I’ll be honest, when I first thought about making a honey glazed roast with pineapple, I wasn’t sure it would work for a kosher kitchen. Traditional recipes call for ham, which obviously isn’t an option for us. But after some experimenting, I’ve found that a good turkey breast roast creates an equally impressive centerpiece that actually holds the flavors better than the original.
Why Turkey Works Better Than You'd Expect
The key to this dish is the balance between the honey’s sweetness and the pineapple’s natural acidity. I use fresh pineapple rings because they caramelize beautifully during roasting, creating these gorgeous golden edges that look restaurant-worthy. The honey glaze gets brushed on in layers throughout cooking, building up that glossy, sticky coating we all love. Don’t skip the mustard in the glaze either. It adds just enough tang to keep everything from being too sweet.
Getting That Perfect Honey Glaze
What makes this version special is how the turkey stays incredibly moist under that glaze. I start with a bone-in turkey breast, which gives you more flavor than the boneless kind. The pineapple juice in the glaze actually helps tenderize the meat as it cooks. I’ve served this for Rosh Hashanah dinners and spring holidays, and it never fails to get compliments. The presentation is stunning, especially when you arrange those caramelized pineapple rings around the platter.
Serve this with roasted sweet potatoes and some sautéed green beans for a complete meal. The leftovers make incredible sandwiches too, though there usually aren’t many left.

Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat turkey breast completely dry with paper towels.
- Mix salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub olive oil all over turkey, then season with the spice mixture.
- Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while preparing glaze.
- Whisk together honey, pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Brush turkey with about 1/3 of the glaze. Roast for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and brush with another 1/3 of the glaze. Arrange pineapple rings around the turkey and sprinkle them with brown sugar.
- Continue roasting for 30-45 minutes more, brushing with remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the caramelized pineapple rings and pan juices.
