Vegan Seitan Turkey Roast

Homemade Seitan Turkey Roast on Thanksgiving Dinner Platter

This delicious homemade seitan turkey roast is a perfect main dish for your vegan Thanksgiving dinner table—or for any special holiday meal. It's made with herbs and spices and has a sliceable texture that is very meat-like. The flavorful three-ingredient savory-sweet glaze really takes this seitan roast to the next level. It's also delicious served with mashed potatoes and gravy!

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword fall, holiday, meat-free, meatless, roast, savory, seitan, winter

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 50

Servings servings

Calories 309kcal

Author Audrey Dunham

Equipment

food processor
Steamer basket
Parchment Paper
Basting brush or pastry brush

Ingredients

1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
4½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth or more as needed, divided
2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce or substitute
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
1½ cup vital wheat gluten

Savory-Sweet Glaze:

2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons soy sauce or substitute

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garbanzo beans, ¾ cup of the vegetable broth, the oil, soy sauce, tomato paste, nutritional yeast flakes, onion and garlic powders, salt, sage, thyme, curry powder, and rosemary. Blend until very smooth, scraping the sides and bottom as needed.
Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the vital wheat gluten and combine at first with a spoon or spatula, and then with your hands as the mixture becomes thick. Make sure all vital wheat gluten is incorporated into the dough.
Transfer the dough to a flat surface lightly dusted with additional vital wheat gluten. Knead the dough about 10 times, then shape into a loaf.
Line a large pot with a steamer basket (preferably a flat-bottomed one) and add just enough vegetable broth to rise about ½ inch (1 cm) above the steamer basket, 3 ½–3 ¾ cups, depending on the size of your pot.
Place the loaf in the steamer basket and bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Steam the loaf for 1 hour, checking every 20 minutes to make sure the broth hasn’t completely evaporated. Add additional hot broth to the pot if needed. Afterward, remove the lid and allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (approx. 177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the roast has rested for 10 minutes, place it in the center of the prepared baking sheet.
In a ramekin or small bowl, stir together all ingredients for the glaze. Brush the entire surface of the roast (including the bottom) with the glaze several times until roughly half of the glaze mixture has been applied.
Place the roast in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with all of the remaining glaze (skipping the bottom this time). Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with gravy, if desired.

Notes

FOR BEST GLUTEN-FREE VERSION:
See the recipe for Gluten Free Holiday “Turkey” Roast on page 28.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP:
The roast can be formed and steamed (steps 1-5) 1 day in advance. Allow roast to cool for 15 minutes and then place in the fridge in an airtight container or wrapped with two layers of plastic wrap. When needed, allow the roast to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before following steps 6-8.

Nutrition