Low-Sodium Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that consuming processed meats—high in sodium and chemical preservatives—every day could boost your risk of heart disease by up to 42 percent. This turkey breast recipe brings you a bird is not only low in sodium and nitrate-free, but it also makes the most delicious turkey sandwiches you've ever tasted.
Nutrition: 140 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated), 520 mg sodium
Serves 12
You'll Need
8 cups water 3⁄4 cup salt
1 cup sugar
1 large boneless turkey breast (about 3 pounds)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
How to Make It
- Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a pot large enough to hold the turkey and bring to a boil.
- Stir until the sugar and salt have fully dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Add the turkey breast, cover, and place in the fridge to brine for at least 4 hours, and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F
- Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry, and roll up into a tight log.
- Use butcher twine to tie three separate knots, about 2" apart, that will hold the turkey in this tight shape.
- Finely mince the garlic, using a pinch of salt and the back of your knife to mash it into a paste.
- Combine with the olive oil and rosemary, then rub all over the turkey, along with a good amount of black pepper.
- Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 160°F, about 1 hour. Let the turkey rest before slicing.
- The turkey can be served as is with traditional sides or will keep up to a week in the fridge for sandwiches.
Eat This Tip
This dish was built for leftovers, so roast the turkey up on a lazy Sunday afternoon and use it all week as the foundation for some incredible meals:
- As a sandwich, stacked on sourdough with avocado, romaine, and whipped cream cheese cut with cranberry sauce
- As a salad, tossed with arugula or spinach and hard-boiled egg slices, olives, and cherry tomatoes
- As a taco, tossed with a few big spoonfuls of salsa verde, tucked into a warm tortilla, and topped with guacamole
This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!
