Do you love to cook with your Instant Pot? If so, I’m here to share with you how easy it is to make my easy recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast with fork-tender carrots and a homemade gravy. This entire turkey dinner recipe comes together in about one hour and is gluten free!
If you are like me you could eat turkey year round. Since I’ve fully embraced my Instant Pot over the past year I decided to finally start testing recipes for a turkey breast in the Instant Pot. Once again, I’ve got another game-changing recipe. This recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast is simply delicious! Bonus, you can cook carrots that come out fork-tender and transform the juices from the turkey and carrots into a savory homemade turkey gravy.
I’ll gladly trade slaving over the oven for 2.5-3.5 hours for only an hour of cook time (plus time to come to pressure). Even better, no basting, turning, and all that jazz which comes with roasting a turkey in the oven.
Table of contents
Why this Recipe Works
This Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipes has very little hands on time. Meaning you can do other things you need to take care of without fear that your turkey is going to burn!
You get the main dish, a side dish, and gravy all cooked in one pot!
Minimal clean up since you are only using one pot!
To brine or not to brine?
I tested this recipe both ways, and by far the winner of the two was the brined turkey breast. It was not only moist but much more flavorful. I recommend you let the turkey sit in brine for 12-24 hours. Brining not only gives the meat additional flavors, but it helps keep the white meat moist. There are two different styles of brining. A traditional salt turkey brine or a buttermilk brine. Both will yield a moist and delicious tasting turkey.
Directions
First, peel and cut carrots in half. Place half in the Instant Pot and leave the other half out.
Rinse and pat dry turkey breast (remove interior packaging if your bird has that). Place the turkey breast into the Instant Pot. Drizzle on the melted butter. Then in a small dish combine the black pepper, salt, dried ground sage, dried thyme leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Mix together.
Then massage the rub onto the exterior of the bird. Tear open the skin and massage in the inside as well. Position the bird so it fits inside the 6-quart Instant Pot. Then place the remaining carrots around the turkey. Pour ½ cup water in the Instant Pot and add the fresh thyme around the turkey breast.
Close the lid and seal the pressure valve. Select “manual” and then press the up arrow button to 25 minutes. It will take 25-30 minutes just to get to pressure. Once the Instant Pot is done and beeps let it sit for 10-15 minutes before forcing pressure. Carefully remove the turkey and the carrots and let rest on a serving platter for an additional 10 minutes (while your making the gravy — tent the turkey breast with aluminum foil).
How to Cook Turkey Gravy in the Instant Pot
Place the Instant Pot on saute mode. Let the turkey drippings begin to come to a boil. Make a slurry of cornstarch and water. Mix well and then begin to add the slurry to the Instant Pot whisking in until thickened to your desire. Taste the gravy and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Cut the turkey with a carving knife and serve with carrots and homemade gravy on the side.
FAQs
I have a 6 quart Instant Pot. Before you go to cook your turkey breast I suggest you put it inside the Instant Pot to ensure it will fit inside. Keep the wrapper on–this is a great step to do before you start to brine. If you have an 8 quart you can definitely cook a little bit larger of a turkey breast. The largest I’ve been able to cook to date is a 6.5 pound bone-in turkey breast. Remember if you cook a larger turkey breast you will need to adjust your time by 5-10 minutes longer.
I’ve tested this recipe two times now and feel very confident with it. Especially since my husband proclaimed this recipe to be better then my oven-roasted recipe. Your cooking times will vary a little bit depending on the size of your turkey breast.
You can cook a 5.5 pound turkey breast for 20 minutes with a 10 minute rest time. Now–remember, you need to count on an additional 20-30 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the count down on the 20 minute timer begins. I like to start this recipe 1.5 hours before. I also like to let the turkey rest while the gravy is being made before I carve the turkey.
If you like crispy turkey skin all you need to do is throw the cooked turkey breast under the broiler in your oven for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Do not step away from your oven–watch that skin like a hawk watching it’s pray.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks whenever I make pressure cooker turkey breast.
- Plan Ahead – If you can plan ahead you can peel the carrots up to a day prior to cooking. This will helps ave additional time.
- Turkey Brine – It is not needed; however, will yield a much more flavorful and moist bird. Make sure you plan ahead if you want to brine your turkey breast. Even with just 6 hours of brine time you should be good to go. If you brine, remember to always wash off the brine thoroughly before you cook the turkey breast.
- Size Matters – Remember to keep your Instant Pot size in account when you are at the store purchasing your turkey breast. If you have an 8 quart Instant Pot you can fit roughly around a 6lb turkey breast in the Instant Pot. A 6 quart Instant Pot and you’ll need between a 4-5lb. turkey breast.
- Test Run – After getting your turkey home from the store place the wrapped turkey breast in your Instant Pot to ensure it will fit! Nothing worse then thinking it will fit and going to cook and the lid won’t close!
Side Dishes that go with Turkey
- Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Mashed potatoes
- Gluten free green bean casserole
- Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Honey Glazed Carrots
- Whole wheat pumpkin dinner rolls
How to Use Leftover Turkey?
Stuck with leftover turkey? I have over a dozen different ways that you can use up the leftover turkey. You can make turkey cranberry salad on croissants, a turkey and cranberry flatbread, turkey tetrazzini, or even my favorite turkey and stuffing dumpling soup.
If you make this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 8 large carrots
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 5.5 bone-in turkey breast
- ½ cup water
For the gravy:
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and cut carrots in half. Place half in the Instant Pot and leave the other half out.
- In a small dish combine the black pepper, salt, dried ground sage, dried thyme leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Mix together.
- Rinse and pat dry turkey breast (remove interior packaging if your bird has that). Place the turkey breast into the Instant Pot.
- Drizzle on the melted butter. Then massage the spices onto the exterior of the bird. Tear open the skin and massage under the skin, too. Position the bird so it fits inside the 6-quart or 8 quart Instant Pot. Then place the remaining carrots around the turkey. Pour ½ cup water in the Instant Pot and add the fresh thyme around the turkey breast.
- Close the lid and seal the pressure valve. Select "manual" and then press the up arrow button to 25 minutes. It will take 25-30 minutes just to get to pressure. Once the Instant Pot is done and beeps let it sit for 10-15 minutes before forcing pressure.
- Carefully remove the turkey and the carrots and let rest on a serving platter for an additional 10 minutes (while your making the gravy — tent the turkey breast with aluminum foil).
For the gravy:
- Place the Instant Pot on saute mode. Let the turkey drippings begin to come to a boil. Make a slurry of cornstarch and water. Mix well and then begin to add the slurry to the Instant Pot whisking in until thickened to your desire. Taste the gravy and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Cut the turkey with a carving knife and serve with carrots and homemade gravy on the side.
Notes
- Plan Ahead – If you can plan ahead you can peel the carrots up to a day prior to cooking. This will helps ave additional time.
- Turkey Brine – It is not needed; however, will yield a much more flavorful and moist bird. Make sure you plan ahead if you want to brine your turkey breast. Even with just 6 hours of brine time you should be good to go. If you brine, remember to always wash off the brine thoroughly before you cook the turkey breast.
- Size Matters – Remember to keep your Instant Pot size in account when you are at the store purchasing your turkey breast. If you have an 8 quart Instant Pot you can fit roughly around a 6lb turkey breast in the Instant Pot. A 6 quart Instant Pot and you’ll need between a 4-5lb. turkey breast.
- Test Run – After getting your turkey home from the store place the wrapped turkey breast in your Instant Pot to ensure it will fit! Nothing worse then thinking it will fit and going to cook and the lid won’t close!
- Let the Turkey Rest – Always let the turkey breast rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into the meat. I like to tent the turkey breast with aluminum foil.
Nutrition
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Valerie
How much fresh thyme? And your note at the end—isn’t a 5 1/2 lb. turkey breast the same as 5.5 lbs? What am I missing?
Katie
Hi Valerie, Yes both are the same. In the recipe I use 1 teaspoon dried thyme for the rub. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did!