Vegan Turkey Recipe (Seitan)

Ingredients

• 1 can Chickpeas (18 fl oz; equivalent of 2 cups; rinsed and drained)
• 0.75 cup Water
• 2 tbsp Sesame oil (Toasted or regular)
• 2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (Can substitute tamari or soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Soup Base
• 3 tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 0.5 tsp Poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp Granulated onion
• 0.5 tsp Granulated garlic
• 0.25 tsp Pepper
• 0.5 tsp Fresh rosemary (Finely chopped; optional)
• 0.25 tsp Dried thyme (Optional)
• 0.5 cup Vital wheat gluten
• 3 cup Vegetable stock (For steaming roast; add a little more to the pot if necessary)
• 2 tbsp Vegan butter (Melted; for brushing)
• 1 tbsp Tamari (For brushing mixture; Bragg's Liquid Aminos or soy sauce may be used instead; regular or low sodium)
• 0.25 tsp Poultry seasoning (For brushing mixture)
• 0.75 cup Vegetable broth (For baking; author prefers Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Soup Base)

Steps

1. 1

   Add the chickpeas, water, soup base, Liquid Aminos, poultry seasoning, granulated onion, granulated garlic, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sesame oil, and nutritional yeast to a food processor. Process until smooth.

2. 2

   Scrape the puree into a large mixing bowl. Add the vital wheat gluten and mix by hand until combined; the dough should not stick to your hands. Knead the dough 10–15 times, then shape it into a log.

3. 3

   Place the turkey roll in the steamer insert of a medium pot. Pour the vegetable stock into the base of the pot.

4. 4

   Cover the pot and bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for 1 hour.

5. 5

   After 30 minutes of steaming, baste the roast with 1/3 cup of hot stock. Add a little more vegetable stock to the bottom of the pot if needed.

6. 6

   When steaming is complete, remove the turkey loaf and let it cool on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes. Slice thinly and serve, or cool completely, refrigerate, and slice for deli meat. For the best texture, the author recommends cooling it in the refrigerator overnight.

7. 7

   For the baked-roast option, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

8. 8

   Place the whole steamed turkey in a small casserole dish that is not much larger than the roast. Wait until the oven is preheated before adding the broth, then pour the vegetable broth into the dish.

9. 9

   Combine the melted vegan butter, tamari, and 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning. Brush the mixture over the roast.

10. 10

    Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, basting halfway through. Add a splash of extra broth if needed.

Notes

The recipe card presents both a steamed serving option and an additional baked-roast option. It refers to the refrigerator-cooled roast as continuing with “step 6,” though only six instructions are listed; no further method is provided. Extra broth for baking is suggested as needed but not quantified.

Nutrition per serving

• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• holiday
• main course
• seitan
• steamed
• baked