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An Italian roasted Thanksgiving turkey on a platter with fresh sage and lemon slices.
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Italian Style Roasted Turkey for the Holidays

Roasted Italian turkey is a mouth-watering twist on the traditional Thanksgiving bird. Bursting with flavors of fragrant Italian herbs and garlic, this turkey recipe is seasoned with salty butter, lemon zest, sage and rosemary. It tastes as good as it looks, and is guaranteed to be a memorable centerpiece for your Italian-style Thanksgiving feast!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 637kcal
Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

  • 1 10-15 lb whole turkey fully defrosted if frozen
  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened (reduce salt by ½ teaspoon if using salted butter)
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh sage plus 3 teaspoons minced, divided
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary plus 3 teaspoons minced, divided
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
  • 2 lemons quartered, plus the zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 medium yellow onion unpeeled, quartered
  • 1 whole head of garlic sliced crosswise through the center
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup dry white wine such as pinot Grigio
  • 2 cups of water for the roasting pan

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400℉ and position the racks so that the turkey has plenty of room and is not too close to the top.
  2. Place the turkey in a rack inside of a roasting pan then remove the giblets and neck. Place them in the roasting pan for the gravy if desired. Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels.
  3. Season the inside of the turkey cavity generously with salt and pepper, then stuff the lemon wedges, onion, garlic, sage and rosemary sprigs - fit as much as you can, which will depend on the size of your turkey.
  4. Add the butter, 2 teaspoons sage, 2 teaspoons rosemary, salt, pepper and lemon zest to a bowl and mix until well combined.
  5. Use your fingers to separate the skin of the turkey on the breast and legs. Use a spoon to slide the butter mixture under the skin, then use your fingers to press and move it around so that it's evenly distributed throughout the breast and legs. You can refrigerate the turkey at this point, uncovered, for up to one day ahead. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.)
  6. Rub olive oil all over the outside of the turkey, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper all over, then sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of each sage and rosemary.
  7. Tuck the wings under, tie the legs together with a piece of twine, then pour the white wine and 2 cups water into the roasting pan.
  8. Tent the turkey loosely with foil and bake at 400℉ for 1 hour, then uncover and reduce the oven to 350℉. Rotate the pan in the oven to help the turkey cook more evenly.
  9. At this point you can base the turkey if desired with the pan juices, but it's not necessary.
  10. Check the turkey with a thermometer after about 2 hours and 15 minutes to read the internal temperature. Remove the turkey once a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat reads 160-165℉.
  11. Remove and tent it loosely with foil for at least 30 minutes before carving - a larger turkey will need to rest longer and a smaller turkey can rest for slightly less.

Notes

  • If using a frozen turkey, plan to give it at least 3-4 days to slowly defrost in the refrigerator.
  • Remove top racks from oven before preheating to ensure the turkey fits.
  • You don't need to rinse your turkey - it’s a messy and unnecessary step.
  • The turkey should sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before roasting.
  • I like to mix together a dish of salt and freshly ground pepper to sprinkle inside and on top of the bird to make it a little easier and less messy.
  • Use fresh herbs - it gives better flavor than dried herbs, and you need big bunches to fill the cavity which will perfume the meat as it cooks.
  • It's important to keep the turkey off the bottom of the pan, so be sure to use a roasting pan with a rack. If you don't have one, you can use a baking rack or a few balls of tin foil.
  • The only way to know your turkey is cooked to the correct temperature is with a thermometer, not time. However, budget about 15 minutes for each pound. For best results, use a thermometer that can stay in the turkey the entire time and alert you when it reaches the right temperature.
  • Turkey needs to be cooked to 165℉ to be safe, but it can start to get dry if it goes above that. Because the turkey continues to cook once it's removed from the oven, I like to take it out at 160. Do so at your own risk, and make sure the thermometer comes up to 165 while it's resting.
  • If the skin is getting too dark at any point, cover the turkey with foil.

Nutrition

Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 279mg | Sodium: 1098mg | Potassium: 861mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 488IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
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