Gordon Ramsay’s turkey wellington recipe wraps a slow-roasted turkey breast in herbed stuffing, savoury crepes, and puff pastry, then bakes at 190°C (375°F) for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown. This is not a quick dinner: the turkey breast roasts first at 120°C (250°F) for 2 hours, cools, gets wrapped in layers, and freezes twice before it goes back in the oven.
Gordon treats this as his christmas turkey wellington, and I understand why. It takes most of a day but every slice has pastry, stuffing, and perfectly cooked meat in one bite, and if you want the easy version skip ahead to the individual turkey wellingtons in the FAQs.
Try More Wellington Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Beef Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Salmon Wellington
- Beef Wellington: The Complete Guide
What Is Turkey Wellington?
A turkey wellington is a boneless turkey breast wrapped in layers of stuffing, crepes, and puff pastry, also called turkey en croute. It is the same concept as a beef wellington but with turkey instead of fillet, and Gordon adds a traditional stuffing layer that you do not get in the beef version.
The turkey breast gets roasted low and slow first so it is already cooked before wrapping. This means the oven time in pastry is only about getting the pastry golden, not cooking the meat through.
Turkey Wellington Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 1.3 to 1.8kg (3 to 4 lbs) boneless turkey breast (tenderloin), skin removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the stuffing:
- 250g (9 oz) sausage meat
- 50g (2 oz) dried cranberries
- 50g (2 oz) cooked chestnuts, chopped
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the crepes:
- 2 large eggs
- 60g (½ cup) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 140ml (⅔ cup) whole milk
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For assembly:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- Flaky sea salt
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Turkey Wellington
- Season the turkey: Season the breast generously with kosher salt, place on a rack, cover with cling film (plastic wrap), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Slow roast: Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Roll the turkey into a tight cylinder, wrap in foil, and roast for about 2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F). Cool for 30 minutes in the foil.
- Make the stuffing: Mix the sausage meat, cranberries, chestnuts, shallot, sage, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Make the crepes: Blend the eggs, flour, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cook 4 thin crepes in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat, keeping them pale and soft, not browned.
- Assemble: Stack the 4 crepes overlapping to form a large square. Spread the stuffing in a thin layer over the crepes, leaving a border at the top. Place the cooled turkey at the bottom and roll tightly using cling film. Twist the ends and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Wrap in pastry: Roll puff pastry out, place the turkey log in the centre, brush edges with egg wash, and fold to enclose completely. Place seam-side down, score the top, and freeze for another 15 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with a baking tray inside. Brush the wellington with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt. Place on the hot tray and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden brown, rotating halfway.
- Rest and serve: Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife. Serve with cranberry sauce and gravy.
What Is The Internal Temperature For Turkey Wellington?
The turkey should reach 71°C (160°F) during the initial slow roast, and the final wellington should read 74°C (165°F) in the centre after baking. Always use a meat thermometer because you cannot tell by looking at pastry whether the inside is hot enough.
The two-stage cooking is why this recipe works so well. The turkey is fully cooked before wrapping, so the oven time is only about the pastry, which means no risk of raw meat inside.
What To Serve With Turkey Wellington
Cranberry sauce is essential because the tartness cuts through the rich pastry and stuffing. For potatoes, the creamy mashed potatoes or fondant potatoes work best, with roasted brussels sprouts or glazed carrots on the side.
A simple turkey gravy made from the roasting juices ties the whole plate together. I serve this the same way I would a traditional christmas dinner, just with the wellington as the centrepiece instead of a whole roast bird.
Can You Prepare Turkey Wellington In Advance?
Yes, and you should: roast the turkey, make the stuffing and crepes a full day ahead, then assemble and wrap in pastry on the morning of serving. The assembled wellington keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
You can also freeze the fully assembled wellington for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen at 190°C (375°F) and add 15 minutes to the cooking time.
FAQs
- Can I make individual turkey wellingtons? Yes. Cut the cooked turkey into portions, wrap each one separately in stuffing, crepe, and pastry, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes instead. These are easier to serve and cook faster.
- Can I use ground turkey instead? A ground turkey wellington works as a simpler version. Season the mince with the same stuffing spices, shape into a log, and wrap directly in pastry without the slow roast step.
- Can I use leftover turkey? Yes. Leftover roast turkey skips the slow roast step entirely. Slice it thickly, layer with stuffing, and wrap in pastry. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Can I buy turkey wellington ready made? Yes. Some UK supermarkets sell pre-made turkey wellingtons around christmas, and brands like Harry and David sell them online in the US. Homemade tastes better but shop-bought saves several hours of work.
- Is this the same as turkey en croute? Yes. Turkey en croute means turkey in a pastry crust, which is exactly what a turkey wellington is. The names are interchangeable.
More Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Chicken Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Vegetarian Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Wellington Bites Recipe
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Total Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Protein: 42g
- Total Carbohydrate: 36g
Gordon Ramsay Turkey Wellington Recipe
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minutesGordon Ramsay’s turkey wellington recipe wraps a slow-roasted turkey breast in herbed stuffing, savoury crepes, and puff pastry, then bakes at 190°C (375°F) for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown. This is not a quick dinner: the turkey breast roasts first at 120°C (250°F) for 2 hours, cools, gets wrapped in layers, and freezes twice before it goes back in the oven.
Gordon treats this as his christmas turkey wellington, and I understand why. It takes most of a day but the result is better than any roast turkey I have ever made, because every slice has pastry, stuffing, and perfectly cooked meat in one bite.
Ingredients
1.3 to 1.8kg (3 to 4 lbs) boneless turkey breast, skin removed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
250g (9 oz) sausage meat
50g (2 oz) dried cranberries
50g (2 oz) cooked chestnuts, chopped
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
2 large eggs (for crepes)
60g (½ cup) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
140ml (⅔ cup) whole milk
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Flaky sea salt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Season the turkey: Season the breast generously with kosher salt, place on a rack, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Slow roast: Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Roll the turkey into a tight cylinder, wrap in foil, and roast for about 2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F). Cool for 30 minutes in the foil.
- Make the stuffing: Mix the sausage meat, cranberries, chestnuts, shallot, sage, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Make the crepes: Blend the eggs, flour, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cook 4 thin crepes in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat, keeping them pale and soft.
- Assemble: Stack the 4 crepes overlapping to form a large square. Spread the stuffing in a thin layer, place the cooled turkey at the bottom, and roll tightly using cling film. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Wrap in pastry: Roll puff pastry out, place the turkey log in the centre, brush edges with egg wash, and fold to enclose completely. Place seam-side down, score the top, and freeze for another 15 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with a tray inside. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with flaky salt, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden brown, rotating halfway.
- Rest and serve: Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with cranberry sauce and gravy.
