This is the Best Vegan Turkey Recipe! Moist, flavourful with the perfect chew. Serve for your holiday main course with gravy or sliced as deli meat for your favourite veggie sandwich.
Impress all your friends with this easy vegan turkey seitan recipe! You won’t believe the texture and flavour of this mock meat! It’s so much like turkey! (well as close as you can get anyway?) I’ll admit it took me awhile to perfect it, uhh like 6 times to be exact, haha. So let me just say I have a lot of meatless turkey loaf in my freezer for thanksgiving. Christmas and Easter, and of course for sandwiches and wraps.
This vegetarian turkey recipe is made using vital wheat gluten and chickpeas not tofu. So no guys this isn’t a Tofurky roast! Yes those Gardein Holiday turkey roasts are good, but I like the texture of this recipe better. It chews like turkey and the taste is awesome!
Oh and this makes the best hot open faced vegan turkey sandwiches!!?
Enjoy this Whole vegan turkey loaf with all the vegan fixings like: mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, mushroom gravy, stuffing, roasted veggies and Brussel sprouts, butternut squash, Mac and cheese, fresh buns, green salad and cranberry sauce! Yum!! You’ll be so happy and stuffed! And don’t forget some pumpkin cupcakes for dessert with some hot coffee or tea! What a meal plan!
What is Seitan?
Seitan is a vegan meat substitute made using vital wheat gluten. It is sometimes referred to as “wheat meat”
What is Vital Wheat Gluten?
Vital Wheat Gluten is made from wheat. It is made by washing the wheat flour with water until all the starch has been removed. And you are then left with the gluten which must be cooked before eaten.
How to make a Vegan Turkey:
Start by adding all the ingredients (except vital wheat gluten) to your food processor: chickpeas, water, bouillon, Braggs, seasonings, sesame oil and nutritional yeast. Process until smooth.
Pour the puree into a large mixing bowl, scraping out as much as possible with a spatula. Add in the vital wheat gluten. Mix by hand until combined. Then kneed the dough 10-15 times. Shape into a log.
Using a medium pot with a steamer insert. Place the turkey roll into the steamer part and fill the base of the pot with the veggie stock.
Cover with the lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce to a good simmer and cook for 1 hour. Baste after 30 minutes and add more veggie stock if necessary.
Once done remove the turkey loaf and cool on cutting board for 10 minutes. Slice thinly and serve. Or cool completely, refrigerate and slice as deli meat. Enjoy! For full recipe ingredients and instructions see recipe card below.
Ok let's make a Vegan Turkey Roast, it's:
meatless
moist
flavourful
got the perfect chew!
delicious with gravy
perfect sliced on a vegan deli meat sandwich!
kid friendly
easy to make
Enjoy guys! Happy day to you? feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. I would love to hear from you.
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Want more Seitan recipes? Check these out!
- Vegan Burger (Best Grillable Vegan Burger Ever!)
- Vegetarian Salsbury Steak Meatloaf with mushroom gravy (Vegan) (Meatball Version)
This recipe was inspired from The Edgy Veg
Vegan Turkey Recipe (Seitan)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is the Best Vegan Turkey Recipe! Moist, flavourful with the perfect chew. Serve for your holiday main course with gravy or sliced as deli meat for your favourite veggie sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1 (541 mls) (18 fl oz) (equivalent of 2 cups) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, toasted or regular
- 2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid aminos ,can sub Tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Soup Base
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 1 and ½ cups Vital Wheat Gluten
For Steaming:
- 3 cups vegetable stock ( for steaming roast)
Basting/Oven:
- 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter + 1 tablespoon Tamari, Braggs, or soy sauce, reg or low sodium + ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¾ cup vegetable broth (I like better than bouillon no chicken soup base)
Instructions
- Start by adding all the ingredients (except vital wheat gluten) to your food processor: chickpeas, water, bouillon, Braggs, seasonings, sesame oil and nutritional yeast. Process until smooth.
- Pour the puree into a large mixing bowl, scraping out as much as possible with a spatula. Add in the vital wheat gluten. Mix by hand until combined (it won't stick to your hands) Then kneed the dough 10-15 times. Shape into a log.
- Using a medium pot with a steamer insert. Place the turkey roll into the steamer part and fill the base of the pot with the veggie stock.
- Cover with the lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce to a good simmer and cook for 1 hour. Baste the roast after 30 minutes with a ⅓ cup of the hot stock and add a little more veggie stock if necessary to the bottom of pot.
- Once done remove the turkey loaf and cool on cutting board for at least 10 minutes. Slice thinly and serve. Or cool completely, refrigerate and slice as deli meat. Enjoy! (for best texture I recommend cooling in fridge overnight then continue with step 6) Step by step photos in the above post if necessary.
- Basting in Oven (optional extra step after steaming for more flavour and nicer presentation -this isn't in video): Preheat oven 375° Add whole steamed turkey to a small casserole dish not much bigger than roast. Pour in the veggie broth (don't add broth until oven is preheated). Brush on all melted butter mixture. Bake uncovered 35 minutes, basting half way through, add splash extra broth if needed.
Delicious served with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, vegan stuffing and Mac and Cheese! or in your favourite sandwich or wrap!
Alternative cooking instructions in 'Notes' section
Notes
- If for some reason all the vital wheat gluten doesn't all mix into the dough, don't sweat it just keep mixing and kneading per recipe instructions. It will still work!
- If you don't have a steamer insert use a steamer basket in a pot and cover with a piece of parchment paper then add the vegan roast.
- this recipe works in the oven also: add a steamer basket with a piece of parchment paper to a Dutch Oven or casserole dish with the veggie stock, cover and bake for 1 hour at 350°.
- If you don't have a steamer insert or a basket you can make a tinfoil boat and place the roast on it, place in a Dutch Oven or casserole dish. Pour the veggie stock underneath the foil in the pot. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. The stock might bubble up into the foil boat but it still works and tastes delish!
- To make ahead of time: Yes you can make up to 1-2 days before hand (just the steaming method) cool to room temperature wrap and refrigerate. To reheat let sit out on counter for 20 minutes, make the basting sauce and follow baking instructions. FYI- once steamed the turkey is ready to eat like video
- To store and freeze: It will keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days and freezes great, I like to portion and slice it first then wrap in plastic wrap add to a container and freeze.
- Gluten free: No this recipe can only be made with vital wheat gluten there no substitutions. So it is not gluten free.
- Instant Pot: you can use instant pot instead of steaming. Wrap turkey tightly in tin foil place on rack inside the Instant Pot. Add 2 and ½ cups of water. Close lid, set pressure valve to sealing, select the steam option Set it to 30 minutes. Press start. Once done let pressure release naturally. Then follow step 6 basting/baking instructions.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 60 Minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Canadian
Johnathan says
love this recipe I sprinkle Montreal chicken seasoning on it before roasting. It's so yummy, my kids love it
Verna says
thank you and sounds awesome!
Elizabeth says
Made a vegan roast dinner last night and your vegan turkey was the star! And it did not disappoint! Very lovely and great texture. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Verna says
You are so welcome glad you enjoyed it!
Gina says
This was so easy to prepare and we loved the flavour and texture of the vegan roast. will definitely make again. Jeeze I think I will have to invest in a meat slicer for the turkey left overs!
Verna says
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe! Yes a slicer definitely comes in handy!
Colleen says
Our daughter prepared this turkey last week as part of our feast. we celebrated early this year. Very much enjoyed by all! No leftovers to be had!
Verna says
So nice to hear! Thank you Colleen
Katie Evans says
We have Tahini in the fridge but no sesame oil and I wondering if some of this would work as a substitute?
I would like to give this a go before Christmas without shopping again if possible.
Thanks for the recipe.
Verna says
I'm sure it would be fine, enjoy Katie let me know how it turns out!
Zayne says
Could I shred this like you would with real turkey or chicken?
Verna says
😊 yes it is similar in texture. enjoy Zayne!
Zayne says
Thank you! I’ll be making this for Christmas Eve dinner 🙂
Zayne says
Also, could garlic and onion powder work instead of granules? And is the Braggs necessary?
Verna says
Yes they will work they are basically the same thing and yes the Braggs it is part of the recipe for flavour but you could use Tamari or soy sauce regular or lite. Enjoy Zayne!
Zayne says
Thank you!!
Allan says
We found this recipe very enjoyable and will make again. thank you.
Verna says
thanks so much!
Rose says
Hi Verna!
I'm not sure if I can find the 'Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Soup Base' locally. Do you think substituting a veggie stock would work okay?
Much thanks! 🙂
Verna says
If you mean for the steaming liquid and basting stock then yes it's fine. Don't add any more liquid to the actual seitan recipe itself. Enjoy Rose!
Katherine says
I would like to try this recipe, but I don't use granulated garlic or onion. Could I substitute a bit of minced garlic and onion, or will that alter the flavour too much? Thx
Verna says
Yes I'm sure that would be fine, I'd cook the garlic and onion first though and then blend it in. Might need a bit more gluten if it's too moist as this recipe is measured pretty accurately as is. Enjoy Katherine!
Melody says
I was pleased with how this turned out. Will make again.
Verna says
Wonderful glad you liked it
Megan says
Definitely trying this. Just made your vegan ham and it was dynamite!
Verna says
thanks so much!
Megan says
this recipe is a keeper!
Verna says
thanks so much!
Susanna says
My family had the best thanksgiving with this recipe! Bless you and your blog for making holidays easy for vegans, with you wonderful recipes!
Verna says
Aww thank you. Thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe. Happy day to you!
Susan Guerrero says
Your "Ham"recipe was a hit on Thanksgiving! The Instant Pot made it so easy to prepare. Would it be possible to get IP directions for the "Turkey"as well? Being that it's steamed in broth? I'd like to try this one for another holiday.
Thank you again so very much.
Verna says
Oh wonderful glad you enjoyed it! I think I will have to add more options to this recipe post as I have had this question before. but for now follow instant pot instructions for ham, wrap turkey in foil bake same time as ham with 3/4 cup of veggie stock maybe add a splash if soya sauce baste every 10 minutes. Thanks for your comment Susan!
Lisa says
Amazing, best fake turkey I have made so far, even the meat eater in our family enjoyed it.
Verna says
Oh wonderful! Glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your comment Lisa!