This Vegan Turkey Roast is the perfect centerpiece for your plant-based Thanksgiving feast! Complete with herb-rubbed "skin," seitan turkey is tender, meaty, and loaded with savory herbs and seasonings. It's also make ahead-friendly, and leftovers taste fantastic!
Bonus: You can bake it in the oven or cook it in the Instant Pot.
After sharing this simple Seitan Roast, I thought it would be fun to create vegan turkey recipe that's perfect for Thanksgiving and introduces a couple of fun new seitan-making techniques.
Both of these recipes are great for the holiday season, and though the other roast is a bit simpler to make, this seitan turkey really isn't that difficult! It just has a few more steps.
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Vegan Turkey - Recipe Features
- Color: Instead of using beans in the seitan, this recipe incorporates tofu for a lighter "white meat" appearance.
- Texture: Similar to my other seitan roast, this one slices beautifully, but it's also shreddable!
- Skin: For our vegan turkey, instead of using rice paper, I'll show you how to use a portion of the seitan dough to create a smooth outer "skin" for your roast. I learned this technique from Malin of the blog Seitan Kitchen.
- Kneading Method: Since you'll have your food processor out to blend the ingredients, we'll let it handle the kneading, too.
- Cooking Method: You can bake the roast in the oven OR cook it in an Instant Pot. So easy!
- Size: This plant-based turkey is smaller than my other roast, perfect for serving 4 or 5 people. To feed a crowd you can prep two roasts or scale the recipe up!
A variety of different herbs, spices, and seasonings bring the best savory holiday flavors to the roast. Here are a few notes on the ingredients you'll need.
Ingredients
- Tofu - Look for super firm tofu, usually found in shrink-wrapped packaging. This type contains very little water. Extra firm also works, but you'll want to press it first. Tofu works well to create vegan turkey because it lightens the color of the seitan and also makes it more tender.
- Vital wheat gluten - This is the base for seitan and what gives vegan turkey a firm and meaty texture. This can't be substituted.
- Vinegar - Adds to the overall complexity of flavors; use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Nutritional yeast - Adds umami and tenderizes the seitan.
- Tapioca starch or regular flour - This is also for texture and to lighten the color.
- Vegan chicken seasoning - When I first shared this vegan turkey years ago, I called for a specialty bouillon powder. But I wanted to make things easier for you, so I've since re-tested the recipe with increased amounts of nutritional yeast, salt, and herbs (inspired by my vegan chicken broth powder). So now you don't need to buy an extra ingredient.
- Oil - For the seitan, you'll need a neutral-tasting oil such as olive or avocado. For the outside of the roast, to help the herb rub stick to the skin, refined coconut oil works best.
- Liquid smoke (optional) - I use Colgin's hickory variety.
- Herbs and spices - You'll need dried rosemary, thyme, sage, and ginger.
For the herb rub and to glaze the outside of the roast you'll need:
- Dried parsley, thyme, salt and pepper
- Soy sauce - or similar
- Toasted sesame oil or olive oil
See the recipe card below for amounts and full step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Vegan Turkey Roast
Puree the tofu, water, and seasonings in a large food processor I use a 14 cup model. If using a smaller machine you'll want to work in batches.
Add the vital wheat gluten, and process for 1 minute. You'll see the gluten strands forming, but the dough will still be fairly soft and sticky.
Place on a flat surface and divide the dough into 4 pieces. Select the smallest one to serve as the outer skin, and set it aside.
Return the rest of the dough to the food processor, and process for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
Return the piece you set aside to the food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten, and process for 1 minute. It should be warm and shiny. Set aside.
Take the larger piece of dough, which is the body of the roast, and stretch it out into a log. Twist it as pictured above.
Fold one end of the dough over the other like you're going to tie a knot. Now it looks like a ribbon.
Tuck the right tail underneath, then tuck the left tail underneath. Now repeat the process - stretch it out, twist, fold, tuck.
Holding the dough with both hands, smooth the top by gradually tucking the outer edges underneath. Once the top appears fairly smooth, set aside.
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Take the "skin" piece of dough, and, like you're handling pizza dough, carefully stretch it into a rectangle. Lay the skin out flat. Place the smooth, top side of the roast down on the skin. Begin folding in the edges of the skin, pinching it together, until the entire roast is fully encased.
Rub the entire roast with a small amount of oil. If using the herb rub, sprinkle it onto the roast, both top and bottom. Do the same with salt and pepper. Use your hands to lightly pat the seasonings into the skin.
Next, wrap the seitan turkey as tightly as possible using one of the following:
- cheesecloth (for Instant Pot or oven) - Cut a piece of cloth large enough to wrap around several times.
- aluminum foil (oven) - Heavy duty foil is best. I also recommend lining it with a piece of parchment paper. This helps prevent sticking and reinforces the strength of the foil. Make sure the seitan is completely wrapped and sealed so it doesn't dry out.
Option: To create the look of a tied roast as shown in the photos, cut several pieces of twine and wrap the seitan as shown above. It's fine to skip this step!
Choose a Cooking Method
- Instant Pot (Wrapped in Cheesecloth)
Add just enough water to the Instant Pot to reach the bottom of the trivet. Place the cheesecloth-wrapped seitan turkey on the trivet, and cook on high pressure for 1 hour 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Oven (Wrapped in Cheesecloth OR Foil)
If using foil, you don't need vegetable broth. Simply place the wrapped roast on a baking sheet, then follow the same baking instructions.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add about 1 inch of vegetable broth to a baking dish or roasting pan.
- Place the cloth-wrapped roast in the pan, and cover the dish tightly with foil to retain moisture. Bake for 1 hour, then carefully remove the foil and flip the roast. Replace the foil, and bake for another 45 minutes. Add more broth to the dish as needed to prevent scorching.
- Press the center of the roast with tongs. Your vegan turkey should feel very firm when done. If you think the center might not be done, return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
FAQs
Absolutely! In fact, the texture and firmness of seitan turkey is even better the next day. Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
If you aren't able to make the roast a day in advance, try to cook it early in the day. Then let it rest for an hour or so.
Store leftover vegan turkey roast in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to one month. Wrap well to protect from air, and thaw overnight before re-heating individual portions in a skillet or sauté pan.
How to Reheat Vegan Turkey
If you made the roast the day before, remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before dinner and let it rest at room temp.
Then place in a baking dish and baste with broth. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until hot. Once the roast is hot, complete the glaze/broil step before serving.
To reheat leftovers, individual servings may be warmed up in the microwave.
Substitutions
- Tofu: If you don't have access to super firm tofu, extra-firm may be used. But you'll want to press it first to remove most of the water. Since you'll be blending it anyway, an easy way to do this is to place the entire block of tofu on a tea towel. Gather up the ends, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Do not use soft or silken tofu.
- Chicken-less Seasoning: I originally tested the recipe with Orrington Farms (listed below), but have since also made the seitan turkey with my homemade vegan chicken broth powder. Since it's so much cheaper and easier, I've updated the recipe with this option.
- Orrington Farms Chicken Flavored Seasoning can be purchased online, oruse one of the options listed below.
- Edward & Son's Not-Chicken is available online and usually carried by Whole Foods and well-stocked grocery stores. To substitute, use approximately 1 ½ bouillon cubes in place of the 2 tablespoons or Orrington powder.
- Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken Base is also great for this recipe. Use 3 ½ teaspoons bouillon paste to replace 3 tablespoons of Orrington Farms powder.
What to Serve With Vegan Turkey
If you're preparing seitan turkey for Thanksgiving, here are some of our favorite holiday recipes to round out your meal!
Guests will love snacking on vegan stuffed mushrooms and a vegetable tray or vegan cheese board while watching football.
For dinner, it's not Thanksgiving without vegan cornbread dressing and green bean casserole. Also serve classic sides like vegan corn pudding and wild rice pilaf.
If you're craving something a little different this year, try my vegan cauliflower gratin or savory mashed sweet potatoes.
And don't forget the cranberry sauce and gravy. Here are two we love:
For dessert, I recommend vegan pecan pie and gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie! Check this out for even more amazing pies: 25 Vegan Pies for Thanksgiving
Outside of the holiday season, vegan turkey is great for weekly meal prep and slicing for sandwiches. You can also shred it for your favorite vegan barbecue dishes, pile it on baked potatoes, tacos, nachos, and more.
Recipe Video
Feeling intimidated? Watch the video to see the vegan turkey come together. You've got this!
I hope you enjoy this vegan turkey roast! If you try the recipe I would love to hear from you. Comment below to let us know!
Recipe
Vegan Turkey Roast
Equipment
- cheesecloth - optional
- 6-quart instant pot - optional
- rectangular baking dish - optional
Ingredients
For the Roast:
- 12 ounces super firm tofu - See Notes if using extra-firm
- 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme - not powdered
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary - not powdered
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 2¼ teaspoons fine sea salt - see Notes re: "chicken flavor"
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
- ¾ cup water
- 190 grams vital wheat gluten (1 ½ cups) plus 1 Tbsp, divided - see Notes
- ½ teaspoon refined coconut oil - or other neutral flavored oil
Herb Rub (optional):
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- scant ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- black pepper
Glaze (just before serving):
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon olive oil - or toasted sesame oil
Broth (only needed if baking wrapped in cheese cloth):
- approx. 2 cups vegetable broth or water + bouillon
Instructions
- Crumble the tofu into a large food processor with the standard S-blade (see Notes re: food processor). Add all remaining roast ingredients EXCEPT vital wheat gluten and coconut oil. Process the tofu and seasonings into a smooth slurry. Add the 1½ cups vital wheat gluten (190 g), and process for 1 minute.
- Remove the dough from the food processor, and place on a work surface. It will feel somewhat soft and sticky. Shape into a square. Cut into 4 pieces, with one being a bit smaller than the others. The smaller piece will be the "skin." Set it aside. Return the rest of the seitan dough to the food processor, and process for 1 minute. Transfer to the work surface and knead by hand a few times to make sure it feels firm. Set aside to rest.
- Return the "skin" piece of dough to the food processor. Add 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten, and process for 1 minute. It should look shiny and smooth. Set aside.
- Shape the larger piece of dough into a long log. Twist it until it begins to break or resist (refer to photos or video above). Fold the twisted log so that it resembles a ribbon. Tuck both tails underneath.
- Now you have a rough ball shape. Repeat the process of stretching it out into a log, twisting, folding, and tucking. Holding the dough with both hands, smooth the surface by gradually working the outer edges underneath. Once the top looks smooth, set aside.
- Take the "skin" piece of dough and, like you're handling pizza dough, carefully stretch it into a rectangle or circle larger than the roast (doesn't have to be perfect). Lay the skin out flat. Place the roast top-side (smooth-side) down, on the skin. Try to avoid creating air bubbles between the skin and roast, and begin pulling the edges of the skin up to encase the roast, pinching the dough together so that all of the seams are closed.
- Rub the entire roast with refined coconut oil. This helps the herbs stick, if using, and keeps the skin moist. If using the herb rub, combine the parsley and thyme, and sprinkle on all sides of the roast. Now season it with salt and pepper. Use your hands to lightly pat the seasonings into the skin.
- Wrap the seitan as tightly as possible in cheesecloth (OR in parchment and heavy duty aluminum foil, OR heavy duty foil sprayed with oil to prevent sticking). Make sure there's enough excess on the ends so you can twist and fold the cheesecloth underneath the roast. The weight of the roast will hold the cloth in place. You can also tie it with several pieces of twine as pictured above. Or if wrapping in foil, make sure the piece is large enough to wrap around the roast twice. Use two pieces of foil if necessary, and wrap as snugly as you can (this helps prevent holes in the seitan). Then twist the ends closed like a tootsie roll wrapper. Choose a cooking method...
- NOTE that the seitan is done when the internal temperature reaches 190-195°F.Instant Pot (wrapped in cheesecloth):In a 6 quart or larger Instant Pot, add just enough water to reach the bottom of the trivet. Place the roast on the trivet. Secure the lid, set to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 1 hour 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.Oven (wrapped in cheesecloth):Preheat oven to 350°F. Add 1 ½ inches of vegetable broth to a high-sided baking dish. Place the cloth-wrapped roast top side-down in the broth, and cover the entire dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour, then carefully remove the foil and flip the roast. Add more broth as needed so the dish doesn't dry out and burn. Replace the foil, and bake for another 50 minutes. Press the center with tongs; it should feel very firm. Or use a probe thermometer to see if it's 190-195°F. If needed, bake uncovered for another 15 minutes or until the center feels firm.Oven (wrapped in heavy duty foil): No need for any cooking liquid. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure the foil is tightly sealed around the vegan turkey. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour. Flip the roast and bake for another 45-50 minutes. To test for doneness you may need to unwrap the foil (careful it's hot!) and press with tongs, or use a probe thermometer (190-195°F).
- Let the roast cool for 15 minutes then remove the cheesecloth/foil. For the best texture allow roast to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. The next day, let the roast rest at room temperature to remove the chill, then complete the steps below.
Before Serving:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the vegan turkey in a roasting pan with just enough broth to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover the entire dish and bake for about 15 minutes. Stir together the ingredients for the glaze.
- Remove the roast from the oven. Arrange the top oven rack so the top of the roast will be about 7 inches from the broiler. Preheat broiler to 500 degrees F. Brush the glaze onto the roast. Keep a close eye on it, and broil uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
- Vegan turkey can also be shredded or sliced straight from the fridge and used in sandwiches, salads, sautes, and stir fries.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Debbie says
Hi , I’m interested in trying this dish and cooking it in the instant pot but you didn’t mention how to wrap or not wrap the roast for the instant pot. So I need to know if it needs to be wrapped in foil or cheesecloth or whatever before putting it in the pot. Thank you. Can’t wait to try it.
Lori says
Hi Debbie, happy to clarify. Sorry that wasn't clear.
For the Instant Pot, the roast is wrapped in cheesecloth. There is a photo of that step in the post above if you'd like to see how it will look.
Hope you enjoy it!
Victoria says
This recipe looks absolutely gorgeous! Going to give it a try next week for thanksgiving, do you have a preference between the oven or instant pot? Or do they come out pretty much the same both ways? I’ve got an instant pot but if it comes out better in the oven I’ll put in the extra work! Thank you in advance!
Lori says
Hi Victoria,
It's a tough choice, but after making it many times in the Instant Pot (bc it's just so easy) I made it again most recently in the oven, wrapped in foil and resting on a baking sheet. We realized we prefer the browned and more chewy, crusty exterior created by contact with the baking sheet. But that's just personal preference. Hope that helps!
Gene says
What effect does the tapioca starch have? I've seen recipes that use a similar amount of chickpea flour, potato starch, or just all purpose flour. Curious if tapioca is worth trying or if it's basically the same.
Lori says
Hi Gene,
It has the same general effect - for texture and it lightens the overall color of the seitan. Feel free to use one of those other flours instead.
Jen says
Delicious! I was looking for a fun and unique “turkey” for our first vegan Thanksgiving and I like that this uses the seitan itself for a skin as I didn’t want to use rice paper. I baked it in the oven in foil exactly as described and will be making it again for the big meal! Thumbs up all around.
Irla says
I’m new to cooking with seitain & would like to use this recipe for Thanksgiving. My question is if I use a thermometer probe, what is the correct temperature to be considered cooked?
Lori says
Hi Irla,
I’m editing my previous comment, after checking the internal temp the last time I made the roast. For this particular seitan recipe, you want the internal temperature around 195°F.
C says
This is my new favourite loaf. Such a better taste and texture than all others I've tried. Make this regularly now.
Maureen says
Can you use tofu that was frozen? I find it gives a meat texture.
Lori says
Hi Maureen, I haven't tried that with this recipe, but it should work. The only issue is that frozen tofu contains less liquid, since even more of the liquid drains away after freezing. So that will affect the moisture in the dough. You might need to add just a bit of water.
Jess says
I tried it out and it came out really good except it wasn't shreddable. I followed the twist and fold instructions, so I'm not sure what happened.
mary says
Hello,
Can this be made without the skin?
Lori says
Hi Mary, yes it sure can. Just skip the steps related to the skin. Process the entire dough ball as instructed, twist, and then smooth the outside as shown. Hope you enjoy!
Samantha Fields says
Hi! I am planning on making this for thanksgiving and am wondering how long it can sit in the fridge before the crisping part. Can it sit a few days uncooked and then a few days cooked? I made this last year too and it was a hit!!
Lori says
Hi Samantha, glad you enjoyed it and plan to make it again this year!
I feel comfortable leaving the uncooked seitan dough in the refrigerator for a day. After the seitan is fully cooked, it's fine if it hangs out in the fridge for several days before re-heating and serving.
Shae says
Hello,
I was just wondering what your preferred method of reheating the roast is? My Mom just made it and we cannot wait to try it!
Thank you!
Lori says
Hi Shae,
I'd say it depends on how you're serving it. Are you slicing it for sandwiches or are you feeling fancy and want to serve the roast whole? The main concern with seitan is to not let it dry out. If I'm serving the roast whole, I let it warm up at room temp for a bit, then place in a roasting pan with some broth. Cover the dish and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Then uncover and place under the broiler to crisp up the skin.
For individual servings, the microwave is the easiest way to reheat seitan since it heats it quickly without drying it out. Steaming also works well.
I hope that helps!
Brian says
After years of trying third party roasts purchased at the store, or repurposing Worthington or Cedar lake to make roasts, I'm so happy I found this, this has been a go-to recipe for the past few years.
Ravonne says
Hoping to make this recipe for Thanksgiving. It looks delicious. Am I able to substitute corn starch for the tapioca starch? Also is there anything I can substitute for the toasted sesame oil?
Thank you!
Lori says
Hi Ravonne, yes corn starch will work in place of tapioca. And for the toasted sesame oil, feel free to replace it with another oil or just omit it. It's there for a bit of savory flavor but it won't be a problem to leave it out. I hope you enjoy it!