The best vegan turkey roast is finally here. This seitan tofu roast tastes just like turkey, with crispy skin and all! This vegan turkey makes the perfect centerpiece for a delicious holiday meal. It's surprisingly easy to make, and most of it can be made ahead of time, so it's a great stress-free option. Learn how to make this amazing roasted vegan turkey for Thanksgiving or the holidays with step-by-step photos and instructions. You and your family will be AMAZED at how delicious this is!
Ooooeeee! I'm so excited to finally share this recipe with you!! This recipe took me years of recipe testing until I got it juuuussst right. It's super meaty, tender, juicy, rich yet mild flavor, and with buttery garlic crispy skin!! talk about amazing. Not only does this taste amazing, but it is high in protein with about 39g per serving, so my fitness friends will be excited about that too.
This vegan turkey is delicious straight from the oven drizzled with vegan gravy (yum)! But the leftovers are also amazing for making epic sandwiches or using in soups, salads, or anywhere you enjoy a little extra deliciousness.
This roast makes enough for 4 - 6 people (depending on how many sides you are serving), but you can feel free to make extra roasts if you have a larger family so that there is plenty for everyone. The roast does need to be steamed so I recommend keeping the roast size as is so that it can fit into your steamer basket 🙂
What is a vegan turkey made of? What ingredients are needed?
- Firm tofu- Using firm tofu in the vegan turkey adds texture and moisture to the vegan turkey. Make sure you use firm tofu (and not medium or extra-firm tofu). Firm tofu will get you the best results. There is no need to press the tofu before using, just drain, break into chunks, and add it to the food processor.
- Vital Wheat Gluten:Â (also called gluten flour). This is wheat protein. You can buy it in health food stores or online on amazon. This high protein flour is what gives this roast its meaty texture and it is essential for this recipe. Unfortunately, there is no gluten-free option.
- Nutritional yeast: adds a rich nuttiness to the roast.
- White miso paste: adds umami to the roast. White miso paste is actually brown in color so don't be confused by that, but ensure you get the kind that is specifically called "white miso paste" or "white type" for the best color and taste.
- Vegetable broth powder: this is my hack for adding a ton of rich flavor instantly. You can buy any brand, I used this one, or you can buy vegetable broth cubes.
- Other spices and seasonings: for the turkey flavor I also add onion powder, garlic powder, salt, thyme, and sage in the roast, and vegan butter, garlic, soy sauce, thyme, and black pepper to season the skin.
- Rice Paper: The same kind of rice paper sheets you use to make summer rolls, this is how I make the crispy skin on the vegan turkey. It is optional but I highly recommend it. Slather the rice paper in the butter garlic mixture, and it will roast up and become golden brown, crispy, and super tasty!
Make ahead option/ Storing and Freezing:
Great news! This vegan turkey is perfect for making ahead of time, and actually tastes better that way! Prepare the recipe following the directions up to the steam step. Once the roast is steamed, remove and allow to cool. Allow the seitan to cool overnight in the fridge. You can store the seitan covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or it also freezes beautifully. When ready to finish the roast, If frozen allow to thaw completely before adding the rice paper skin and then roasting. It is best roasted fresh. If you just want to enjoy it as cold cuts, then you can roast it, allow it to cool, and slice it and enjoy!
How to make The Best Vegan Turkey Roast:
Food processor method: Add the tofu, vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, water, miso paste, onion powder, vegetable broth powder, garlic powder, salt, thyme, and sage to your food processor.
Using the S-blade, blend the mixture until it is mixed well and forms a ball in the food processor. This should happen pretty quickly, but if it doesn't just ensure the ingredients are mixed well, and then you can form the dough into a ball by hand. *Do not knead the dough, kneading it will just make it tough and rubbery.
By hand method: Alternatively, if you do not have a food processor you can mix it by hand. Use a blender or immersion blender to blend together everything but the vital wheat gluten together until smooth. Now in a large bowl, use a strong spatula or wooden spoon to mix in the vital wheat gluten, mixing well, until a ball forms (you may need to use your hands as well). *Do not knead the dough, kneading it will just make it tough and rubbery.
Now to shape your vegan turkey roast. Place your ball of seitan on a sheet of aluminum foil. You can pat the ball into the shape you desire. I like a slightly oval shape. It doesn't have to be perfect, it will look great even if it's a messy ball.
Wrap the foil around the ball securely but not too tightly. I like to do a double layer of foil to ensure it is wrapped well.
Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the foil-wrapped seitan to the steamer basket and steam for 1 hour. The seitan will puff up in the foil and become tight. Once steamed, remove and allow to cool. For the best texture let the seitan cool overnight in the fridge. You can store the seitan covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for later.
For the crispy skin and to finish the roast: Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Lightly grease a baking tray.
In a small bowl mix together the melted butter, garlic, soy sauce or salt, thyme, and black pepper.
Remove the foil from the cooled seitan and place it in the baking tray. Brush generously with the butter garlic mix.
Run the rice paper underwater and allow it to sit on a clean surface for about 30 seconds until it begins to soften. 
Place the rice paper over the roast, (it's ok if it's still a bit stiff). Brush the butter garlic mixture over the rice paper to stick it to the roast. The rice paper will continue to soften with the added moisture. Make sure it's covering the roast and stuck down. (It's ok if there are wrinkles and air bubbles, those will be extra crispy bits).
Doesn't this vegan turkey look so meaty!? Bake the roast for 15 minutes. Brush with the remaining butter garlic mixture, then return to the oven and continue to bake for another 15 - 25 minutes until the outside is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The skin will get crispier as it cools. Enjoy hot or leftovers are fabulous cold as well.
What to serve with vegan turkey roast:
This roast makes the perfect centerpiece at your holiday meal and pairs perfectly with all of the classic vegan side dishes including:
- Stove-Top Stuffing or Cornbread Dressing
- Mushroom Gravy or Onion Gravy
- Garlic Green Beans or Green Bean Casserole
- Creamed Corn
- Vegan Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cranberry Sauce
This vegan turkey is:
- meaty
- tender
- juicy
- rich yet mild flavor
- buttery garlic crispy skin
- eat to make
- make ahead
- high in protein
Want more delicious vegan holiday main dish ideas? Try these:
- Puff Pastry Wrapped Lentil Loaf
- Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash (gluten-free)
- Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Tofu (gluten-free)
- Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash (gluten-free)
- Easy Vegan Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie (gluten-free)
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
Best Vegan Turkey Roast (perfect for Thanksgiving)
My Notes:
Ingredients
For the vegan turkey:
- 1 396g (14oz) package firm tofu drained
- 1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons vegetable broth powder vegetable instant stock mix powder, or 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
For the crispy skin:
- ¼ cup vegan butter melted
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce or ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 sheet rice paper
Instructions
To make the seitan:
- Food processor method: Add the tofu, vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, water, miso paste, onion powder, vegetable broth powder, garlic powder, salt, thyme, and sage to your food processor. Using the S-blade, blend the mixture until it is mixed well and forms a ball in the food processor. This should happen pretty quickly, but if it doesn't just ensure the ingredients are mixed well, and then you can form the dough into a ball by hand. *Do not knead the dough, kneading it will just make it tough and rubbery.By hand method: If you do not have a food processor, use a blender or immersion blender to blend together everything but the vital wheat gluten together until smooth. Now in a large bowl, use a strong spatula or wooden spoon to mix in the vital wheat gluten, mixing well, until a ball forms (you may need to use your hands as well). *Do not knead the dough, kneading it will just make it tough and rubbery.
- Place your ball of seitan on a sheet of aluminum foil. You can pat the ball into the shape you desire. I like a slightly oval shape. It doesn't have to be perfect, it will look great even if it's a messy ball. Wrap the foil around the ball securely but not too tightly. I like to do a double layer of foil to ensure it is wrapped well.
- Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the foil-wrapped seitan to the steamer basket and steam for 1 hour. The seitan will puff up in the foil and become tight. Once steamed, remove and allow to cool. For the best texture let the seitan cool overnight in the fridge. You can store the seitan covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for later.
For the crispy skin and to finish the roast:
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Lightly grease a baking tray.
- In a small bowl mix together the melted butter, garlic, soy sauce or salt, thyme, and black pepper
- Remove the foil from the cooled seitan and place it in the baking tray. Brush generously with the butter garlic mix. Run the rice paper underwater and allow it to sit on a clean surface for about 30 seconds until it begins to soften. Place the rice paper over the roast, (it's ok if it's still a bit stiff). Brush the butter garlic mixture over the rice paper to stick it to the roast. The rice paper will continue to soften with the added moisture. Make sure it's covering the roast and stuck down. (It's ok if there are wrinkles and air bubbles, those will be extra crispy bits).
- Bake the roast for 15 minutes. Brush with the remaining butter garlic mixture, then return to the oven and continue to bake for another 15 - 25 minutes until the outside is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The skin will get crispier as it cools. Enjoy hot or leftovers are fabulous cold as well.
Bea says
Hi I did it and it tasted very good but it didn't puff. it stayed the same volume. I steamed it in my instant pot for 1h as the recipe says.
I have used tin foil pan and then wrapped it in foil again.
may be it was wrapped too tight or it was too much foil ?
should I have it steamed longer?
or is it not supposed to gain volume?
it was good but a bit tough as it didn't puff.
What do you think ?
Helen says
I made the turkey roast this wk and it was fantastic!
Thanks for a great recipe
I used dark miso because that what I had and added extra seasoning, put everything in my ninja to blend, then out onto a board to shape before steaming.
I’ve used it for dinner the next day then to slice for sandwiches for the rest of the week. The taste & texture was perfect.
I will be making this often.
Kylie says
Easy and effective recipe, though I hate to say we didn't rate the texture of the 'skin' at all (I followed the recipe to a tee and made two separate roasts). Yeah, it looked the part and smelled delicious, but the general consensus is it wasn't a pleasant crunch.
I will definitely make this again, though I'll just baste the roast itself next time, maybe adding in a dash of sweetness into the mix.
The leftovers are making great sandwiches, particularly shaved vs sliced.
Thank you for taking the time to write and share this.
Bev says
This. Is. The. Best. Vegan Turkey Roast
So I subbed low sodium tamari for the water for additional flavor. Plus about a tsp. of poultry seasoning. I also had to steam a little longer, because the top side just didn't seem firm enough. I had wrapped it in both parchment and foil. I think it would be hard to overcook seitan, so I wasn't too concerned. The rice paper skin is pure genius and next time I will wrap both sides. Perfect consistency! Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, YAY! Thank you Bev! So thrilled you loved it so much 🙂
Mandy says
As is usual with your recipes Sam, this was easy,pretty quick and the results amazing! We loved it. The rice paper trick really made it seem like a "real" turkey skin....except this one was crunchy, with garlicy buttery goodness! YUM! My bf has now challenged me for the next holiday to make drumsticks...and a wishbone too! Haha! I'll think about that! Gobble gobble! Cheaper than buying a rubbery Tofurky or super expensive Fieldroast. I'm pretty proud of "my" homemade crispy-skinned turkey! Thanks again!
Sam Turnbull says
So thrilled you enjoyed it so much Mandy!! Drumsticks, that's a fun idea 🙂
Lee says
I really wanted to like this recipe as it is easy to make and has plenty of delicious seasonings.
However, it was gummy in the middle and not cooked all the way, despite following the recipe exactly. I suspect this would work better as 2 small roasts instead of a single large roast.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Lee, did you steam the roast for 1 hour, allow to cool and then roast for at least 30 minutes? Steaming it for an hour cooks it through, and roasting it cooks it a second time so it should not be raw in the middle. I wonder if you doubled the recipe? If so, it would need much longer to steam. The roast is fairly small, feeding only 4 - 6 people.
Lee says
Hi,
Yes, I steamed the roast for an hour, cooled it over night, and then roasted it for 30 minutes. I did not double the recipe.
John says
It's rubbery and dry. Not something I would make again. We tried plain and with gravy, and both ways were not good. This was the first time I didn't like one of your recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi John, I wonder, did you knead the seitan? Kneading it will make it rubbery. Did you make any modifications to the recipe? Everyone else seemed to enjoy it, so I'm wondering what went wrong for you
Fiona Jane Fisher says
Sam,
This was amazing! I trust your recipes, so I made this for our Christmas meal without even test-driving it. As with all your recipes, it was easy and delicious! We tripled the recipe for 5 people (2 teens in the mix) so there would be leftovers for today. I'm sure it will all be gone by tonight.
Thanks!
Fiona
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, that's amazing! Thrilled you loved it so much, Fiona! And love that you can trust my recipes 🙂
Lindsay says
Made this for our Christmas dinner! It is so so delicious! Even my omni Mom happily ate 3 slices! I’m excited to use the leftovers this week! Thank you so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Lindsay!!
Elyse says
Looking forward to making this for Christmas dinner! Does medium tofu work, or does it have to be firm? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
I recommend firm for the best texture. 🙂
Tania Allan says
Hi Sam
I have Better then Bouillon paste I have both the vegetable and no chicken flavours. Can I use one of those instead of vegetable bouillon cubes? If so, which would you use and how much? Add a bit of water or straight paste into the mix?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Tania, for sure, I would use 1 teaspoon of the paste, no need to add water. Enjoy!
Genevieve says
Hi there,
I'm keen to make the vegan turkey recipe which calls for white miso. I have brown. Would that be an ok substitute?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Genevieve, yes, brown miso is just a little bit stronger in flavour and may add a bit more color to the vegan turkey roast, so maybe just use a tad less. Enjoy!
Rachel Pollard says
Hi Sam!
Thanks for the recipe- I know without even making it that it will be a success as not one of your recipes have let me down so far (I have been using your page for years :D).
Do you think this could be added into a wellington style roast or would you say that is too much and I am being a greedy guts?!
Thanks!
Rachel
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Rachel, so happy to hear that! Haha, I think it should work fine, although I haven't tested it myself. Hope that helps! 🙂
Deanne says
Could you use an instapot to steam this? Would the times be the same? New to instapot and homemade seitan! Thanks for this recipe!!
Gill says
I was also wondering this! I threw away my old stove top steamer when I bought my ninja multi cooker!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Deanne, I haven't tested this yet, but I've heard that you can use an instant pot to steam seitan for the same amount of time or just a bit less. Enjoy!
Gwen says
This may be a bit of a silly question. The only steamer basket I have is the one with a protruding metal pole in the center with a ring attached (this how we lift it out of the pot when we steam vegetables). Is this the steamer mentioned in the recipe or is there a different one that is typically used? I just worry how that pole in the middle of the basket would affect placing the wrapped foil ball in the steamer. Thank you for your advice!
Beata says
Yes, you'd want your turkey roast to be placed so that the protruding piece of metal in the center does not get in the way of your turkey roast. Place the roast on one side of your steamer if you can! Maybe it would take making two skinnier roasts so that you can place two skinny logs of turkey on both sides of that protruding piece on your steamer?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Gwen, I have a steam basket similar to this one. So there is no pole in the way. If you're using one with a pole in the middle, you may have to shape your seitan differently so it fits around the pole. Hope that helps!
Celia says
Can I make the dough in a Kitchen Aid Mixer with the dough hook instead of a food Processor?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Celia! If you do this, I would recommend combining all of the ingredients except for the vital wheat gluten. Mix them to ensure the tofu is pureed and mixed with everything else, then add the vital wheat gluten to form the dough. If you added everything at once, I'm not sure if the tofu would get mixed in properly. Hope that helps!
Alice says
Hi! It's necessary to knead the dough by hand method? If so, for how many minutes?
Beata says
From my experience, if you do not have a super duper strong food processor, you may as well mix the dough by hand, because the "regular" food processors are simply not strong enough to handle the seitan dough. I broke TWO food processors trying to mix the seitan dough! Just don't do it unless you have a blendtec/vitamix/heavy duty cuisinart, etc. food processor, and not a blender.
When mixing dough by hand, just mix enough until everything is incorporated into a dough ball. Do not knead for a long time. There is not a specific number of minutes; just mix until everything is incorporated. To be clear, you can use a blender or food professor to mix everything else, just mix the vital wheat gluten in by hand until a dough ball forms.
Alice says
Thanks a bunch for the answer. I'll try it today 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Alice, no there is no need to knead the dough. You just want everything to be mixed and to form a ball. Usually when you knead seitan it just becomes tougher and tougher so I try to avoid any extra kneading. Hope that helps! 🙂
Nathan says
Can I use light yellow miso paste in place of white for this recipe? It's the only one I have around me. Thanks!
Beata says
You most likely can - I have been using red miso paste in my recipes recently because that's what I have, and I simply use a little bit less since red miso is stronger in flavor. Not sure about yellow but I know that white miso has a mild flavor. The internet says that yellow miso is more fermented than white miso, but yellow miso is still milder than red miso, and I have been using red miso with great success.
Sometimes I actually even up the red miso amount if I am going for a stronger flavor but if a recipe needs to have a whitish color (such as sauces and maybe some cheeses) then red miso may darken the recipe too much. With that said, aside from the color that may not be what you want, the flavor would still be fine.
Seems like this recipe does not need to be a specific color so I personally would say yellow miso is fine, especially that the recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon. I would say the same amount of yellow miso would be fine.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Nathan, yes you can! It should work just fine. Enjoy!
Brigitte says
Loved that recipe, the three of us almost finished it all and I'm glad we didn't because I want some sandwiches out of this roast. The rice paper skin was a good idea, it replaces yuba which I don't like the taste of.
Bravo, it was unanimous, we're doing it again.
Thanks for the recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
YAY! THank you Brigitte! SO happy you're loving so many of my recipes 🙂
Phia says
Sounds amazing!
I was thinking. Could I technically shape the mixture like chicken breast and add the rice paper on them for smaller, crispier "meat" pieces?
Xoxo
Yvonne says
I don’t see why not 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Phia, yes you could! It's good to note, that the foil really helps form the shape of the roast, as the seitan will expand when steaming so but the foil will stop it from expanding too much which helps make the texture denser and meatier (as opposed to full of air and spongey). So when you shape the roast differently, keep this in mind so that the foil is wrapped around so it can expand properly. I hope that helps and makes sense 🙂
Stefanos says
It's not vegan if there's butter in it. Can you replace the butter for something else?
Beata says
I am sure Sam meant vegan butter. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Stefanos, sorry about that! I meant to type "vegan butter", which is also know and vegan margarine. My favourite brand is Earth Balance Orignal Buttery Spread and I use it for all of my recipe testing. Hope that helps!
Wilma Jayne Chapman says
Oh my life! This is absolutely gorgeous. Made last night, tried this morning and its bloody divine! Thank you so much for sharing, I had already made a Christmas roast for me but this is now taking central stage.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahah! Love it! So thrilled you love it as much as I do Wilman 🙂
Karen says
Hi Sam! This looks absolutely HEAVENLY! But I was disappointed to see that there is tofu in it. My sister is allergic to soy. Is there any possible substitute? I suppose I could make tofu from another bean or chickpeas, but would it work? I do appreciate that it took you years to develop this. You're amazing! 🙂
Thanks!
Beata says
I've made similar turkey recipes using tofu and vital wheat gluten from other websites (with great success) and on these other websites, I've seen suggestions to replace the tofu with a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, or I've even seen a recipe that used young green pureed jackfruit in place of tofu, but not sure of proportions in this case. Hope this helps!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Karen, yes a tofu from another bean could work. You could also try cooking white kidney beans or similar until they are almost mushy, then mash them and they might make a good substitute. Please note, this may affect the texture tho. Hope that helps!
Jane says
This looks fab and almost exactly what I was hoping to find for Christmas. What would you think of stuffing it? Like, if you stuffed it, would that change the cooking times etc, do you think? It would mean not making ahead, too, I guess. Or maybe? What do you think?
Beata says
I've made a stuffed seitan turkey roast recipe last year, and that recipe called for making the dough, stretching it flat, placing whatever filling you want on the flattened dough, and then rolling the dough closed. Then I would steam the stuffed roast in my steamer pot for about 1 hour, and for the best texture, I'd let it rest overnight in the fridge and then bake the next day for about 20 to 30 minutes at about 375F. It all depends on the exact recipe that you use. Hope that helps!
Jane says
Thanks so much - that's pretty much what I was thinking!
Beata says
Of course! Forgot to add that the stuffed roast would also need to be tightly wrapped in to preserve its shape during steaming. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jane, I've tried stuffing seitan before and always found the stuffing gets kinda soggy during the steaming process, so I've preferred just serving it on the side. If you want to try stuffing it after steaming it, you could try to butterfly the seitan roast or cut a hole in it. Hope that helps!
Em says
OH This looks delicious. I'll be trying it out this weekend- thanks Sam! I wonder if the rice paper trick would work for the little chicken tenders. Oh I just thought of making those chicken tenders like Shake N Bake. My mind is exploding.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Love it! Yes, the rice paper trick should work well on any seitan recipe. I do find that some seitan recipes get a bit spongey when baked, but usually, if you just let it cool for a bit it will become a bit firmer again. Hope that helps 🙂
Erin says
This looks incredible Sam! I'm super excited to try it. Our kids love the Tofurky roast and that's what I usually bring to our omnivore family dinner so I'm hoping this can be our new option. The rice paper "skin" is inspired. Do you know how a person might use the instant pot instead of steaming on the stove top for one hour? I love everything you do and we use your recipes constantly. I always say, "Oh, this recipe is from my friend Sam" which consistently earns me an eye roll from the kids. Thank you!
in2insight says
Seitan experts have shared that one can steam in the IP for the same about of time as regular steaming. Has worked for me every single time.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much Erin! I was going to test Instant Pot steaming but it looks like in2insight has already helped you out! I love this community 🙂
in2insight says
Looks good and may likely try it.
Do you happen to recall the weight of the VWG that you used? I have found that weighing the VWG yields best results vs measuring.
Em says
At the bottom of the recipe, there is a little button that allows you to switch from Imperial units to metric. There, the weights of the VWG in grams is available (I think it's 180g). I LOVE this feature on the blog and use it all the time to switch back and forth to my preferred measuring style.
in2insight says
That is awesome. Thank you for sharing that trick!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you for bringing attention to the button Em 🙂 Glad you love this feature 🙂