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It is so easy to cook a turkey breast in your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Pressure cooking turns out delicious recipes in a fraction of the time.
I love this Instant Pot turkey breast for a holiday meal, or to make my own cold cuts for sandwiches. Making your own lunch meat is much healthier, and cheaper than the sodium packed store bought kind.
Where’s the recipe?
I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I receive a lot of questions about recipes.
To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts.
If you’d like to skip over the information about freezing, swapping ingredients, and diet information, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy printable Turkey Breast recipe!
You’ll want to save this recipe for Turkey Cranberry Wraps to use with this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe–they’re so easy, and low carb too!
Why should I make my own cold cuts?
Deli meat is highly processed, loaded with sodium, and full nitrites and nitrates. It’s true there are a few natural and low sodium varieties, but they are still heavily processed, and pricey.
By making your own cold cuts you get to control exactly what is in it. I personally think they taste better, and I love knowing exactly what is going into my body.
Ingredients need for this Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Spices: You will be making your own spice rub consisting of garlic powder, onion powder salt, pepper, parsley, sage, and paprika. I like to keep all of these on hand at all times because they have so many uses. If you’d prefer to simplify this recipe a bit, a salt and pepper rub would work too.
- Turkey Breast: Full of B vitamins and minerals. Did you know that free range turkeys actually contain more nutrients?
Turkey is loaded with tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps your body produce serotonin. Contrary to popular belief turkey doesn’t contain enough tryptophan to make you sleepy.
The Thanksgiving day, “food coma” is likely contributed to the heaviness of the entire meal, and your body working overtime to digest it.
How to make Instant Pot Turkey Breast
You can use these directions with an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or any other electric pressure cooker. It takes about 40 minutes.
It is so easy to make a healthy Instant Pot turkey breast for sandwiches! You can make your own cold cuts that are much healthier and lower in sodium. You can use a bone-in or boneless turkey breast. Serve with mashed potatoes and turkey gravy for a delicious holiday meal.
- Prepare your Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your pot and place the trivet at the bottom of the pot. You’ll use this to keep the turkey from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to lift the hot turkey breast out of the pot.
- Season your turkey: Mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, parsley, sage, and paprika together in a small bowl. Coat all sides of your turkey breast with seasoning. Place your turkey on the trivet breast side up.
- Pressure Cook: Close and lock the lid, then turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high pressure), and then set your cook time for 35 minutes. Cook time will vary a bit depending on the size of your turkey and your elevation, but average cook time is 7 minutes per pound. (For a 5 lb turkey breast, you’ll want 35 minutes of cook time)
- Natural Release: Once the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally from your pressure cooker. This means don’t touch the sealing valve and allow the entire pot to sit and naturally allow the pressure to release. You’ll know it’s done when the pressure valve drops.
- Check the temperature: When the valve drops, remove the lid and use an instant read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reads 165º.
- Remove the turkey from the pot and transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10-15 minutes. Keep the drippings that are in your pot if you’d like to make gravy.
- Carve your turkey using a sharp knife and slicing against the grain. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Recipe Tips:
- The cooking time is the same for bone-in turkey breast and boneless turkey breast. 7 minutes per pound with a natural pressure release.
- If you would like to brown your turkey after cook time is complete, transfer it to a cookie sheet or baking dish. Lightly cover with a tbsp of olive oil and place under your oven’s broiler for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
- If I’m cooking a smaller turkey, I like to add whole potatoes (full size, not mini) right to the pot on top of my turkey. Once cooking time is complete, transfer potatoes to a bowl and make mashed potatoes by adding milk and butter to taste then using a hand mixer to combine. Note: This works best with a small turkey at a lower cooking time.
Crock Pot Instructions:
- Mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, parsley, sage and paprika together in a small bowl. Coat all sides of your turkey breast with seasoning.
- Place your turkey in the slow cooker with 1 cup of water or chicken broth.
- Cook on low for 6-8 or on high 4-5 hours until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Let turkey rest for up to 30 minutes. Keep the drippings in your pot if you’d like to make gravy.
- Using a sharp knife slice your turkey against the grain to desired thickness.
To make turkey gravy:
- To make a delicious turkey gravy in about 15 minutes, scoop 1/2 cup of drippings from the Instant Pot or Crock Pot and whisk in 1 tbsp of corn starch (this makes a slurry to thicken your gravy).
- Using the sauté feature on your Instant Pot or a medium sized saucepan on the stove, bring the remaining drippings to a boil.
- Whisk in your slurry and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the gravy reaches your desired thickness. Remove your gravy from the heat, and it will continue to thicken a bit as it cools.
Healthy Eating Plans
Whether you’re watching what you’re eating for weight loss, nutrition, or any other reasons, this recipe is just one of the healthy recipes you’ll find here on My Crazy Good Life.
Weight Watchers: One 4 oz serving is 0 Points on the 2023 Plan | 0 Blue Plan Points, 0 Purple Plan Points, and 2 Green Plan Points.
21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: Use your Red Container to measure and count your turkey.
2B Mindset: Lunch: Add 50% veggies, and 25% FFC. Dinner: Add 75% veggies.
More healthy Instant Pot Recipes
- Homemade Rotisserie Chicken
- My Healthy Thanksgiving Menu
- Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese
- Healthy Mississippi Pot Roast
- Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
More helpful posts:
- How to substitute ingredients in a recipe
- How to air fry vegetables
- Instant Pot Cook Times–free printables for cooking meats and vegetables in the Instant Pot.
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Instant Pot White Rice
Perfect Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Equipment
- Kitchen Knife
- Instant Pot Trivet
- Instant Pot 6 qt
Ingredients
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp parsley
- ¼ tsp sage
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 5 lb turkey breast
Instructions
- Add a cup of water to the bottom of your Instant Pot insert and place trivet at the bottom.
- Mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, parsley, sage, and paprika together in a small bowl. 1/2 tsp garlic powder , 1/2 tsp onion powder , 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp parsley , 1/4 tsp sage, 1/4 tsp paprika
- Cover your turkey breast with seasoning then place on the trivet breast side up. 5 lb turkey breast
- Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook and set cook time for 35 minutes.
- Once cook time is complete let the pressure release naturally.
- When the pressure valve drops remove the lid and transfer your turkey to a plate to rest for 10-15 minuutes.
- Carve your turkey and serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Video
Notes
- The cooking time is the same for bone-in turkey breast and boneless turkey breast. 7 minutes per pound with a natural pressure release.
- If you would like to brown your turkey after cook time is complete, transfer it to a cookie sheet or baking dish. Lightly cover with a tbsp of olive oil and place under your oven’s broiler for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
- If I’m cooking a smaller turkey, I like to add whole potatoes (full size, not mini) right to the pot on top of my turkey. Once cooking time is complete, transfer potatoes to a bowl and make mashed potatoes by adding milk and butter to taste then using a hand mixer to combine. Note: This works best with a small turkey at a lower cooking time.
Nutrition
Make This Recipe?
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Wow! This is perfect for the holidays since we won’t have a large family gathering this year.
I always have trouble with dry turkey- how had I never thought to do this before? It was delicious and I will totally make it again!
Do you put the potatoes under the turkey or on top?
I put them on top. You could also add them to a steamer basket on top of the turkey. The potatoes get really soft, so they’ll definitely be mashed :)
I assume they should be cut up as well unless you use the fingerling?
I’d use full size and not cut them up – the turkey cooks for so long that you’ll want the potatoes to be whole :)
Hi Beca,
I’m so happy to find an expert with truly healthy, tasty recipes without using “trade-out” ingredients. The cold-cuts made at home are one of the best things people can do for themselves and their families. Recipes that require costly chemical substitution are not as healthy as simple foods made with fresh ingredients where we control those ingredients. Your recipes follow that concept. That is why I follow your blog. Thank you. I love your updated recipes for cooking with the Instant pot. The ielectric pressure cooking gives us healthy, delicious, fast food.
Janet, you’ve made my day with your kind comment. I appreciate you <3
I have two smaller turkey breasts (3 lbs each). Can I stack them inside the pot? And would the cook time be the same? 21 minutes (based on the size of an individual breast?
Hey Jenn! I wouldn’t stack meat inside the pot–I’ve seen it not cook all the way through when this is done. If you can get them side by side, I’d calculate the cook time just as you did here, worst case you can close the lid again and set the timer for a few more minutes!
What if my pressure cooker doesn’t have a trivet? Could I just place it in the pot ?
You could! It might be a little wet on the bottom when you pull it out. I’d be a little concerned about it burning (since it’s sitting on the heating element) but I honestly think it should be fine :)
How big was turkey breast you used for this recipe? I have a 6 pound breast and I’m thinking 52 minutes(42 min cook time, 10 min natural release)
Mine was just over 4 pounds. I’d do 42 for yours, with the 10 minute release!
If I’m ever unsure, I undercook, as I can always add the lid back and allow it to cook longer :)
Can I make this with a frozen turkey? If so, what changes should I make?
You can! No changes necessary, the pot will just take longer to come to pressure :)
Why did I have trouble getting the seasoning to stay on my turkey breast???
I’m not sure :) Sometimes it helps to dry it a bit.
Thank you for this recipe. How much water would I need for an 8 qt Instant Pot?
I typically use 1.5 cups, but it’s always good to check your owners manual.
When I make meat in the IP, it’s always fork tender and really falls apart. Will the turkey breast stay fairly together after cooked? I do t want to serve my guests pulled turkey 🤪. But I am excited to try this. What a time (and oven space) saver!