Roasted Turkey Legs (Easy, Juicy, Crispy!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

When you don’t want to cook a whole Thanksgiving turkey, this roasted turkey legs recipe is the perfect answer — and it’s packed with flavor. If you have multiple family members who love dark meat, you don’t have to fight over it anymore! Learning how to cook turkey legs is incredibly easy, as baked turkey drumsticks are very similar to baked chicken legs. It’s an easy main for smaller Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings.

Why You’ll Love This Roasted Turkey Legs Recipe

• Flavorful, juicy meat with crispy skin
• Simple herbs and spices
• Less fuss compared to a whole turkey
• No roasting pan needed
• Easy option for dark meat lovers

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this turkey leg recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Turkey Legs – Choose bone-in, skin-on turkey drumsticks that weigh about 12 ounces each. Other sizes will work for roasted turkey legs, but you’ll need to adjust the baking time. If you have turkey leg quarters instead (which include both the turkey thighs and drumsticks attached to each other), you can cook those in a similar way, but they will take longer to cook through. For more dark meat options, try my turkey wings recipe.
• Olive Oil – Oil helps to crisp up the skin. I used olive oil, but you can also use any neutral oil, such as avocado oil. Melted butter can work as well, but is more prone to burning, so you may need to tent the top with foil sooner during baking.
• Seasonings – Paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.

How To Cook Turkey Legs

This section shows how to cook turkey legs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Prep. Pat turkey drumsticks dry with paper towels. Place them on an oven-safe rack fitted over a baking sheet. Brush the turkey with oil on all sides.
2. Season. Sprinkle smoked paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper onto the turkey legs.

3. Roast. Cook turkey legs in the oven, until crispy and juicy.
4. Rest. Take roasted turkey legs out of the oven and allow to rest about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm this dish gently in the microwave at 50% power so they don’t dry out, or in a 350 degree oven until heated through. Leftovers also taste great cold!
• Freeze: Allow the roasted turkey legs to cool to room temperature, then place onto a baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour, until solid. Transfer to a zip lock bag and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Roasted Turkey Legs

Just like a roasted turkey breast, so many traditional and delicious sides can pair with baked turkey legs!

• Holiday sauces – Gluten-free gravy and sugar-free cranberry sauce would pair perfectly with this turkey.
• Roasted vegetables – Try this roasted turkey leg recipe with roasted sweet potatoes, roasted green beans, or smashed brussels sprouts. For a classic fall side make buttercup squash or kabocha squash.
• Seasonal salads – Baked turkey legs taste great with a butternut squash salad, kale crunch salad, or French carrot salad.

More Holiday Turkey Recipes

Like more white meat with your whole turkey legs? Try more festive ways to cook turkey here: