Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Garlic Butter Gravy

It is officially comfort food season, peeps. One of the meals I crave the most at this time of year is a nice hearty plate of juicy turkey breast with rich and buttery gravy. Satisfying this craving would typically require me to make it an all-day affair.

First I have to run out and buy a bird, then there is the prep to get it in the oven. Followed by basting and monitoring the cooking process for several hours.

Easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast

But I have discovered there is another way. A much faster way. And this recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Garlic Butter Gravy is the answer. Just when I thought I couldn’t love my Instant Pot more.

The Instant Pot truly does make it sooooooo easy. No basting, no need to constantly check the progress. Just put your Thanksgiving Turkey Breast in the magical Instant Pot, set it, and walk away. Yeap. 

Thanksgiving dinner and holiday meals just got a whole lot easier with this perfectly cooked turkey. And the turkey drippings make the most amaaaaaaaazing lick your plate clean gravy.

Bonus is that this method frees up your oven so you have space to cook up all those Thanksgiving and other festive sides.

After realizing just how simple it is to make Instant Pot Turkey Breast I decided to take it to the next level by using a coriander seed butter rub to really infuse the meat including the turkey skin with tons of flavor.

I discovered my love of coriander seeds after trying biltong in South Africa and now use them regularly for meat. While the addition of coriander seeds is not mandatory, it really does give the pressure cooker turkey a fab taste and is worth a try.

Why Make This Easy Recipe

• It’s so fast – Cooking turkey breast in Instant Pot means you’re ready to serve in under an hour.
• Super flavorful – pressure cooking turkey gives you super moist, juicy, and delicious meat. And the herb butter rub adds tons of amazing flavor.
• Versatile – suitable for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or as a quick and easy midweek dinner.

Ingredients Notes

• Boneless Turkey Breast – be sure to purchase one that fits inside your inner pot. You can use fresh turkey breast or frozen turkey breast which has been thawed.
• Butter – use the unsalted variety. If desired, you can olive oil instead.
• Fresh Herbs – this recipe calls for fresh rosemary, fresh thyme and cilantro, but feel free to use your favorites instead.
• Coriander Seeds – optional, but adds amazing flavor!
• Garlic Purée – or freshly minced garlic or garlic powder.
• Chicken Stock – for adding into the Instant Pot insert. Swap for chicken broth or turkey broth or water if desired.
• Cornstarch – helps thicken the gravy
• Xanthan gum (if low carb or keto) – to make low carb gravy instead if you prefer.
• Lemon juice – adds a bright, fresh flavor to the gravy.

So folks, are you ready to learn how to make amaaaaazing turkey in Instant Pot? Gather up your ingredients and let me show you……

How To Make Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Garlic Butter Gravy

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

To make the turkey breast:

1. Mix together butter, herbs, coriander seeds, garlic purée, and salt to form a paste.
2. Rub a third of the butter under the skin, and third on top, and reserve the final third for later.
3. Add the stock to the Instant Pot insert. Place the trivet in the inner pot and set the seasoned turkey breast on top of trivet, skin side up.
4. Close the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position. Set for manual/high pressure of 35 minutes. Pressure cook till complete, then let the pressure release naturally.
5. Remove turkey breast from the Instant Pot and place cooked turkey breast on a baking tray. Rub with remaining butter and then broil until it is browned with crispy skin to your liking.

To make the Garlic Butter Turkey Gravy:

1. Transfer the broth from the Instant Pot into a small saucepan.
2. In a small bowl, make a paste by mixing 2 – 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of water.
3. Whisk the paste into the broth and simmer until the gravy thickens. 
4. Mix in lemon juice, adjust seasonings to suit your taste, and it’s ready to serve.

To make the Low Carb Garlic Butter Turkey Gravy:

1. Transfer broth from the Instant Pot into a small saucepan.
2. Stir in xanthan gum and lemon juice and simmer until the gravy thickens.
3. Adjust seasonings to suit your taste and serve.

Expert Tips

• Let the turkey rest for at least 10-15 minutes on a cutting board or serving platter before slicing. You want to make sure all the delicious turkey juices stay in the meat to make turkey moist.
• I recommend slicing the meat thinly and against the grain.
• Vary the herbs to suit your taste. Parsley, sage, tarragon, basil, and oregano all work well.
• Brown and crisp the skin with a kitchen torch (if you have one) instead of broiling.

Delicious Variations

• Swap the herbs: sage, basil, tarragon, or marjoram are great options. If you dont have fresh herbs then dried herbs work well too.
• Use a different rub: for variety, use this poultry seasoning instead of the herb butter rub.
• Change out the stock: swap the chicken stock for vegetable, or even beef to use what you have on hand.

Prep Ahead and Storage

• Prep Ahead – This recipe is so easy to make. You can even prep and store the herb butter rub in advance then pull out when needed. 
• Store – Make the herb butter ahead of time and store in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 5 days. 
• Freeze – Follow these steps to freeze leftovers;
  • Cook turkey as directed and allow to cool.
  • Slice, and then transfer into these very handy Ziploc Freezer bags.
  • Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
  • Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer. Store in the freezer for 3 months.
• Thaw and Reheat – Remove frozen turkey from the freezer and allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. 
• Reheat – reheat turkey in the microwave. 

FAQs

Thanksgiving Menu and Christmas Menu Serving Suggestions

Here are some serving suggestions for a fabulous Thanksgiving menu or Christmas menu;

• Instant Pot Brandy Glazed Carrots.
• Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce.
• Easy Instant Pot Stuffing.
• Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes.
• Chili Garlic Green Beans.
• Instant Pot Mashed Potato.
• Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto.
• Scalloped Potatoes.
• Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
• Easy Instant Pot Eggnog.
• Instant Pot Mashed Butternut Squash.
• Instant Pot Bakes Apples.
• Dump and Start Instant Pot Collard Greens.

Leftover Turkey Ideas

Leftover sliced turkey is great for making sandwiches and wraps all week long. Use it to make this crunchy Healthy Turkey Salad or Moroccan Turkey Stew.

Or pour leftover gravy over mashed potatoes or baked potatoes or pasta for a quick easy dinner. Feel free to mix in some cranberry sauce too with the leftovers.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 6 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my Instant Pot Boneless Turkey Breast recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Originally published Nov 2019.

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