Description
This Vegan Turkey Roast made from seitan is a flavorful and hearty plant-based centerpiece perfect for festive occasions. Crafted with a blend of silken tofu, vital wheat gluten, and a mix of savory herbs and spices, it mimics the texture and taste of traditional turkey. Wrapped in rice paper and slow-roasted in a herbaceous vegetable broth, this roast is juicy, aromatic, and pairs beautifully with vegan stuffing and gravy for a satisfying holiday meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey Rub
- 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt
- 1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Turkey
- 700 g silken tofu
- 6 tablespoon vegetable oil (neutral flavored: sunflower, rapeseed, or canola)
- 2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 2 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 380 g vital wheat gluten
- ½ batch vegan stuffing (see notes for recipe link)
- 4 sheets rice paper (for summer rolls)
Roasting Broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock (boiling hot)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 head garlic (sliced in half)
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 1 carrot (peeled and quartered)
- 2 stalks celery (quartered)
Instructions
- Make the Turkey Rub: In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, soft brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly and set aside for later use.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 170 °C (340 °F) to prepare for roasting the vegan turkey.
- Blend Turkey Mixture: Place silken tofu, vegetable oil, flaky sea salt, white miso paste, rice vinegar, and garlic powder in a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. If texture remains chunky, pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to ensure a smooth consistency.
- Add Vital Wheat Gluten: Return the smooth mixture to the blender, add the vital wheat gluten, and blend until a rough dough forms. Let it rest for 10 minutes. After resting, blend again for about 2 minutes until the dough becomes stretchy and gummy, indicative of developed gluten.
- Shape and Stuff: Remove the dough from the blender and press it into a rectangle on a clean surface. Place the vegan stuffing in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the seitan dough into a tight cylinder around the stuffing and set aside.
- Wrap in Rice Paper: Fill a wide bowl with water and dunk one sheet of rice paper repeatedly until it is lightly moistened. Lay this over the rolled seitan. Repeat with the remaining three sheets until the entire seitan roast is covered.
- Apply Turkey Rub: Without removing the rice paper, sprinkle the turkey rub evenly over the entire surface of the wrapped seitan. Gently spread the rub using your fingers to coat all sides.
- Wrap for Roasting: Cut a large rectangle of baking parchment and a larger rectangle of muslin or cheesecloth. Wrap the seitan first in the baking parchment, twisting the ends to seal like a Christmas cracker. Then wrap again tightly in muslin or cheesecloth, folding it like a burrito. Tie securely around length and width with kitchen twine as you would a traditional turkey roast.
- Prepare Roasting Broth and Roast: Place the wrapped seitan in a large Dutch oven. Add bay leaves, fresh thyme, rosemary, boiling vegetable stock, fine sea salt, light brown sugar, halved garlic head, quartered onion, carrot, and celery around the roast. Cover with the lid and place in the preheated oven to roast for 45 minutes.
- Rotate Roast: After 45 minutes, lift the lid, rotate the roast so the opposite side is submerged in the broth. Replace the lid and roast for an additional 45 minutes.
- Baste and Finish Roasting: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully take out the roast, cutting the twine and unwrapping the muslin. Return the roast to the remaining broth in the Dutch oven. Using a brush, baste the top of the roast with the broth. Place back in the oven uncovered and roast for a further 20 minutes to brown the surface and deepen flavor.
- Serve: Remove from oven and allow to rest briefly. Slice thinly and serve with your favorite vegetables and vegan gravy for a delicious festive main dish.
Notes
- The vegan stuffing referenced is a half batch; for an authentic touch, use your preferred vegan bread stuffing recipe (commonly made with breadcrumbs, herbs, vegetable stock, and sautéed vegetables).
- Rice paper helps to keep the seitan moist during roasting and adds a slight chewy texture on the surface resembling skin.
- Ensure to use neutral oil like sunflower or canola oil to avoid altering the flavor profile.
- This recipe yields approximately 10 generous servings with leftovers, making it perfect for holiday gatherings.
- For added flavor, let roast rest covered for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 150 g)
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
