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Plan the perfect Paleo Thanksgiving with this easy roasted turkey recipe. Garlic herb butter-basted to perfection, this mouth-watering turkey is truly divine!
The ultimate food holiday is approaching quickly, and you’re probably already searching for the best, most delicious recipes. Fresh, healthy, homemade food is what my Holiday spread consists of; a table full of Whole30, Paleo, Keto, Dairy Free, and Gluten Free recipes that taste just as good as their classic counterparts. The center of attention for this upcoming celebration, is, of course, the Thanksgiving Turkey. While sometimes daunting, roasting a turkey is actually quite doable! With my perfectly easy roasted turkey recipe, you’ll be a holiday chef in no time! Looking for all of the sides to go with it? Check out these 15+ Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes!
What Makes This Recipe Work
My roasted turkey is stuffed with fresh herbs and spices and basted in a delicious, homemade, dairy-free garlic herb butter that browns perfectly into a crispy outer skin. With easy, scalable turkey roasting instructions, this recipe is perfect whether you’re serving a turkey that is 12lbs or 20lbs. Roasting turkey has truly never been easier!
Ingredient Notes
Turkey: I love getting a quality 12-15 lb Shady Brook Farms® turkey.
Fresh Herbs: For this recipe, I use fresh herbs. They give the roasted turkey so much flavor. I recommend using fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage if you have them!
Garlic Herb Butter: My homemade garlic herb rub is the perfect basting liquid. It keeps the turkey juicy and flavorful, with crispy skin. Delish!
How to Make a Roasted Turkey
Step 1. Do not freak out! Roasting a turkey may seem like quite the undertaking, but I promise this recipe is prepped in no time and cooks to perfection in your oven. You can do it!
Important Roasting Notes:
- Bake the turkey for 13-15 minutes per pound of turkey. You want the internal temperature of the bird to be 165. My 12-lb turkey took about 3 hours total.
- When the turkey has reached an internal temp of 165 degrees (testing it with a meat thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast), remove it from the oven and tent with foil.
- Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
Thawing: Make sure your turkey is completed thawed. The rule of thumb is 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 lbs of turkey. I used a 12-lb turkey, so I thawed mine for about 3 days in the refrigerator.
Gravy: Reserve the drippings so you can make my Best Ever Paleo Gravy!
FAQs
What tools do I need to roast a turkey in the oven? You need a roasting pan and a meat thermometer!
How do I store leftover roasted turkey? Store the roasted turkey in an airtight container for up to one week! Serve it warm or cold as a sandwich with your favorite gluten-free rolls, my homemade orange cranberry sauce, and stuff with mashed potatoes and gravy!
What makes this turkey paleo? Using ghee or vegan butter will make this turkey paleo. If you have a true dairy allergy, make sure to use vegan butter. You can always use regular butter, too.
How many pounds of turkey per person? Estimate about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person (this includes the weight of the bones!). So if you’re serving 10 people, you’ll need about a 12-13 lb turkey.
How to cut/carve a turkey? When in doubt, Youtube! Here’s the video I watched to learn how to cut a turkey perfectly!
Best Sides to Serve with Thanksgiving Turkey
Creamy Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
GF / DF Sausage Apple Herb Stuffing
Homemade Paleo Orange Cranberry Sauce
“Soy” Glazed Brussels sprouts with Bacon
Don’t forget to make a batch of my Thanksgiving Margaritas!
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Easy Paleo Roasted Turkey
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 12-16 lb turkey, I love getting a quality 12-15 lb Shady Brook Farms® turkey
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 3 inch pieces
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 4-5 sage leaves
- 4-5 springs thyme
- 2 tsp salt
Herbed Ghee Rub
- ¾ cup ghee or vegan butter, feel free to use regular butter!
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
- 1 tsp fresh chopped sage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325. Move your oven rack so there is enough room to fit the roasting pan and turkey inside.
- Make sure your turkey is completed thawed. The rule of thumb is 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 lbs of turkey. I used a 12-lb turkey, so I thawed mine for about 3 days.
- Let the turkey come to room temperature for about 30 minutes while the oven pre-heats.
- Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Rinse the turkey well inside and out and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the 2 tsp of salt into the cavity of the turkey. Add in the onion quarters, garlic cloves, celery, lemon, and sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage. Tie the legs together using kitchen twine and set the turkey on the roasting rack breast-side up.
- Add the ghee (or vegan butter) to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for about 20 seconds to soften the ghee. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Use your hands to spread the mixture all over the turkey, making sure to get into the crevices and under the skin for extra flavor. Save about ¼ cup of the mixture and set aside.
- Bake the turkey for 13-15 minutes per pound of turkey. You want the internal temperature of the bird to be 165. My 12-lb turkey took about 3 hours total.
- Halfway through baking time, use a pastry brush to brush the remaining ghee herb mixture all over the turkey. You can microwave it to soften before brushing. Tent the bird with foil for the remaining cook time if it looks like it's getting too browned.
- When the turkey has reached an internal temp of 165 degrees (testing it with a meat thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast), remove it from the oven and tent with foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
- Reserve the drippings so you can make my Best Ever Paleo Gravy!
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
Perfectly cooked Turkey for Thanksgiving! We splurged for a fresh Turkey from a local farm and used this recipe. It was moist and full of flavor. The drippings made for a very tasty gravy too. Thanks for another great recipe!
So glad to hear this, Michele! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
I used this recipe for my Thanksgiving turkey! It turned out great with rave reviews! I had an 18 lb bird so used a little extra onion, celery and garlic.
So glad to hear that, Erica! Happy Thanksgiving!
Where did you thaw your turkey for 3 days? Fridge or counter?