Instant Pot Turkey Breast (from frozen!)

At a glance

What stands out: A turkey breast is much easier and quicker to prepare than a whole turkey. With lots of flavorful herbs, a speedy-cooking Instant Pot turkey breast is always juicy, tender, and evenly done. And the bonus? There’s no need to thaw it first!

How long it takes: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: Instant Pot/pressure multi cooker
Servings: 8

Turkey Time!

If you’re like us, you may be dreading the ordeal of making a turkey. We bet most of us secretly hope that someone else will volunteer to do the turkey this year. It’s just kind of a hassle, isn’t it? Thawing that frozen bird, digging out those little packets of innards, rinsing, brining, rinsing again, getting up at dawn to get the bird in the oven, and so on, and so on…

Reliable for smaller groups. Maybe you are enjoying a smaller Thanksgiving celebration this year and don’t need a big ol’ turkey with all the fixings. This Instant Pot turkey breast is just what you need! Some other alternatives to a whole turkey are this sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, dressing & more), our herb roasted turkey breast, or if you’re not a fan of turkey, chicken breasts with maple cranberry sauce are a great alternative.

No dark meat! Some of us just don’t care for dark meat and wish that a turkey didn’t come with legs, thighs, and wings. (Sorry, Mr. Gobbler, we’re not trying to be critical about your body parts!)

No need to thaw it. Here’s a big bonus: you don’t even have to thaw the turkey first! Your Instant Pot pressure cooker is a real time saver. Cook a evenly done boneless turkey breast in less than two hours straight from the freezer. And it’s so rich: juicy, succulent white meat, flavored with sage, rosemary, and thyme.

More oven space for trimmings: Think about this: using your Instant Pot for the turkey frees up valuable oven space. Now you’ll have plenty of room in the oven to bake all the tasty trimmings that go along with turkey. (Keep reading for lots of ideas.)

Use it for food prep. Buy frozen turkey breast when it’s on sale around the holidays to cook later and use for lots of different meals. Use cooked turkey for any recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Sliced turkey breast is also reliable for sandwiches instead of costly deli meat.

Janine Said:

“Very straightforward recipe! Thank you, we've had a turkey breast in our freezer for awhile and this went from frozen to dinner–ready in no time!”

See More Reader Reviews

Cooking a Turkey Breast

You’ll find directions here for cooking a frozen turkey breast or a fresh/thawed one.

A boneless turkey breast is usually held together with mesh. For best results, leave the mesh on while you cook the turkey breast. The mesh is actually holding the meat together. If you’re uncomfortable with using the mesh, cut it off and truss the turkey breast yourself.

Note that there may also be plastic netting that’s on the outside of the wrapping that should definitely be removed before roasting!

What goes in

• Boneless, Skin-on Turkey Breast: The recipe card has instructions for frozen, thawed, or fresh turkey breast. Look for one that’s between 2 to 3 pounds.
• Butter & Olive Oil: Use unsalted butter if you have it. If you use salted butter, decrease the amount of salt used.
• Flavoring: A couple of cloves of fresh garlic adds wonderful flavor. We also like to use a mixture of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme. If you only have dried herbs, use half as much since they are more potent than fresh herbs.

Prep the turkey breast. Make an herb butter with butter, oil, garlic and fresh herbs. Slather it all over the turkey breast. Add a little water to the bottom of the pot, place the breast on the metal rack that comes with your Instant Pot, and seal it up. That’s it! Isn’t that straightforward? Ten minutes and the turkey’s ready to cook.

Pressure cook the turkey. The cooking time will vary, depending on whether the turkey breast is frozen or thawed.

Cooking Time

Frozen: A frozen (unthawed) boneless turkey breast will be cooked in approximately 65 minutes, plus time to come to pressure, an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

Thawed/Fresh: A thawed or fresh turkey breast of the same size will be cooked in 25 minutes, with an additional 15 to 20 minutes to pressurize.

Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey. It should be 165°F.

Allow a resting time. After cooking, allow the turkey to rest five or ten minutes. Now’s a reliable time to get the rest of your dinner on the table. After the turkey has rested, remove the cooking net from the turkey, slice, and serve!

Ways to change it

• Vary the seasonings. Maybe you don’t care for garlic? No problem, just leave it out. Go less traditional and try a spice blend, from Cajun to southwest to Asian. A turkey breast is a pretty blank slate so you can enliven it whichever way you choose.
• Use dried herbs. Only have dried herbs? You can substitute dried herbs for fresh. You’ll need less dried herbs because they’re a little more potent. The rule of thumb is 1:3, dried to fresh.
• Have a bone-in turkey breast? Try this herb roasted turkey breast in the oven. It’s rich! We'd like to try this honey-soy glazed turkey breast in the slow cooker by Diethood, too.
• Rather have chicken? A whole roasted chicken is a good alternative to turkey or try roasted bone-in chicken breasts. Air fryer chicken breasts are tasty, too, especially if you marinate them.

Side Dishes to Serve With Turkey

Vegetable sides: We almost think the trimmings are a standby part! You can bake lighter sweet potato casserole (we love this dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free recipe), or sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. Be sure to try our green bean casserole made with no canned soup. And don’t forget cheesy Brussels sprouts au gratin!

Mac & cheese: Baked mac and cheese is a classic. We also love crockpot mac & cheese, Instant Pot mac & cheese, and stovetop mac & cheese. Lots of options!

Stuffing/potatoes/gravy: We always make this slow cooker stuffing recipe. It’s a standby, although this apple stuffing is pretty darn good, too! And don’t forget the warm rolls and mashed potatoes with gravy. Your day will be easier with crockpot mashed potatoes and make ahead turkey gravy.

Keeping leftovers

Leftover turkey can be wrapped well and refrigerated for three to four days, or frozen for up to three months. Reheat gently in the microwave or wrap in foil and heat in the oven.

Meal Prep Idea

It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving to enjoy turkey! Turkey is usually on sale around Thanksgiving, so stock up and fill your freezer with this economical and lighter source of protein.

Cook a frozen turkey breast for meals all week.Use it for sandwiches, make turkey salad, or a pan of tasty turkey sliders if you’re having a crowd. Turkey breast can be substituted for chicken breasts in any recipe. You can put cooked, sliced meat in freezer bags to enjoy later.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #30. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

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Instant Pot Recipes

• Yield: 8
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 boneless, skin-on frozen turkey breast, about 2 pounds (unthawed, see note)
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced (or ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage)
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or ½ teaspoon dried crushed rosemary)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth or water

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine butter, olive oil, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub the garlic and herb mixture on all sides of the frozen turkey breast. (See notes below if you are cooking a fresh/thawed turkey breast).
2. Place trivet in the Instant Pot and add water until just below the trivet line. (In a 6-quart Instant Pot, ¾ cup of water works well.) Place the turkey breast on top of the trivet.
3. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is in the sealing position. Set for Pressure Cook (or Manual High Pressure) for 65 minutes. The Instant Pot will take an additional 15 to 20 minutes to pressurize.
4. When the timer goes off, carefully release the pressure manually (quick release) by switching the valve to the venting position.
5. Test the temperature of the turkey in 2 to 3 places using an instant read thermometer. If it doesn’t reach at least 160°F, place the lid back on the Instant Pot and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes under high pressure, with another quick release of the pressure.
6. When the turkey has finished, remove it from the Instant Pot. Cut away the mesh if there is one around the outside of the breast.
7. (Optional) Place the turkey breast on a sheet pan skin side up. Broil the turkey breast on High for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the skin starts to crisp. Make sure to watch it carefully— you don’t want it to burn!
8. Let turkey rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve with desired sides.

Notes

Cooking a fresh or thawed turkey breast: A fresh or thawed turkey breast will need less time to cook. To prep, pat it dry with paper towels. Rub with butter mixture. Add water to Instant Pot, set turkey on metal trivet. Set it to pressure cook it for 35 minutes, and then test the internal temperature.

Larger turkey breast: If your turkey breast is closer to 3 pounds, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.

How to tell if turkey is done: If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, you can tell the turkey is cooked when the meat is opaque and white, no pink remains, and the juices run clear. If there is any pink/red/purple coloration, the turkey is not cooked through.

Storage: Refrigerate uneaten turkey promptly in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Seasoning alternatives: If you prefer, use a spice rub instead of herbs. If you use dried herbs, use half as much.