Grilled Walnut-Stuffed Turkey Rolls

These rolls are what to grill when you want something lean but not boring. Thin-pounded turkey breast slices wrap around an earthy stuffing of spinach, toasted walnuts, bread crumbs, and fresh thyme, then take a quick turn over hot coals until the outside crisps and the inside stays juicy. A cool yogurt sauce streaked with chives and lemon spoons over the top to balance the richness.

The stuffing has Mediterranean bones (think Greek spanakopita with walnuts standing in for feta) and the rolls grill in about 15 minutes once shaped. They eat well hot off the grate, but the recipe isn’t lying when it says they’re also great cold. Slice into pinwheels, fan them out on a platter, and they hold their composure for a picnic or buffet.

The trick is squeezing the spinach truly dry. Wet spinach leaks during grilling, the rolls fall apart, and the bread crumbs turn to paste.

Pro Tips

• Pound the turkey slices to an even ¼ inch thickness so they roll tightly and cook evenly.
• Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 minutes before chopping. Raw walnuts taste flat by comparison.
• Secure each roll with a soaked toothpick or a loop of kitchen twine before grilling. Loose rolls unfurl on the grate.
• Keep coals at medium-high. Too hot scorches the outside before the turkey cooks through.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of crumbled feta or grated Parmesan to the stuffing for a saltier, richer bite.
• Swap walnuts for toasted pine nuts and add a handful of golden raisins for a Sicilian twist.
• Use chicken cutlets instead of turkey if that’s what’s on hand.