Let’s not blame family members, friends—and most importantly, ourselves—for the sad roast turkeys of Thanksgiving dinners past. Learning how to season a turkey is much like seasoning anything: a skill perfected over time. The trouble is, most of us only cook a turkey once or twice per calendar year (and who can remember what seasoning tack they took 11 months ago?!). The perfect turkey requires more attention than an everyday roast chicken. That can come via a dry brine, compound butter, aromatics tucked into the carcass, and a glaze with something sweet—ideally, all of the above. And when in doubt, double down on the gravy.
If you’re majorly crunched for time, salt, black pepper, and high heat are all you really need for flavorful turkey. But with a bit more prep time, you can deliver a lot more oomph. Consider the steps below building blocks. Stack one on top of the next to build layers of flavor, but a word of caution: Be thoughtful when pairing ingredients across steps (more on this below). Before you get started, make sure your bird is thawed—this can take a few days—and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Turkey is a versatile and healthy meat that forms the centerpiece of many special occasions. Its mild flavor allows it to pair well with a variety of ingredients, making it an ideal choice for festive meals. But with so many options, how do you choose what flavors will best complement turkey?
In this article we will explore 12 fantastic flavor combinations that bring out the best in turkey, from traditional pairings to creative twists. Whether you are cooking a holiday roast grilling turkey burgers, or preparing a weeknight turkey dinner, these tasty pairings will amaze your palate.
Traditional Thanksgiving Flavors
Some classic flavor pairings have stood the test of time, especially when it comes to Thanksgiving turkey. Combining turkey with these traditional aromas and tastes brings familiarity and comfort to this iconic holiday meal.
Savory Herbs
Fresh or dried herbs like thyme sage, marjoram, and rosemary infuse turkey with earthy flavors and lovely aromas. Rubbing these herbs under the skin or placing them in the cavity imparts nuanced layers of flavor. Heartier herbs like rosemary can also be placed on the roasting rack basting the turkey as it cooks.
Tart Cranberries
What’s Thanksgiving without sweet-tart cranberry sauce? The bright acidity of cranberries perfectly balances the rich fattiness of turkey. Whole cranberries can be used to stuff the turkey cavity, or try tossing dried cranberries into stuffing and salads. And don’t forget to pass the cranberry sauce at the table!
Roasted Vegetables
Onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes develop wonderful caramelized sweetness when roasted alongside turkey. Their juices further baste the meat, while chunks of roasted veggies make stellar additions to gravy, casseroles, and sides.
Savory Stuffing
Also called dressing, stuffing soaked in turkey juices and roasted to crispy perfection is a Thanksgiving treat. Sautéed celery, onions, herbs, and bread crumbs are flavored with the turkey’s rendered fat and take on its aromatic essence.
Creative Flavor Combinations
While traditional pairings have merit, don’t be afraid to get creative with unexpected flavors that bring out new dimensions in turkey. Mix and match ingredients to discover tasty turkey meals your guests will rave about.
Sweet and Savory
Contrasting sweet flavors wonderfully offset turkey’s natural dryness. Glazes, sauces, and marinades made with maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, jellies, and fruit lend moisture along with balanced sweetness. Try an apricot-rosemary glaze or pomegranate molasses marinade.
Citrus and Herbs
Bright citrus juices and zests taste fantastic with poultry when matched with fresh herbs. Lemon pairs particularly well with thyme and sage, while orange flavors marry nicely with rosemary. Use citrus juices to deglaze the pan for a tangy sauce.
Umami Flavor Bombs
Ingredients like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, and miso contain savory umami compounds that complement turkey’s richness. A quick soy-ginger marinade or Worcestershire gravy makes turkey pop with flavor.
Warm Spices
The warming flavors of spices like cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, smoked paprika, and chili powder add excitement when used judiciously. Sprinkle them over turkey before roasting or add to marinades and rubs. Serve chili-spiced turkey with a cooling yogurt sauce.
Nutty Crunch
Chopped nuts lend fabulous crunch and richness when used as a crust or topping. Try roasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts blended with herbs and spices. Sprinkle on turkey during the last 15 minutes of roasting for an amazing flavor and texture contrast.
Fruity Freshness
Fresh or dried fruits introduce pleasant sweet-tart notes, moisture, and vibrancy. Stuff turkey cavities with orange slices, cranberries, and apples. Whip up fruity chutneys as a glaze or condiment using mangoes, cherries, cranberries, and more.
Seasonal and Holiday Flavors
When holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, use taste and aroma to conjure up the festive season with your turkey dishes.
Warming Spices
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger lend comforting warmth perfect for holiday meals. Make a savory rub using brown sugar and warm spices. Or use them in apple or pumpkin pie for a seasonal dessert.
Hearty Mushrooms
Mushrooms have a meaty texture that pairs wonderfully with turkey. Sauté them in butter and use to stuff turkey or mix into dressing. Chop and add to gravy for extra richness.
Zesty Cranberries
Bursts of sweet-tart cranberries balanced by orange zest and juice are a festive way to offset a holiday bird. Fresh or dried cranberries also make stellar additions to salads, chutneys, sauces, and stuffings.
Fragrant Vanilla and Maple
Maple syrup and vanilla extract lend a subtle sweetness and heady aroma. Use real maple syrup to make a glaze or to deglaze the roasting pan for an incredible sauce. Add vanilla to sweet potato casserole or pumpkin pie.
Complementary Sides
Well-chosen sides that complement turkey’s flavors make for a spectacular meal. These classics perfectly round out a turkey dinner.
- Mashed Potatoes – Soak up turkey juices and gravy
- Green Bean Casserole – Crunchy, creamy, and savory
- Cranberry Sauce – Bright, sweet-tart contrast
- Buttery Dinner Rolls – For sopping up gravy
- Pumpkin or Pecan Pie – Sweet, seasonal finish
With so many diverse flavors to match with turkey, from herbs and citrus to fruits and vegetables, the possibilities are endless. Avoid dry, bland turkey by experimenting with new pairings. Your holiday or family dinner will be elevated to new heights of deliciousness.
Begin with a brine.
Turkeys are big birds. Brining is essential to ensure the meat is seasoned throughout. While some cooks prefer wet brining, after years of testing—not to mention making turkeys for our own holiday celebrations—the Epicurious test kitchen team confidently recommends dry brining as a superior method. It’s far less messy, results in supremely juicy turkey meat, and delivers golden, crispy skin without waterlogging the bird. To do it, simply rub kosher salt (do not use table salt, which contains anti-caking agents that can lead to bitterness) over the whole turkey, inside and out, and let the bird rest in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 24 hours. Consider a turkey brine your first line of defense against dry white meat. (Note: If you’re using a kosher turkey, which are pre-seasoned, don’t salt it.)
You’ll use about 2 to 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 to 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt per pound of turkey, explains Zoe Denenberg in her guide to dry brining. For a 14-pound turkey, that’s around ½ cup kosher salt. But you don’t have to stop there:
Fill the cavity with aromatics.
No Thanksgiving is complete without stuffing, but we prefer to bake ours in a separate dish—technically, that makes it dressing, but call it what you like. With the turkey cavity now vacant, you can add aromatics like a quartered onion, a few smashed cloves of garlic, orange, apple, or lemon wedges, and a couple of hearty herbs. Do this before tying the legs together, and remember to remove it before carving.
The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey
FAQ
What flavors pair well with turkey?
Turkey pairs well with a lot of sweet and savory flavors such as brown sugar, maple, chives, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, basil, paprika, pepper, garlic, onion, lemon, and oregano. This spice blend is primarily savory, with just a hint of brown sugar to offset the salt, herbs and spices.
What is the best flavor for turkey?
Fill with Aromatics
The basics, like onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage, help lend that traditional Thanksgiving flavor. Take your aromatics up a notch by adding halved lemons or oranges. The citrus will add a nice brightness to the turkey and keep it perfectly moist.
What seasonings go well with turkey?
Dried Herbs — dried thyme, rosemary, and sage add an herbal depth of flavor commonly found in poultry seasoning blends. This gives the seasoning blend, and therefore the turkey, a deep savory flavor. Dried Seasonings — in particular, garlic powder, onion, powder, and paprika round out this flavorful turkey seasoning.
What is best to stuff a turkey with for flavor?
Season the turkey: Stir together parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon-pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the cavity of the turkey with the herb mixture, then stuff the cavity with celery, orange, onion, and carrot.