Description
This Vegan Turkey Roast is a delicious plant-based alternative to traditional turkey, made from seitan and silken tofu for a chewy, protein-rich texture. It features a flavorful turkey rub of aromatic herbs and spices, and a rich roasting broth that infuses the roast with savory depth. Wrapped in rice paper and slow-roasted in the oven, it’s perfect for holiday feasts or special occasions and serves about 10 with leftovers.
Ingredients
Scale
For the 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
For the Turkey
- 700 g silken tofu
- 6 tablespoon vegetable oil (neutral flavored like 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 of vegan stuffing (see notes below)
- 4 sheets rice paper (for summer rolls)
For the Roasting Broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 1.5 litres boiling hot vegetable stock
- 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 all the turkey rub ingredients—flaky sea salt, soft brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Prepare the Turkey Mixture: Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F). Place the silken tofu, vegetable oil, flaky sea salt, white miso paste, rice vinegar, and garlic powder in a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. For a smoother texture, pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps.
- Add Vital Wheat Gluten: Return the smooth mixture to the blender. Add the vital wheat gluten and blend until a rough dough forms. Stop the blender and allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes. Then blend again for about 2 minutes until the dough becomes stretchy and gummy—this indicates the seitan is well-developed.
- Shape the Seitan: Remove the seitan dough from the blender and press it into a rectangular shape on a clean surface. Place half a batch of vegan stuffing in a line down the center of the dough, then carefully roll it into a cylinder, enclosing the stuffing inside. Set aside.
- Wrap with Rice Paper: Fill a wide bowl with water. Lightly moisten a sheet of rice paper by dunking it several times in the water. Lay this sheet over the rolled seitan. Repeat with the remaining three sheets until the seitan is fully covered by rice paper, which helps hold its shape during roasting.
- Apply the Turkey Rub: Without removing the rice paper, sprinkle the turkey rub evenly over the surface of the seitan. Gently spread with your fingers to coat the entire surface thoroughly, enhancing the flavor.
- Wrap the Roast: Cut a rectangle of baking parchment and a larger rectangle of muslin or cheesecloth. Wrap the seitan tightly in the parchment, twisting the ends to seal it like a Christmas cracker. Then wrap this parcel in the muslin or cheesecloth like a burrito. Tie securely around the length and width with kitchen twine, mimicking the look of a traditional turkey roast.
- Prepare Roasting Broth and Roast: Place the wrapped vegan turkey roast into a large Dutch oven. Add the roasting broth ingredients—bay leaves, fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs, boiling vegetable stock, fine sea salt, light brown sugar, halved garlic head, quartered onion, carrot, and celery. Cover with a lid and roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Rotate and Continue Roasting: After 45 minutes, remove the lid, carefully rotate the roast so the opposite side submerges in the broth. Cover again and roast for another 45 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Unwrap and Baste: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully take out the vegan turkey roast, snip the kitchen twine with scissors, and unwrap the muslin. Return the roast to the remaining broth in the Dutch oven. Using a brush, baste the top of the seitan with broth and place back in the oven uncovered. Roast for an additional 20 minutes to develop a beautiful glaze and firmer texture.
- Serve: Remove from oven, slice thinly, and serve warm. Pair with your favorite vegetables and gravy for a beautiful festive meal.
Notes
- The stuffing is optional; you can omit it if preferred.
- If you want to prepare the vegan stuffing, refer to the linked recipe for a flavorful plant-based filling.
- Ensure to use neutral-flavored vegetable oil to avoid overpowering the roast’s delicate flavors.
- The rice paper wrapping helps the seitan maintain its shape and absorb flavors during roasting.
- This recipe yields about 10 servings with leftovers, making it great for larger gatherings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 150g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
