Learn how to cook a whole turkey in the oven – the easy way! This simple-and-easy, foolproof Thanksgiving turkey recipe yields a juicy, flavorful turkey every time!
For more ideas on how to serve turkey at Thanksgiving, check out my posts for the Best Ever Turkey Breast Instant Pot Recipe, Stuffed Turkey Breast, and Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad.
Does the thought of cooking a whole turkey in the oven send you into near panic? That used to be me! Even after I started this blog, when the holidays would roll around I’d avoid cooking a whole turkey by letting everyone else do it for me! Then, one year, it couldn’t be avoided and so I took the leap. You know what? It’s really not so bad! This simple turkey recipe is about as easy as it gets, and it yields a perfect roasted turkey every time!
How to Cook a Whole Turkey In the Oven
Now, I admit, it looks like a lot of steps, but you have to allot for thawing time, prep work, and it does take a while to cook a big bird! Read the instructions ahead of time and you’ll be able to pull it off, no problem.
Thaw Your Turkey
If you purchased a frozen turkey, it’ll need to be thawed in the fridge in advance. Allow for one full day/24 hours in the fridge for every 5 pounds of turkey. Then, let the turkey rest out of the fridge for one hour before cooking so it can come up to room temperature.
Make the Garlic Herb Butter
Combine the butter, garlic, and herbs in a small bowl. Mash it all together with a fork and stir to combine. Then, set the butter mixture aside.
Prepare the Turkey
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. (not pictured)
- Reach into the cavity of the turkey and pull out the giblets bag and neck (I discard both, but some people like to save them to cook them up for their dogs). (not pictured)
- Pat the turkey completely dry on the outside with some paper towels. Then dry out excess liquid from the inside of the cavity with paper towels, too. (not pictured)
- Put the turkey on the rack in a roasting pan. Tuck the wings under the turkey’s body (might feel difficult, but make it work) and tie the legs together with twine. (photos 1-2)
- Place the onion, the sprigs of rosemary and thyme, and the sage leaves inside the cavity. (photos 3-4)
- Using your fingertips, loosen the skin from the top side of the turkey and rub half of the butter mixture under the skin as far as you can reach without tearing the skin. (not pictured)
- Next, season the outside of the turkey all over with a generous amount of salt and pepper and then rub the remaining garlic butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. (photo 5)
- Tear off two long sheets of foil and create a “tent” to put over the turkey. (But be sure to create a loose covering, and don’t press the foil tightly onto the turkey. (You want the foil to be touching the turkey as little as possible.) (photo 6)
Cook the Turkey
- Transfer the prepared turkey in the roasting pan to a rack placed in the lower third of the oven. (not pictured)
- Set a timer to cook this easy turkey recipe for two hours at 375 degrees. (not pictured)
- When the timer goes off, remove the foil, turn up the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (taking care not to pour it over the turkey). (photo 7)
- Let the roasted turkey continue to cook for another 45 minutes or until an internal temperature (using a meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the turkey thigh) reads 160 degrees (Note: If your turkey becomes completely browned all over and has not yet reached 160 degrees internal temperature, tent with foil again to keep the skin from burning while the turkey finishes cooking through.) (photo 8)
- Now this is important: Allow the turkey to rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving so it remains nice and juicy. (not pictured)
- Serve with gravy and/or cranberry sauce and enjoy! (see below)
Why This Recipe Works
Easy turkey recipe – Whether you are a Thanksgiving turkey cooking pro or novice, this recipe is as easy as it gets. Try it this year and you’ll never go back to your old recipe!
Juicy turkey, every time – Not only does cooking it at a lower temperature with the foil tent first seal in juices, but then crisping the crust and letting it rest before carving into it – all of these steps ensure a juicy, moist turkey.
Great for leftovers – I don’t know about you, but turkey leftovers are one of the best parts of cooking a Thanksgiving turkey. (And this Turkey Wild Rice Soup is one of my favorite dishes to make with leftover turkey.)
Feeds a crowd – Thanksgiving usually pulls in a large crowd and this simple turkey recipe will feed them all. However, don’t worry if your Thanksgiving is more intimate this year, you can totally scale everything back for a smaller bird too.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Not sure how long to cook the turkey? A good rule to follow is to allow for about 13 minutes in the oven for every pound of turkey. Plan on about 3 hours for a 12–13-pound turkey and add (or subtract if you have a smaller turkey) another 13 minutes to your planning time for each additional pound.
- The roasted turkey leftover will keep in the fridge for up to about 5 days. Or you can pop it in the freezer for up to 5 months.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
- Green Bean Casserole
- Best Ever Turkey Breast (Instant Pot)
- Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Did you make this Easy Thanksgiving Turkey recipe? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-20 pound turkey
- 3-4 sage leaves
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary
- ½ yellow onion
- salt and pepper - to taste
- 3-4 sprigs thyme
- ½ cup butter - very softened
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup water
- gravy or cranberry sauce - for serving
Instructions
A few days beforehand…
- If your turkey is frozen, thaw in the fridge in advance. You'll want to allow for one full day/24 hours in the fridge for every five pounds of turkey. Allow to rest out of the fridge for one hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
Prepare the Garlic Herb Butter
- Combine butter, garlic, and herbs in a small bowl. Mash with a fork and stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare the Turkey
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Reach into the cavity of the turkey and pull out the giblets bag and neck (I discard both).
- Use paper towels to pat the turkey completely dry on the outside, and use a few paper towels to soak up any liquid from inside the cavity.
- Place turkey in a roasting pan on the rack. Tuck the wings under the body of the turkey. (This usually requires a little elbow grease – just shove them under there!) If the legs aren't tied together already, tie together the legs using some bakers twine (or dental floss, in a pinch).
- Place onion, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, and sage leaves inside the cavity.
- Use your fingertips to loosen the skin from the top side of the turkey. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin as far as you can reach without tearing the skin.
- Season the outside of the turkey all over with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Rub remaining garlic butter over the outside of the turkey.
- Use two long sheets of foil to create a "tent" over the turkey. (But sure to just create a loose covering, do not press the foil tightly onto the turkey. You want the foil to be touching the turkey as little as possible.
Cook the Turkey
- Transfer turkey/roasting pan to a rack in the lower third of your oven.
- Cook for two hours on the BAKE setting at 375 degrees.
- Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (don't pour it over the turkey).
- Continue to cook another 45 minutes or until internal temperature (using a meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the turkey thigh) reads 160 degrees (*if your turkey becomes completely browned all over and has not yet reached 160 degrees internal temperature, tent with foil again to keep the skin from burning while the turkey finishes cooking through.)
- Allow the turkey to rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving (this is important to keep your turkey juicy and not dried out!). Serve with gravy and/or cranberry sauce. Enjoy!
Recipe sounds good but the question I have is how long do you cook a7lb turkey breast? I think I’ll use your herbs and butter for my breast. It is bone in.
Thank you if you can help.
Bake at 350 for 45 or so minutes, until temperature reaches 155 (or close!). Uncover and broil for 5 minutes until browned. Then, take the turkey out at 160 temp and rest 10-15 mins before carving.
I would always error on the side of more time. You can always cover it with foil to stay warm and then carve it right before serving. It stays warm in the center for quite a while before it is carved.
You miss some delicious flavors by discarding the giblets. Rinse them and then place them around the turkey as it cooks. Makes a delicious gravy. Make one with the chopped giblets and one plain. Don’t use the neck if you choose. I plan to use the onion/herb stuffing and the garlic butter. Will let you know how it turns out! Thanks for the lovely pictures.
OMG. This recipe is fantastic and I cannot recommend it more to anyone who is trying out a Turkey for the first time! I was so intimidated to do a turkey this year… well I tried this exactly and followed the recipe and photos. I can’t thank you enough for this great recipe! It came out SO Juicy and SO delicious!!!!!! My whole family chowed down and I got so many compliments. I will be using this for Christmas and next year for Thanksgiving! You’re the best Tiffany!
Can this recipe be made using an oven bag? Would you need to change anything?
I haven’t tested this recipe out with an oven bag. I’m sure it would work fine in place of the tin foil.