Instant pot turkey roast is the perfect main dish for your holiday dinner table this year. It is easy to prepare in just minutes with a handful of ingredients, is one of the fastest ways to cook a turkey roast, and delivers flavorful, juicy, and tender turkey meat under crispy skin (without any basting!). Plus, use the drippings to make a delicious homemade turkey gravy right in the pressure cooker. Preparing turkey dinner has never been so easy and stress-free. Enjoy it during the holidays or any time of the year.
I have partnered with Think Turkey to bring you this delicious Instant Pot Turkey Roast recipe. All images and opinions expressed are my own.
Why You'll Love Instant Pot Turkey Roast
- A quick holiday meal. It's just not the holidays without turkey. Turkey is the perfect protein to use in your holiday hosting menu, especially when made in the Instant Pot. In just a little over an hour, you'll have a juicy turkey roast with crispy skin and delicious homemade gravy. It's the fastest way to cook turkey!
- Easier than roasting. When you make roast turkey in the oven, you need to keep an eye on it and baste it. But in the pressure cooker, there is no basting required - the appliance does all the work for you. You will save time and energy and still get a delicious, tender, juicy turkey. Maybe even the best ever.
- A lean option for healthy eating. Turkey is one of our family's favourite proteins to cook with (see all of our turkey recipes!). It's healthy, can be customized with different flavours, and cooked in so many different ways.
- The crispy skin and turkey gravy. Juicy and tender meat might be the star of the show here, but this turkey is taken to the next level with two other things: crispy turkey skin and homemade turkey gravy. With this Instant Pot turkey roast, you get both.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this delicious and easy Instant Pot Turkey Roast, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- turkey roast - I recommend using a boneless turkey breast roast. This recipe could work with bone-in as well, but you will need to adjust the cook time.
- olive oil
- seasoning - the seasoning rub for the turkey is made with salt and pepper, paprika, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and garlic.
- water
- homemade gravy - the gravy is optional and is really easy to make directly in the Instant Pot with the turkey drippings. You will also need cornstarch (or flour), poultry broth, butter, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and an Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker) with wire roasting rack insert.
How to Make the Best Instant Pot Turkey Roast
- Season the turkey roast. Use a paper towel to pat the turkey roast (with the netting/butcher's twine) completely dry. Rub oil, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and garlic evenly to season. Set aside on a plate for at least 15 minutes. It's ideal to bring the seasoned turkey to room temperature to achieve more tender and juicier meat.
- Prepare the Instant Pot. Add water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot (the water prevents the turkey drippings from smoking and will be used to make the gravy). Insert a heat proof wire roasting rack that can be fitted into the Instant Pot and place the turkey roast on top.
- Pressure cook. Turn the pressure cooking mode on manual pressure and seal the lid (the steam release knob must be turned to the sealed position). Pressure cook the turkey roast for 45 minutes. Once the time is up, you can let the Instant Pot slowly release the pressure, about 15 minutes or quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position. Check doneness using a digital meat thermometer inserted deep into the meat. The turkey is done with an end-point internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Broil (optional). You can transfer the turkey roast into the oven and broil for 10 minutes to achieve a crispy skin, if desired.
- Rest. Transfer the turkey onto a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
How to Make Gravy in the Instant Pot
On the Instant Pot, switch to Sauté function on to high. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch and poultry broth until smooth. Add it to the turkey drippings in the Instant Pot, along with butter and heavy cream. Stir constantly until smooth and cook until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, remove the netting/butcher's twine from the turkey roast, slice, and serve with gravy.
Storing Instructions
- How to store: Keep leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you are planning to use leftovers in soups or other recipes that call for shredded turkey, it's easier to shred it before storing. Then, you can easily use it in all your favorite leftover turkey recipes.
- How to freeze: Slice or shred the meat and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and place inside a freezer bag, pressing out all the air before sealing. To use, allow it to thaw overnight and then reheat, or reheat directly from frozen (for example, if you are adding it into a soup).
- How to reheat: Wrap the turkey roast loosely in aluminum foil and add a little gravy or water. Seal the foil and reheat in a 375F preheated oven for 10-25 minutes (depending on how much turkey you are reheating), until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
More Turkey Recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Asian Sesame Soy Turkey Roast
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Turkey Parmesan
- Instant Pot Turkey Thighs
- Creamy Turkey Gnocchi Soup
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Tiktok, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Instant Pot Turkey Roast
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Instant pot turkey roast with homemade gravy is easy to prepare in minutes, the fastest way to cook turkey, and delivers flavorful, juicy, tender turkey.
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 1 (3 pound) fresh boneless turkey breast roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ½ cup water
For the gravy:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or flour)
- ½ cup poultry broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
Pressure cook the turkey roast:
- Use a paper towel to pat the turkey roast (with the netting/butcher's twine) completely dry. Rub oil, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and garlic evenly to season. Set aside on a plate for at least 15 minutes.
- Add water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot (the water prevents the turkey drippings from smoking and will be used to make the gravy). Insert a heat-proof wire rack that can be fitted into the Instant Pot and place the turkey roast on top.
- Turn the pressure cooking mode on manual pressure and seal the lid (the steam release knob must be turned to the sealed position). Pressure cook the turkey roast for 45 minutes. Once the time is up, you can let the Instant Pot slowly release the pressure, about 15 minutes or quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position. Check doneness using a digital meat thermometer inserted deep into the meat. The turkey is done with an end-point internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Optionally, you can transfer the turkey roast into the oven and broil for 10 minutes to achieve a crispy skin.
- Transfer the turkey onto a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Make the gravy:
- On the Instant Pot, switch to Sauté function on to high.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch and poultry broth until smooth. Add it to the turkey drippings in the Instant Pot, along with butter and heavy cream.
- Stir constantly until smooth and cook until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the netting/butcher's twine from the turkey roast. Slice and serve with gravy.
Notes
How to store: Keep leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you are planning to use leftovers in soups or other recipes that call for shredded turkey, it's easier to shred it before storing. Then, you can easily use it in all your favorite leftover turkey recipes.
How to freeze: Slice or shred the meat and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and place inside a freezer bag, pressing out all the air before sealing. To use, allow it to thaw overnight and then reheat, or reheat directly from frozen (for example, if you are adding it into a soup).
How to reheat: Wrap the turkey roast loosely in aluminum foil and add a little gravy or water. Seal the foil and reheat in a 375F preheated oven for 10-25 minutes (depending on how much turkey you are reheating), until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marinate Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Turkey
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Marie says
Process was easy, fast and DELICIOUS! All of my requirements for 5 star recipe!
Thanks for sharing!
Sue says
All I can say is, I don't normally post reviews of recipes but this was SO good that I wanted to say how wonderful it was! This will definitely be a go-to recipe from now on!