Best Vegan Turkey Roast (perfect for Thanksgiving)
This vegan turkey roast is meaty, tender, and juicy, with a mild, savory flavor inspired by traditional turkey and a buttery garlic crispy skin. The perfect centerpiece for Thanksgiving or a holiday meal, especially piled onto a plate with your favorite sides and gravy! Most of the prep can be done ahead for an easier holiday.
Servings: 1 roast (about 1.7 pounds) feeds 4 - 6 people
Ingredients
For the vegan turkey:
- 1 (14 oz/ 396 g) package firm tofu drained (Ensure you use 14 oz/396 g of firm tofu. Tofu block sizes can vary, and other types, such as extra-firm or silken tofu, are not ideal and may affect the final result.)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons water (plus more if needed)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons vegetable broth powder vegetable instant stock mix powder, vegetable bouillon base, or 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
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 (optional, for a crispy skin)
Instructions
To make the seitan:
- Food processor method: Using the S-blade, blend the tofu, nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons water, miso paste, onion powder, vegetable broth powder, garlic powder, salt, thyme, and sage until completely smooth. Add the vital wheat gluten and blend briefly until just combined. Do not overmix or knead the dough as this can make the roast tough and rubbery. The dough should be soft and smooth. If it feels too dry, mix in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. By hand method: Use a blender or immersion blender to blend all the ingredients except the vital wheat gluten until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the vital wheat gluten and mix with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Do not overmix or knead the dough as this can make the roast tough and rubbery. The dough should be soft and smooth. If it feels too dry, mix in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Shape and wrap: Gather the dough and place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Gently pat it into an oval-shaped roast. It doesn’t have to be perfect! Wrap securely but not too tightly, then use a second layer of foil to ensure it is well wrapped.
- Steam: Fill a large pot with several inches of water and place a steamer basket inside, keeping the water below the basket. Bring to a boil, then place the foil-wrapped roast in the basket. Cover and steam for 1 hour. Check that the internal temperature has reached at least 160°F (71°C) with an instant-read thermometer. If needed, steam for another 5–10 minutes and check again. A higher temperature is fine; just make sure the center reaches at least 160°F (71°C) so that the roast gets fully cooked through.Check the water level occasionally and replenish as needed so the pot doesn’t boil dry.
- Cool and refrigerate: Remove the roast from the steamer and leave it wrapped in the foil as it cools. Refrigerate overnight for the best texture. The roast will shrink and firm up as it cools, and the foil will loosen slightly.You can refrigerate the steamed roast for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage. If frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator before continuing.
For the crispy skin and to finish the roast:
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking tray.
- Make the butter-garlic mixture: In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, garlic, soy sauce or salt, thyme, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Brush the roast: Remove the foil from the cooled seitan and place it on the baking tray. Brush with about ⅓ of the butter-garlic mixture.
- Add the skin (skip this step if not adding the rice paper skin): Run the rice paper under water and allow it to soften for about 30 seconds. Place it over the roast (it’s okay if it’s still a bit stiff). Brush with another ⅓ of the butter-garlic mixture 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. Wrinkles and air bubbles are okay; those will be extra crispy bits!
- Roast: Bake for 15 minutes. Brush with the remaining butter-garlic mixture, then return to the oven and bake for another 15–25 minutes, until the outside is golden brown.
- Cool and slice: Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The skin will get crispier as it cools. The skin peels off easily, so hold it in place while slicing the roast. Enjoy hot, or enjoy the leftovers cold.
Notes
Doubling the recipe: 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. Make as many roasts as you need, and store them in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Oil-free: for oil-free you can omit the vegan butter on the rice paper skin and instead sub it for vegetable broth. When roasting, keep a close eye on it as it may burn a bit easier.
Freezing: to freeze the roast, steam the roast and then let it cool completely before freezing. Freeze in an airtight freezer bag or container. Allow to thaw completely before adding the rice paper skin and roasting.
Vital wheat gluten is essential to this recipe, and there is no substitute. Therefore this recipe cannot be made gluten-free. For a vegan gluten-free roast try my Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe.
No skin: if you prefer a roast without the crispy skin, simply omit the rice paper, brush the roast with the butter garlic mixture, and roast until heated through.
Steaming tips: you need to steam the vegan turkey before roasting it. I recommend getting a steamer pot if you plan to make seitan often, or you can use a DIY method if you do not have a steamer.
Cleaning tips: vital wheat gluten is very sticky and can destroy dish brushes and cloths. So what I like to do is save old clothes, sheets, or towels that are too shabby to donate, and cut them into rags. I use these rags to clean up after preparing a seitan recipe and discard the rag once finished.
Aluminum foil alternative: if you prefer to avoid aluminum foil, wrap the roast in parchment paper, and then wrap the parchment paper wrapped roast in cheesecloth and tie closed with cotton baking twine.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 3mg
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