Description
This Vegan Turkey Roast is a delicious and hearty plant-based alternative to traditional turkey, made with seitan and a flavorful blend of herbs and spices. Wrapped in rice paper and simmered in a savory vegetable broth, this roast is moist, tender, and perfect for festive occasions or holiday meals.
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, canola)
- 2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 2 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, 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 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
- Prepare the Turkey Rub: In a small bowl, combine flaky sea salt, soft brown sugar, paprika, ground black pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside.
- Blend Turkey Mixture: Preheat oven to 170 °C. Place silken tofu, vegetable oil, flaky sea salt, white miso paste, rice vinegar, and garlic powder into a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. If needed, strain through a fine mesh sieve for extra smoothness.
- Make Seitan Dough: Return the blended mixture to the blender and add vital wheat gluten. Pulse until a rough dough forms. Stop and let it rest for 10 minutes. Blend again for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes stretchy and gummy.
- Shape the Roast: Remove dough from blender and press into a rectangle. Add vegan stuffing in a line down the center, then roll dough into a cylinder to encase the stuffing. Set aside.
- Wrap in Rice Paper: Soak each rice paper sheet briefly in water to soften. Lay each sheet over the rolled seitan to cover it completely, repeating until fully wrapped.
- Apply Turkey Rub: Sprinkle the turkey rub evenly over the rice paper wrapped seitan and gently rub it in with your fingers for full coverage.
- Wrap in Parchment and Cloth: Cut a rectangle of baking parchment and a larger piece of muslin or cheesecloth. Wrap the seitan first in parchment, twisting the ends like a Christmas cracker. Then wrap it again snugly in muslin or cheesecloth like a burrito. Tie securely with twine lengthwise and widthwise, forming a tight roast shape.
- Prepare Roasting Broth and Roast: Place the wrapped vegan turkey roast in a large Dutch oven. Add bay leaves, fresh thyme, rosemary, boiling vegetable stock, sea salt, brown sugar, garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. Cover with the lid and roast in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Rotate Roast: Remove lid and carefully turn the roast so the opposite side is submerged in the broth. Replace lid and continue roasting for another 45 minutes.
- Baste and Finish Roasting: Remove Dutch oven from oven. Take out the roast carefully, snip the twine, and unwrap muslin. Return the seitan to the remaining broth in Dutch oven, brush the top with broth to baste, and return uncovered to oven for a final 20 minutes to brown the surface.
- Serve: Remove the roast and slice it thinly. Serve with your favorite vegetables and vegan gravy for a festive main dish.
Notes
- This recipe uses vegan stuffing in the center for added flavor and texture, but the stuffing can be omitted if preferred.
- The rice paper wrapping helps keep the roast moist and hold its shape during cooking.
- Ensure use of a neutral flavored vegetable oil like sunflower, canola, or rapeseed to avoid overpowering flavors.
- The broth ingredients create a rich, savory base that infuses the seitan during roasting for depth of flavor.
- For best texture, allow the dough to rest between blending steps to develop gluten structure.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 150g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
