Instant Pot Turkey Breast and Gravy

Making turkey breast and gravy in the Instant Pot is a lot faster than roasting a whole bird in the oven, dirties fewer dishes, and works great for a small gathering!

By
Coco Morante
Coco Morante
Coco Morante
Coco began developing recipes for Simply Recipes in 2016 and is the author of five cookbooks. She is an industry expert on Instant Pot cooking.
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Updated February 14, 2022
Coco Morante
Quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts set in front of an instant pot on an herb covered platter.
Coco Morante

I have cooked a lot of poultry in the Instant Pot like turkey legs and thighs, but these bone-in turkey breast with crispy skin and a beautiful presentation might be my favorite. When you’re cooking in the Instant Pot, you can walk away and tend to other things, whereas an oven-roasted bird needs more time and attention.

Sautéed onions and garlic become the base for your gravy, and the turkey breast cooks right on top. The mixture of fresh chopped sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme fills your kitchen with the smell of the holidays. Brown the skin by placing it under an oven broiler or with the air fryer lid.

Some Instant Pots come with a separate air fryer lid, and there are also air fryer lids you can buy to pair with older models.

The Best Turkey Breast

This recipe uses a whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast. Find one that’s on the smaller side—4 1/2 pounds or less before trimming excess neck bone, rib bones that go beyond the breasts, or extra skin will work best in a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you have an 8-quart pot, up to 6 1/2 pounds before trimming is fine.

You can also go smaller and use a split turkey breast if you’d like. Just reduce the cook time. Look to the recipe notes below for details.

Quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts set on an herb covered platter.
Coco Morante

Flavoring the Turkey

I choose not to brine my turkey breast before cooking, as it stays moist in the pressure cooker. I simply season the outside of the breast with a flavorful paste of butter, paprika, salt, black pepper, and fresh chopped herbs.

If you prefer the flavor and texture of brined meat, feel free to use your favorite brining method or one of ours.

Instant Pots Make Great Gravy!

My favorite part of cooking turkey in an Instant Pot is that you end up with a very fast and tasty gravy. Sauté onions and garlic until they’re browned and add chicken or turkey stock. The turkey cooks right on top.

It’s a cooking liquid that does double duty—it provides enough moisture to flavor the turkey and helps create pressure in the Instant Pot, and then it can be blended and thickened into a gravy.

The recipe yields about 3 cups of gravy, plenty for everyone to ladle on their turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, or whatever else you’re serving.

Simple instant pot turkey with gravy sliced and served on a plate with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Coco Morante

Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps

This recipe provides a basic template for flavoring your turkey breast and gravy, but the possibilities for variations are many, including dairy-free and gluten-free options:

  • You can use shallots in place of onions in the gravy, or even sub in carrots or other root vegetables if alliums aren’t your thing.
  • For the turkey seasoning, you can use a mixture of dried herbs, or even a poultry seasoning blend. Just reduce the amount from 4 teaspoons of fresh herbs to 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried herbs since the flavors are more concentrated. Here are more tips on How to Swap Dried Herbs for Fresh. 
  • For a dairy-free variation, use vegan butter or olive oil in place of the butter.
  • To make the recipe gluten-free, replace the flour with a mixture of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your turkey with traditional holiday sides, such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, dinner rolls, macaroni and cheese, roasted vegetables, the obligatory cranberry sauce, or whatever dishes you and your dining companions enjoy.

Simple instant pot turkey with gravy sliced and served on a plate with mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potatoes.
Coco Morante

Storage and Reheating

If you have leftover turkey and gravy, they will both keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for three to four days. I like to reheat the leftovers in the microwave, pouring a little gravy over the turkey before reheating so that it doesn’t dry out.

Love Instant Pot Recipes? Try These!

Instant Pot Turkey Breast and Gravy

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 75 mins
Total Time 85 mins
Servings 4 to 6

This recipe works best with a turkey breast that’s 4 1/2 pounds or smaller. Anything bigger will be too large to fit in a 6-quart Instant Pot. You can also use a split turkey breast, up to 3 1/2 pounds. Just lower the cooking time to 25 minutes. If you have an 8-quart Instant Pot, you can use turkey breasts that are up to 6 pounds.


If you do not have an air fryer lid for your Instant Pot or an oven large enough to fit the Instant Pot insert under its broiler, you can brown the turkey by searing it in the Instant Pot with a little oil for 5 minutes. The skin won’t be as crispy, but it will still get some browning and taste very good.

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 4 teaspoons combination chopped fresh sage, rosemary, oregano, or thyme, divided

  • 1 skin-on, bone-in whole or split turkey breast (4 1/2 pounds or smaller), thawed

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Method

  1. Make the turkey seasoning:

    In a small bowl, stir the butter, salt, black pepper, paprika, and 3 teaspoons of chopped herbs.

    Turkey seasoning mixed in a ramekin to make Instant pot turkey and gravy.
    Coco Morante
  2. Trim and season the turkey:

    If needed, place the turkey breast on a cutting board and using a sharp knife trim the turkey breast of any excess neck bone, rib bones that go beyond the breasts, or extra skin. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Use your fingers to rub the butter mixture all over the turkey breast.

    A raw turkey breast on a baking sheet to make Instant pot turkey and gravy.
    Coco Morante
    Turkey breast coated in seasoning and set on a baking sheet.
    Coco Morante
  3. Cook the onions and garlic:

    Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and add the olive oil. When the olive oil is hot (after about 2 minutes), add the onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are softened and browned, about 8 minutes.

    An instant pot on a counter.
    Coco Morante
    Sliced onions in an instant pot to make quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts
    Coco Morante
    Sauteed onions in an instant pot to make quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts.
    Coco Morante
  4. Add the broth:

    Stir in the chicken broth and the remaining 1 teaspoon of the chopped herbs. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

    Sauteed onions in an instant pot to make quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts.
    Coco Morante
    Chicken broth and sauteed onions in an instant pot to make instant pot turkey breasts.
    Coco Morante
  5. Transfer turkey breasts into Instant Pot:

    Place a steam wire rack in the Instant Pot on top of the onions and garlic. Make sure the two handles are facing upwards. This will help you pull it out after the turkey cooks.

    Place the turkey breast on the steam wire rack.

    A turkey breast in an Instant Pot on a wire rack.
    Coco Morante
  6. Cook the turkey breast:

    Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the vent on the lid is turned to sealing, not venting. Select the Pressure Cook or Manual setting and set the cooking time to 35 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking program begins.

  7. Release the pressure:

    When the cooking program ends, carefully (the steam will be very hot, so use heat-resistant oven mitts or use a kitchen towel) release the pressure in the pot by moving the vent on the lid from sealing to venting.

    When the pressure has fully released (you will stop hearing a hissing sound, and the float valve will sink down), open the Instant Pot. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program.

    Simple instant pot turkey with gravy in an instant pot set on a counter.
    Coco Morante
  8. Check for doneness:

    Use a meat thermometer to take the temperature of the turkey breast at its thickest part. It should be at least 165ºF. If the temperature is below 165ºF, secure the lid back on and cook the turkey on the Manual setting at high pressure for another 5 minutes.

    Using a thermapen to check the internal temperature of a simple instant pot turkey with gravy.
    Coco Morante
  9. Crisp the skin:

    Using and Air Fryer lid: If you have an air fryer lid for your Instant Pot, place it on top. On the Broil setting, set it to 400ºF and 10 minutes. When the broiling program ends, press the Cancel button to reset it.

    Using the oven: If you don’t have an air fryer lid, set the oven to broil on high. The oven rack should be set so that the turkey breast is 6 to 8 inches from the heating element, but it should also be low enough to fit the pot insert.

    Transfer the Instant Pot’s stainless steel inner pot with the turkey breast into the oven. Broil for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is browned, checking often to make sure that it has not burned.

    An Instant Pot on a counter cooking a simple instant pot turkey with gravy
    Coco Morante
    Simple instant pot turkey with gravy in a pressure cooker.
    Coco Morante
  10. Remove the turkey from the Instant Pot:

    Whether you transferred the stainless steel inner pot to the oven or used the air fryer lid on the Instant Pot to crisp the skin, it’s time to remove the turkey and the wire steaming rack from the pot.

    Wearing heat-resistant oven mitts, grasp the handles of the wire rack and lift the turkey out of the pot. Transfer it to a serving platter or carving board to rest while you finish making the gravy.

    If you broiled the turkey in the oven, return the stainless steel inner pot into the Instant Pot.

    Quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts set on a steam rack on a cutting board in front of an instant pot.
    Coco Morante
  11. Make the gravy:

    Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cooking liquid. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the mixture into a blender to blend until smooth, then transfer it back into the pot.

    Select the sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Let the gravy simmer for a minute or two until thickened. Turn off the pot.

    Adding flour to liquid in an instant pot to make gravy.
    Coco Morante
    Using an immersion blender to make gravy in an instant pot.
    Coco Morante
    Gravy in an Instant Pot.
    Coco Morante
    The lid off of an Instant Pot to make quick and easy instant pot turkey breasts.
    Coco Morante
    Gravy simmering in an Instant Pot.
    Coco Morante
  12. Carve and serve:

    Use a sharp knife to carve the turkey breast off the rib bones. Carve the meat into 1/2-inch slices and serve with the gravy ladled on top.

    Simple instant pot turkey with gravy sliced and served on a plate with mashed potatoes and green beans.
    Coco Morante
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
531 Calories
12g Fat
7g Carbs
94g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 531
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 249mg 83%
Sodium 641mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 94g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 905mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.