This Vegan Turkey Roast has mouthwatering savory flavors and a meaty texture, making it the perfect main dish for vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Want more recipes for your Thanksgiving vegan dinner? Try my Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Easy Vegan Gravy, Vegan Green Bean Casserole, and Sweet Potato Casserole.

a vegan turkey loaf, browned on the top with herbs, partially sliced on a white plate

The best way to impress your family and friends during the holidays is with this mouthwatering Vegan Turkey Roast. Just like my Vegan Chicken and Vegan Glazed Ham recipes, it’s a seitan-based vegan roast flavored with classic poultry herbs and seasonings to help it taste just like a real Thanksgiving turkey. Slice it up and enjoy it with your favorite holiday side dishes or layered in a sandwich!

Why this is the best vegan turkey recipe

  • The best holiday centerpiece – This seitan turkey is not only easy to make from scratch but it’s also more impressive than a store-bought loaf or bland tofu turkey.
  • Moist, flavorful, and meaty – A mix of no-chicken broth and classic poultry seasonings gives the meaty seitan Thanksgiving turkey the most realistic flavors and textures.
  • 50+ 5-star reviews! – Don’t take my word for it! There are over 50 5-star reviews for this epic vegan turkey, proving that it’s always an instant holiday hit.

How to make vegan turkey

Add the drained chickpeas, broth, olive oil, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, sage, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, and garlic powder to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then add the vital wheat gluten. 

Gently mix until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface sprinkled with some vital wheat gluten. Knead until it turns into a smooth loaf.

collage of how to make seitan roast, step by step

Place the loaf in a large pot with a steamer basket, then pour in 3 cups of broth for steaming. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Steam the seitan roast for 1 hour.

Did all of the broth evaporate? You can pour more broth into the pot if it evaporates before the cook time is up.

When it’s done, set the seitan turkey aside to cool while you heat the vegan butter and soy sauce in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the cooked loaf in the pan and let it brown on all sides. 

Transfer the golden brown roast to a cutting board and slice it thinly. Serve the slices with your favorite vegan holiday recipes and enjoy!

a vegan turkey loaf being browned in a white pot with butter

Instant Pot instructions

Steaming the vegetarian turkey in the Instant Pot is easy but you must use a 6QT or larger model. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Place the trivet for steaming inside the pot, then pour in the broth. 
  2. Place the loaf inside, seal, and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure manually.
  3. Carefully remove the loaf from the pot, then brown it either in the Instant Pot on sauté mode with the vegan butter/soy sauce or on the stovetop. Slice and serve.

Frequently asked questions

Can it be made gluten free?

Unfortunately, no. Vital wheat gluten is a crucial ingredient and without it, the roast wouldn’t be as meaty, firm, or tender.

What can I use instead of chickpeas?

You can use another type of white bean or pinto beans instead.

I don’t have a steamer basket. What can I use instead?

No problem! You can make a DIY steamer basket by placing a few balls of aluminum foil on the bottom of your pot. Place a heat-safe plate on top of the balls for the loaf, then steam as normal.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes, the turkey roast can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of serving. To do so, make the loaf and steam it as normal. Let it cool before wrapping it in plastic or transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge.

Before serving, wrap the loaf in a layer of foil and warm it in a 350ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Brown it in a skillet with the vegan butter/soy sauce, then slice and serve.

How do you store the leftovers? Can you freeze them?

You can keep the leftover slices or the whole loaf in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen but I prefer the taste and texture when it’s fresh.

Leftover idea: The leftover vegan turkey slices are fantastic in sandwiches with a little leftover gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce!

looking down on a vegetarian turkey loaf, partially sliced with sage around it
square image of vegan turkey loaf on white plate
4.99 stars (63 ratings)

Vegan Turkey Roast

This Vegan Turkey Roast has mouthwatering savory flavors and a meaty texture, making it the perfect main dish for vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas! Stovetop and Instant Pot instructions included.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 
 

For the Loaf

  • 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup no chicken broth I used Better Than Bouillon, may use veg. broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
  • 3-4 cups additional broth, for steaming

For browning

Instructions 

  • In a food processor or blender, add the drained chickpeas, broth, olive oil, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, sage, thyme, rosemary, onion powder and garlic powder and blend or process until smooth.
  • Transfer the blended mixture to a large mixing bowl, getting all the last bits with a spatula. 
  • Add the vital wheat gluten and start to mix it into the wet ingredients with a spatula or spoon, then use your hands and mix until it starts to come together. Sprinkle a little vital wheat gluten on a clean surface, transfer the mixture to the surface and knead about 10 times. Carefully shape it into a loaf.
  • Get out a large pot with a steamer basket (flat bottom preferred, see Notes if you don't have steamer basket.) Place the loaf on the steamer basket with 3 cups of broth on the bottom for steaming.
  • Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so it’s simmering but not boiling too hard. Steam for 1 hour, and make sure to add more broth if it evaporates too soon. You can pour some additional broth over the roast halfway through.
  • Remove the pot from heat and open the lid so the loaf can cool for a few minutes.
  • To brown the outside, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (you could use the same pot you used for steaming). Add the vegan butter and let it melt, then add the soy sauce and stir. Place the cooked loaf in the pan and let it brown on all sides. 
  • Place on a cutting board or serving platter, sprinkle with herbs and slice thinly. Serve immediately with vegan gravy and mashed potatoes.

Notes

  1. If you can I highly recommend using Better Than Bouillon’s No Chicken Base for the broth. It has a wonderful flavor for this recipe and is lighter in color than most broths, which will give you a lighter colored roast.
  2. If you don’t have a flat steaming basket or insert, you can make your own by placing a few balls of foil on the bottom of a large pot, then add a heat safe plate that the loaf can sit on. It works quite well in a pinch!
  3. Instant Pot: Steam the loaf in your IP by placing a trivet in the pot, as well as the broth for steaming. Seal, and cook for 50 minutes, then let pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure, carefully remove the loaf, then sauté to brown in the vegan butter/soy sauce.
  4. Make a day or two ahead of time: Prepare it up until the point it has steamed for an hour. Let it cool, then refrigerate wrapped in plastic or in a large container. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and wrap in foil. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes to warm, then transfer to the skillet for browning with the vegan butter/soy sauce. Slice and serve.
  5. The loaf can be frozen if needed, but I recommend serving fresh for special holidays as it will taste better.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8 servings | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 426mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 314IU | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

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Comments

  1. Had the first vegan thanksgiving this year and most of the food was from your site.  Everything came out amazing!  Made the turkey roast, gravy, cornbread & stuffing, and mashed potatoes.  Thanks for sharing these!!  Not sure if the attached link works, but posted some pics.  Not the best food photographer but everything definitely tasted better than my pics look!!  Lol

  2. Wow. Made this for thanksgiving. Absolutely delicious. Used the steaming broth to make your gravy. Love your recipe. 

  3. I didn’t have a steamer basket so I put it in a vented foil tent situation in a roasting pan, surrounded it in vegetable broth, and let it go for an hour in the oven at 350 F. Then browned as directed. Turned out great, thank you Nora for my new Thanksgiving centerpiece!

  4. Could I use the steaming broth left over from this recipe to make your easy vegan gravy recipe? Or will the loaf have some sort of negative flavor impact on the steaming broth? Thanks!

  5. Hi Nora, I’ve been making a lot of your recipes recently and they’re all so good!  I am excited to try this roast for Thanksgiving (tomorrow).  I don’t have an instant pot, but do you think I could wrap the roast in foil and use a crock pot instead?

    1. Thanks Jennifer! You might be able to, but I have no idea how long you would cook it for, without testing it. I’m sure it would take several hours in a crock pot, maybe 4 on high? Hope you enjoy it!

  6. Hi! This looks amazing! Should the loaf be partially submerged in broth while steaming? Or should it steam above the level of the broth? Thank you so much!!

    1. No, you don’t really want it submerged at all, you want it to steam. So you less broth if needed, and more if it starts to dry out. Hope that helps!

  7. Just wanted to say I made this on Sunday (11/22), up until the letting it steam then letting it cool step. I’ve kept it in my fridge wrapped in plastic foil and a freezer bag, and have been slicing pieces and heating them up in just butter in the mornings and it’s been making the most amazing lunch sandwiches! I’m going to brown a big chunk for myself for Thanksgiving with the butter and soy sauce, as recommended – but just wanted to encourage anyone else who is thinking of making this to go for it, because it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

    I’ve been doing rye bread, japanese mayo on one side (kewpie brand), hummus on other side, a few thin slices of this roast, and one piece of havarti cheese, and omg! Have also thrown in some cucumbers on one day – also very good!

    Thanks for sharing this roast recipe!

    (Also I didn’t have no bouillon, but used Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth / Seasoning)

  8. This is amazing. I wanted leftover turkey sandwiches. I sliced this thin, placed on a roll with mayo and cranberry sauce… perfection. Definitely a keeper.

  9. I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. We have recently switched to a plant-based diet and I will be making this for Thanksgiving. Thank you so much for this recipe. I will definitely be checking out other recipes on your website.

  10. Thanks for all your awesome recipes!  I’m making this in the instant pot and3-4 cups of broth will not fit under the trivet, should I just put as much as I can without it touching the loaf?

  11. Hi, Nora!

    I don’t need a whole roast since it will just be my husband and I — do you think it would work the same if I cut the ingredients in half? OR do you think I could take the spices from this recipe and use them in the Vegan Chicken recipe to make Vegan Turkey Breasts? Thanks!

    1. Hi! Hmm, I’m not sure. Cutting the ingredients in half will change a lot, including how long it would have to steam and without testing it I can’t say how long it would take. It might work though. You could adjust the spices and use the vegan chicken recipe instead if you want, I’m sure it would be good! Or make a whole loaf, and freeze what you don’t use. Hope that helps!

      1. Coming back to say that this recipe was a success! I ended up making the whole thing, because I forgot about the greatness that is leftover turkey sandwiches, and it was amazing!!! Thanks for helping me eat some protein on Thanksgiving, rather than just carbs 🙂

        I would love to see more seitan recipes in the future since it’s a great way to hit my protein goal and I can always count on your recipes to be perfect 🙂

  12. Stupid question but I’m trying to make something for my niece and her boyfriend for Thanksgiving. The recipe calls for 3/4 of the no chicken broth. This is the prepared broth from the instructions on the jar right? Not actually 3/4 cup of the broth base. The 3-4 cups additional broth is prepared also right? Thanks.

  13. Hi! IS this recipe possible without the vital wheat gluten?
    Thanks,
    Ana Maria (HUGE FAN OF YOURS by the way!)

    1. So sorry but there is no way to make this recipe without it! Thank you so much, sorry I can’t provide an alternative here.

  14. Tried  this tonight in preparation for thanksgiving and my husband and I loved it! Super simple and super tasty. Can’t wait to make it again Thursday  Thank you!!

  15. This looks amazing. Do you know approximately what size the loaf ends up being, so I can make sure I have a pot that is large enough to steam it? Thanks.

    1. Thanks! Yes, the loaf ends up being probably 4 inches high and maybe 8 long. A large soup type pot should be plenty big. Hope that helps!

    1. I would make it 1-2 days ahead of time, probably not more than that, though the leftovers will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator, which I like to use for sandwiches. Hope that helps!

  16. Hi Nora,  can this be steamed in the instant pot on steam setting?  I’m thinking I’d wrap in in foil and steam one hour.  ?
    Thanks!
    Christine

    1. Yes! I have now included instructions for this since everyone wants to know lol! It’s a great idea to free up your stove and oven on the big day. 🙂

  17. Hi, I was wondering what vital wheat gluten is. Obviously a flour if some sort. I wont be able to buy that here in Australia so a wholemeal  flour  perhaps? 

    1. Vital wheat gluten is a very special product that is almost all gluten and makes great vegan meat substitutes. Nothing else can be used here, unfortunately.

  18. Hi Nora. I was wondering if an instant pot could be used for the steaming part of this process. I am excited to try the recipe out. Thanks so much! 

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