beautifully golden skin in thin enough that it that doesn’t require peeling.
Serve the turkey thinly sliced, on a platter with the vegetables and some cranberry sauce, if you’d like, to complete the picture for a home-cooked feast without the fuss. You’ll even wind up with some leftover turkey for sandwiches on Friday.
Herbed turkey breast with delicata squash and brussels sprouts
This stunning sheet-pan dinner of mustard-and-herb-rubbed turkey breast roasted with Brussels sprouts and golden half-moons of delicata squash makes a fuss-free harvest feast for four, with leftover turkey to boot. Ideal for a small Thanksgiving gathering.
Note: Leftover turkey and vegetables can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds boneless turkey breast (about ½ breast)
1 pound medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 pound delicata squash, halved lengthwise, seeded, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Cranberry sauce, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, mustard, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper until combined. Place the turkey in the center of the large rimmed baking sheet and rub the herb mixture all over it and under the skin. Roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add them to sheet pan with the turkey and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and the maple syrup. Remove the pan from the oven, stir the Brussels sprouts and move them to one side of the turkey. Add the squash to the pan on the other side and return the pan to the oven.
Roast for about 25 minutes, until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees, then transfer the turkey to a carving board and let it rest 10 minutes. If the vegetables are tender and nicely browned, transfer them to a large serving platter; otherwise, return the baking sheet to the oven while the turkey is resting. (If one vegetable is done before the other, transfer it to a plate and cover to keep warm.)
Slice the turkey and serve with the roasted vegetables and cranberry sauce, if using, alongside.
Makes 4 to 6 servings. Nutrition per serving (based on 6 servings): 420 calories; 15 grams total fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 140 milligrams cholesterol; 290 milligrams sodium; 15 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 55 grams protein.
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