Looking for a healthy but elegant dish for a special occasion? This turkey roulade with quinoa, Swiss chard, and prosciutto is beautiful AND delicious!
Whether my husband and I are having friends over or just celebrating a special occasion together, I love making healthy recipe with beautiful presentations. After all, they say we eat with our eyes first!
This delicious turkey roulade with quinoa, Swiss chard, and prosciutto is perfect for these occasions. Roulades look very impressive, and this one is packed with nutritious ingredients.
Making a roulade isn’t that difficult if you approach it with the right attitude. If you’re newer to cooking, I recommend having a buddy with you in the kitchen. A second set of hands when you’re rolling the turkey is a good idea.
The final result is an elegant main course perfect for an intimate dinner or special occasion. We love it so much, we made it one year for Thanksgiving!
How to make turkey roulade
The process for this recipe involves mixing the filling, rolling it up in the turkey, then letting it all bake in the oven. Don’t be intimidated, it’s all very straight-forward!
Step 1: Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the Swiss chard and 2 tablespoons of water.
Step 2: Sauté for about 3 minutes or until the chard wilts and the liquid has been absorbed. Add the prosciutto and mix well, then remove from heat.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the quinoa with the chard and prosciutto mixture. Add the garlic, cayenne, Gruyere, scallions, basil, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, black pepper, and eggs. Mix well, then set aside.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 5: Place the turkey breast smooth-side down on a large cutting board. Butterfly the breast, then cover with plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness, maintaining a rectangular shape.
Step 6: Spread the filling onto the turkey breast, stopping ½ an inch from the edges.
Step 7: From one of the long sides, roll up the breast, packing it as tightly as you can as you go.
Step 8: Once rolled, use kitchen twine to tie the roulade crosswise every 2 inches. Next, fold in the ends and tie it once lengthwise.
Step 9: Place the meat on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Rub with the remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil, then season with fresh ground pepper.
Step 10: Pour the remaining 1½ cups of water and the white wine into the bottom of the pan.
Step 11: Place in the oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Step 12: Remove from the oven and let the roulade rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Get ready to enjoy a beautiful, delicious, and healthy main course!
Deciding how to roll
There are two ways you can roll up your roulade depending on how you want it to turn out.
The first option is the one outlined in this recipe. Pound your turkey breast flat, spread the filling onto the meat, and roll it up. This will create a swirl of turkey and filling.
The other option is to shape the stuffing into a log, set it in the middle of the turkey breast, then fold the sides over and tie with twine. This will give you filling wrapped in turkey rather than a swirl.
Either way works just fine, and both options are equally delicious! I recommend using whichever seems easiest to you.
Storage
This recipe is for 4 hearty servings of roulade. If you find you can’t finish it all, you’re in luck — this dish keeps beautifully!
Simply store the leftover roulade (sliced or still whole) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Other special-occasion recipes
Whether you’re hosting dinner guests or just want to celebrate with that special someone, it’s always fun to prepare a dish that’s beautiful and delicious! Here are a few of my favorite recipes for these occasions:
- Chicken Roulade with Goat Cheese and Dates
- Sesame Coconut-Crusted Halibut
- Tomato Peach Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Turkey Roulade with Quinoa, Swiss Chard, and Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Swiss chard (stems removed and leaves chopped)
- 1 teaspoon plus 1½ tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin — divided)
- 2 tablespoons plus 1½ cups water (divided)
- 3 ounces prosciutto (finely chopped)
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 ounces Gruyere cheese (cut into small cubes)
- 3 medium scallions (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- Grated zest of ½ a lemon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1½- 2 pounds boneless turkey breast (in one piece)
- 1½ cups white wine
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the Swiss chard and 2 tablespoons of water.
- Sauté for about 3 minutes or until the chard wilts and the liquid has been absorbed. Add the prosciutto and mix well, then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the quinoa with the chard and prosciutto mixture. Add the garlic, cayenne, Gruyere, scallions, basil, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, black pepper, and eggs. Mix well, then set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the turkey breast smooth-side down on a large cutting board. Butterfly the breast, then cover with plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness, maintaining a rectangular shape.
- Spread the filling onto the turkey breast, stopping ½ an inch from the edges.
- From one of the long sides, roll up the breast, packing it as tightly as you can as you go.
- Once rolled, use kitchen twine to tie the roulade crosswise every 2 inches. Next, fold in the ends and tie it once lengthwise.
- Place the meat on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Rub with the remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil, then season with fresh ground pepper.
- Pour the remaining 1½ cups of water and the white wine into the bottom of the pan.
- Place in the oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove from the oven and let the roulade rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Amazing looking Roulade! Wusthofs are great! I have 3 of them and love them…use them everyday.
Sharp knives are always helpful in the kitchen and I would use the for prepping the food and for cutting it after its cooked.
I don’t have a good set of knives so these would be perfect for chopping all the veggies for our holiday dishes.
I need a new good sharp knife to help with holiday cooking! Love the chop some veggies for my famous gumbo, but I really want to make that roulade! It is beautiful and I bet delicious!
Who can’t use new knives. Would love to win.
Our knives weren’t great to begin with, and they’re incredibly dull now, so new, sharp knives would save a lot of hassle 🙂
I personally know the struggle of dull knives in the kitchen; as shift chef at the fire station I struggle with 30 year old knives that won’t hold an edge. A new set of knives would definetely help with prep time during the holiday season when we see an increase in calls throughout the city.
With all the prep work for a special meal, these knives give the perfect knife depending on the task
Such a pretty roulade!
This looks amazing….and what a great in action knife shot!
Food Hunter – I must give credit to my husband for the shot. I was holding the knife, he snapped the photo.
This looks wonderful! If I won the knives I would actually have something sharp enough to carve the turkey!
Dhanyo – I thought you’d like a recipe using Swiss chard!
This is such a good idea! I would love to make this on Thursday. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mary Frances – Let me know if you make it. You can substitute whatever greens and grains you like.