This easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe is no frills – just a simple, delicious, juicy turkey that will be the star of the show on the big day!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, fam, and you know I couldn’t leave you without sharing the easiest Thanksgiving turkey recipe ever! Not only will you be pleased with the fact that you DON’T have to brine this turkey, but you hardly have to do anything to make this the most flavorful, juicy Thanksgiving turkey you’ve ever served.
Why You Need an Easy Turkey Recipe
Now, here’s the thing. I don’t feel the need to make my roasted turkey recipes complicated when I have a billion other things to cook on Thanksgiving. So, why complicate things with a turkey that takes hours and hours to prepare?! Not ‘round here, Cousins!
I get that from my mom. I remember watching her make our Thanksgiving turkey, and she always kept it simple–no brine, not a million ingredients, or all-day processing. That gave her more time to focus on the MANY side dishes and desserts, like a savory green bean casserole or a Southern sweet potato casserole. She was never overwhelmed in the kitchen… and you shouldn’t be either!Â
Thanksgiving is a HOLIDAY, for goodness’ sake! And while a flashy turkey may please your guests, I’m sure they won’t enjoy seeing you frazzled and sweating through your apron! That’s why this easy turkey recipe is practically foolproof. As long as you follow the simple steps (and my video below 😉), you’ll have a perfect Thanksgiving turkey that tastes great and keeps you cool in the kitchen.
Ingredients for the Easiest Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
So, what exactly do y’all need for an easy roast turkey recipe? Well, I’ll tell you – a big ol’ turkey, some seasonings, and a lot of butter! You can find a list of ingredient measurements in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll be putting on your shopping list.
- Turkey: the size of your turkey depends on how many people you’re feeding, so plan accordingly!
- Herbs and Spices: we’re rubbin’ this turkey up with a whole lotta flavor. You’ll need ground sage, seasoning salt, garlic salt (or garlic powder), and basil.
- Lemons & Onions: these aromatics, while pretty different from each other, work together to give your turkey so much flavor and moisture from the inside out!Â
- Butter: we’re going to use a heap of butter to make a savory herb butter.
That’s all you need, my loves! With just a few ingredients, you’ll get a perfectly moist turkey packed with flavor. The savory herb butter does wonders to keep the turkey meat flavorful and juicy while also getting that nice, crispy skin everyone loves. If this is your first time hosting or making a turkey, boy, are your guests in for a real treat!
Step 1: Easy Turkey Prep
Now, first things first: prepping your perfect turkey! I have a whole guide on how to prep and cook a Thanksgiving turkey that gives you just about every turkey tip you could possibly need. But to keep you on THIS recipe, here are the highlights:Â
- Pick a turkey large enough to feed all your guests… and then some! Plan for about 1.5 pounds of turkey per guest (or 2 pounds if you want turkey leftovers).
- Give your turkey a thorough rinse in the sink–but be SURE to clean your sink really well after to avoid any nasty cross-contamination.
- Thoroughly dry the turkey using paper towels. You want the skin nice and dry so all the seasoning sticks.
- Untie that turkey and let it stretch its legs! Trim any excess skin from around the legs and opening of the cavity.
- Speaking of the cavity, empty that out of all the innards. You’ll most likely find a turkey neck and a bag of giblets. (Pro-tip: you should definitely keep these to make smothered turkey necks and a delicious giblets gravy!)
Once your turkey is cleaned up, it’s time for the good part: a flavor party!
Step 2: Seasoning and Stuffing Your Turkey
Now it’s time to get all that flavor all up on your Thanksgiving bird. Start out by making the herb butter mixture. In a bowl, combine room-temperature butter (believe me, it’s not easy to mix cold butter!) with fresh minced garlic cloves, ground sage, and kosher salt.

Here’s the most challenging part of this turkey recipe:Â
- Use your hands or a rubber/plastic spatula to carefully separate the turkey skin from the meat. Slide your hand just under the skin, slowly moving around the turkey until there’s space under the skin around the whole turkey.Â
- Next, take the herb butter mixture in your hands and rub it into the turkey, under the skin, all around the space you’ve made. (If you feel icky about using your hands, wear gloves!)
- Take any excess butter you have and rub it all over the outside of the turkey – around the legs and in every nook and cranny until that whole bird is nice and covered.

Once you’ve buttered your bird, take a mixture of ground sage, seasoning salt, garlic salt (or use garlic powder if you want to limit the amount of salt), and crushed dried basil and sprinkle that all over every surface of the turkey.
Finally, stuff the cavity of the turkey with some aromatics for extra flavor. I like to use onions and citrus fruits like lemons and oranges. If you want even more flavor, you can add things like garlic cloves or a bunch of fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and sage leaves.

Step 3: Roasting the Easiest Thanksgiving Turkey
Once you get your bird all set up on the roasting rack and settled in for the long roast, crank that oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Cover the roaster with a lid or aluminum foil and place the turkey in the oven.
How long does it take to bake a Thanksgiving turkey? About 13-15 minutes per pound. If you have a 10-pound turkey, the total cooking time will be about 2.5 hours.
Turkey Roasting Tips:
- Leave the turkey covered for the first two hours of cooking time, and don’t you dare crack that oven and peak!Â
- After two hours, remove the foil and bake the turkey. Use the turkey drippings and any remaining herb butter mixture.
- Leave the turkey uncovered for the last portion of cooking time to ensure that perfectly golden brown, crispy skin.
The safest way to ensure a fully cooked turkey is to check the internal temperature with a reliable meat thermometer. Check the temp in the thickest part of the thigh AND the thickest part of the breast – the turkey thigh should be at least 155-160 degrees F before it’s safe to remove from the oven (but don’t worry – your turkey will continue to carry over cook while it rests, bringing it right to a safe temperature of 165 degrees without overcooking and drying out the meat).

Giving the Turkey a Rest:
- Carefully remove the turkey from the roasting pan (this is easy if your roaster comes with a removable rack) and place it on a baking sheet or clean cutting board.
- Tent the turkey with aluminum foil to keep the bird nice and warm.Â
- Let the turkey rest for at least 15-30 minutes. This will allow all the juices to settle and absorb back into the turkey meat, injecting every last lick of flavor into the bird.
Resting time is the perfect time to gather up the liquid gold turkey drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan and make a tasty turkey gravy.
And there you have it, fam! The easiest and best Thanksgiving turkey recipe you’re sure to find! While it might not come stacked and packed with bells and whistles, it sure is the tastiest roast turkey recipe that will shine on your holiday table.

More Holiday Dishes from I Heart Recipes
Now that you’ve got the easiest Thanksgiving turkey recipe under your belt, how about some more holiday dishes? Don’t miss this list of must-have Thanksgiving dishes, as well as my ultimate list of holiday dishes you can prep ahead of time to save time and stress in the kitchen. Looking for more? Try these holiday favorites:
- Homemade Turkey Brine Recipe
- Soul Food Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Homemade Stuffing with French Bread
- Southern Green Beans with Smoked Turkey
- Baked Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glaze
- The Easiest Sweet Dinner Rolls Recipe
From mine to yours, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving!
Loved easy turkey recipe? Share a photo of your Thanksgiving spread by tagging me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube! Don’t forget to check out I Heart Soul Food, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie, and A Cousin Rosie Holiday, with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 lb turkey fully thawed
- 1 tbsp ground sage
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp crushed basil leaves
- 2 large lemons cut into wedges
- 1 large onion cut into chunks
Turkey Butter
- 1 1/2 sticks butter room temperature
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp ground sage
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375.
- Rinse the whole turkey in the sink under cool water, then pat fully dry using paper towels.10 lb turkey
- Remove any excess skin or fat around the neck and tail area, then lean out the turkey's cavity, removing the turkey neck and gizzards.
- Use your hands or a plastic spatula to carefully loosen the turkey's skin from the meat.
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the turkey butter. Then, rub about 3/4ths of the herb butter under the turkey's skin, making sure to get all around the turkey. Use any extra butter left on your hands on the outside of the turkey.1 1/2 sticks butter, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp ground sage, 1 tsp salt
- Season your turkey all over with the seasoning salt, garlic salt, basil, and sage. Fill in any "bald" spots by pressing the seasonings onto the turkey skin.1 tbsp ground sage, 1 tsp seasoning salt, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tbsp crushed basil leaves
- Stuff the turkey with the chopped lemon wedges and onions.2 large lemons, 1 large onion
- Place the turkey into the roaster pan and cover with tin foil.
- Place the turkey in the oven and bake for 2 hours. Do not open the oven during this time!
- Remove the turkey from the oven and baste the turkey using the remaining turkey butter and pan drippings for extra flavor.
- Return the turkey to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes or until the thickest part of the breast and thigh reach 165 degrees F.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, tent it with foil to keep it warm, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
You are wonderful!!!!!! love your recipes, cooking a wonderful Thanksgiving Turkey thanks to Rosie
HAPPPY THANKSGIVING to the great cook should be on FOOD NETWORK
Love Jennifer
Awwwww. Thank you Jennifer…Happy Holidays!
Where is the video? I don’t see a video for this turkey recipe. Thanks 🙂
It’s there now, lol.
What I also do is fry bacon real crisp chop that up and add to my compound butter w/herbs then with the rendered bacon grease I rub that on the turkey I know it’s totally unhealthy but what about Thanksgiving is? Lol
Most traditional Thanksgiving recipe are unhealthy…. But hey, Thanksgiving is ONCE a year..LOL!
This is my Fiance’s and I second Thanksgiving since she cooked the turkey last year I figured it would be fair for me to cook it this year! I will admit I was so nervous since I have never cooked a turkey before! But thanks to Rosie she had me covered!! The video and recipe was easy to follow and the turkey came out Great!! It Looked,tasted,and smelled good!! Thanks Rosie your the Best and my Favorite Recipe contact!!
I was wondering, where do the lemons and onions come into play? Do you stuff the cavity with them? Thanks!!
This recipe looks great but I noticed its for a 10 lb turkey. I’ll be cooking an 18lb bird and was wondering how that might change the recipe (portions,etc). Thanks
Hey Rosie for the turkey butter does the butter have to be melted first or no?
Do you have step by step instructions for this? For serving size ingredients? I’m a first time Thanksgiving preparer this year
This recipe has been revised. Please check out the new recipe here
Hello,
Do you have a recipe for the turkey?
This recipe has been revised. Please check out the new recipe here
I love This recipe, made it for thanksgiving 2 years ago and planning on making it again this year. For some reason it doesn’t show the recipe itself, would you be able to mail it?
I fixed it. It’s there.
I made this recipe last year and it was a HIT definitely will do it this year
Can this turkey be preseasoned overnight with the turkey butter and all?
Yes, absolutely! 😉
This turkey scrumptious and delicious Rosie. My family and I always enjoy your recipes.
Aweee. Thank you Jacqueline! XOXO
I will definitely be making this recipe this Thanksgiving
My Mother rubbed butter all over the inside and outside of the turkey and tht was all the seasoning she put on the turkey.