A simple, easy, rustic and hearty Vegan Roast that's sliceable, ultra-tender and full of flavor. Just perfect for serving with copious amounts of gravy, roast potatoes and all the trimmings. Leftovers are great in sandwiches too!
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Introducing my new vegan comfort food love. Vegan Roast.
And yes, to answer your question, I have become a homemade seitan lover and I attribute my newfound love to how easy this roast is to make, and how absolutely delicious it is when served up in epic proportions with all the trimmings in a roast dinner type situation!
In this post:
Tis the season of gathering around the table and feasting on delicious food, and I am always in need of simple, manageable, festive recipes that still feel a bit special. And this vegan roast recipe is all of that.
Like my vegan chicken breasts and vegan ham, it is super easy to make and you can prep it and shape it up to 3 days ahead, leave it in the fridge, then cook it on the day, or even in advance. Don't you just love recipes that take the pressure off like that?
It's also way cheaper to make than pre-made vegan roasts and is a great alternative to Thanksgiving turkey or Tofurky. If beef is more your thing though check out my amazing vegan beef recipe!
What Is Seitan?
Seitan (pronounced say-tan) is a vegan meat substitute that is made with vital wheat gluten. It's popular because of its very meaty texture and extremely high protein content. Most of the ready-made vegan meat substitutes that you can buy at the grocery store are seitan based.
When you make seitan you make a dough and then knead it to develop the gluten structure, in a similar way to making bread. That's how it gets it's unique "meaty" texture. In most seitan recipes, the more the dough is kneaded, the chewier the finished product will be. This one is a little different because of the ratio of other ingredients to the vital wheat gluten. It will stay tender and not chewy even if you accidentally knead it for too long. It's a pretty foolproof seitan recipe.
Once kneaded, seitan dough can be cooked by either steaming, baking or simmering in water. Each method creates a very different result. For this recipe baking is what I recommend and you do not need to steam it first.
Please note that because seitan is a wheat based product, people with gluten sensitivities or who are celiac should avoid eating it. You can enjoy my gluten-free seitan roast though!
Ingredients
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
So, let's get down to business. Here’s the run down on what’s going on in this vegan seitan roast and why:
- Vital wheat gluten - Vital wheat gluten is what gives this vegan roast its meaty texture and is an absolutely essential ingredient in this recipe. It absolutely cannot be made without it.
- White beans - Any canned white beans will work. They add moisture to the recipe and keep the roast tender.
- Artichoke hearts - These should ideally be the ones packed in oil for the very best flavor, but the canned ones in water will work too. I haven't tried it but I think you could probably get away with using uncooked mushrooms and a tablespoon of oil instead if you wanted to.
- Nutritional yeast - For depth of flavor. I promise your roast will not taste cheesy!
- Sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper - All the flavor givers to cover up that unique vital wheat gluten taste.
- Tamari or soy sauce - For "meaty" flavor
- Stock - again for flavor and moisture. For this recipe I love to use 2 tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base mixed with the water. It has a chicken-y type flavor that works so well in a roast like this. If you can't get that though any good tasting stock will do.
Success Tip - For the best results when making seitan, weigh the vital wheat gluten on a digital kitchen scale. Cup measurements are not accurate enough when measuring flour-like substances and if you use too much it will greatly affect the texture of the finished roast. If you must use cups spoon the VWG into the cups without compacting or shaking down, then level with a knife. Do not scoop it up or you will end up using way too much.
How To Make A Vegan Roast
And what we are doing here is simple. No cutting board is necessary because there is absolutely no chopping of anything to do!
- Add all of the ingredients except the vital wheat gluten to a food processor.
- Blend them up.
- Add the vital wheat gluten and pulse until a rough dough is formed.
- Tip out and knead until it looks fibrous. This is how it should look:
- Shape into a log, and roll up like a Christmas cracker in foil.
- Let it rest then unwrap and serve or store for later.
You just made your own vegan roast, you little genius you!
Success Tip - Don't skip the kneading. I've heard that some seitan recipes come out tough as old boots if you knead them too much and I don't want you to be scared of that. I promise that as long as you follow my recipe exactly, this one won't. Even if you get carried away and knead it way more than called for it will still be beautifully tender.
Serving Suggestions
Slice up that tender roast and serve it with:
It also makes the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Don't forget the cranberry sauce!
Be sure to slice up any leftovers because it also makes great lunch meat/cold cuts for sandwiches and salads etc!
How To Store & Reheat
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Keep them wrapped well to stop them drying out. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.
It's great cold or at room temperature, but to reheat, wrap in foil tightly and pop in the oven on about 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Or microwave individual slices for around 30 seconds.
Recipe FAQs
Vital wheat gluten is made from wheat flour which is hydrated to activate the gluten, the main protein in wheat. Then everything but the gluten is removed. The gluten is then dried and ground back into a powder. It's the main ingredient in seitan recipes like this one, but is also great when used as a binder in vegan meatloaf and burgers. I use it in the "meatball" recipe in my cookbook Vegan Comfort Cooking. It's also a useful ingredient in bread recipes. Just a tablespoon or two in a loaf can improve the texture and elasticity of dough, which in turn helps improve the rise, crumb and the crust. It's especially useful when making bread with lower protein flours such as wholewheat and rye. Vital wheat gluten pretty cheap to buy although not all grocery stores carry it. I buy mine from Amazon. This is the one I used to make my seitan. It's incredibly good value for a great big bag and it's non GMO. Pour it into an airtight container and leftovers will keep for ages and ages.
This recipe does need to be wrapped in foil to cook properly If you try without it it will dry out. If you prefer the foil not to come into contact with your food, wrap the roast in baking parchment paper (not wax paper) first, and then cover that tightly in the foil.
Recipe
Vegan Roast
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (270 grams) canned white beans , drained & rinsed (such as white kidney, lima, great northern, or cannellini)
- 1 cup (200 grams) artichoke hearts , ideally packed in oil but in water is fine too. Squeeze gently to remove excess liquid before measuring.
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup (28 grams) nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce or tamari
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon rubbed sage , or ½ the amount of ground sage
- ¾ teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base , or ½ cup of strong tasting veg/mushroom stock instead of the Better Than Bouillon & water.
- ½ cup (120 mls) water
- 2 cups (256 grams vital wheat gluten
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 °C).
- To a food processor add the beans, artichoke hearts, garlic, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, black pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme, Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base, and water. Process until well combined and smoothish.
- Add the vital wheat gluten to the food processor and pulse until a rough dough is starting to form then tip out onto a clean surface. Bring it together with your hands and knead for 7 minutes. By the time you have finished kneading the dough should look fibrous. See my picture in the post above as a guide. If it isn't, knead for a few minutes more.
- Shape the dough into a log shape roughly 8½ inches long and 4 inches wide.
- Get a long piece of foil (around 20 inches long) and place the roast right at the end of it, long side of the roast along the shortest side of the foil. Roll it up in the foil. Keep rolling it until you reach the end, so that the roast is surrounded by a few layers of foil. Then twist each end tightly shut so it looks like a Christmas cracker.
- Place the foil wrapped roast onto a baking tray and place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Turn it over and bake for another 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. Leave it to rest in the foil for at least 30 minutes before opening and slicing. It will stay warm for a few hours if you don't unwrap it.
NOTES
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Dawn says
Is it possible to freeze it before baking? I’m working next week and won’t have time to make it in the 3 nights before Christmas! Thanks ?
A Virtual Vegan says
I've never frozen it before baking so I don't know how it would turn out. It's great made ahead though and would be fine in the fridge for up to a week. It can also be frozen with no problems once it's been baked.
Carol Bryan says
I just made this recipe for last night. My husband had bought an exceptional bottle of red wine for a special dinner so I made the roast. We thought it would taste better with a beef focus rather than turkey or other poultry so I adjusted the recipe slightly. I left out the sage and used "Better Than Bouillon No Beef" rather than "No Chicken." The roast was spectacular and was darker brown and had more of a beef flavor. We had roasted potatoes and Red Wine Gravy along with veggies. It was wonderful.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Carol! Your meal sounds delicious!
Nicola says
Is there a way to make this recipe gluten free? Or for your gluten free roast recipe can I add artichokes and/or beans? I like the ideas of the flavours in this recipe a bit better than the gluten free recipe version. Looks great thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
I wouldn't try making this recipe gluten-free. It took me months to perfect my gluten-free roast. There are no straight swaps. It would be much better to make my already GF recipe.
Regarding the GF one, you could probably use artichokes instead of the mushrooms. Be sure to squeeze them out well to get most of the liquid out of them. I'd suggest the marinaded ones in oil rather than brined for max flavour. I wouldn't recommend using beans in the GF one. I had to work really hard to get a decent texture. Beans make it way too smooth and pate'ish and they don't have much flavour either.
Keith Stewart says
Thanks for this recipe. My doctor has put me on a vegan diet because of high cholesterol. I made this roast tonight and it is fantastic. There are lots of leftovers which is a good thing because I could eat it every night.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Keith and best of luck with lowering your cholesterol!
Cherri says
Are the marinated artichoke hearts what you use? Those are the only ones I can find in oil.
A Virtual Vegan says
They are fine. They'll add some extra flavour!
Lindsey says
Hi there!
I’m excited to try this recipe out as a replacement for the Quorn roast. :-) I’m curious if olive oil poached mushrooms or jarred palm hearts could replace the artichoke hearts?? (Trying to use what I’ve got b4 buying other stuff.)
Thanks for sharing your creation!
-Linds
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tried either in this recipe so I'm not sure how they would affect the flavour or texture. If you try it though let us know how it turns out!
James says
How sticky should the dough be when kneading? Should it be like a bread dough or more to the sticky side?
Melanie McDonald says
Not sticky. A bit tacky. When kneading it feels kind of like tough bread dough.
Lacey says
Phenomenal recipe! I even used artichokes in brine and added capers to make up for some flavor. I also used a lot of spices and added a drop of liquid smoke. It was my first time kneading so I felt like I had no idea what I was doing and it still came out tender and delicious! The hubby is even surprised it looks like meat! Its so easy and with your onion gravy from your book, this recipe is now on our rotation. Thank you so much!!
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you Lacey! I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it and thanks so much for stopping by to leave a review. It's much appreciated!
Maria says
I measured out the vital wheat gluten using cups instead of a scale. I haven't cooked the roast yet. Unfortunately, I missed the part that says only use a scale. Now I'm wondering if it will be ruined
A Virtual Vegan says
It doesn't say to only use a scale. It says "for the best results weigh the vital wheat gluten". I always recommend a scale for measuring flour-like substances in my recipes because cups are notoriously inaccurate. Every single time you fill a cup it will be holding a different weight and it can really affect how recipes turn out. Also people don't tend to use measuring cups correctly. Some scoop the ingredient up into the cup which means they will end up with up to a third more than was intended. The only way to be accurate is to use a scale.
Regardless though, as long as you measured with the measuring cup as they are intended to be used (by spooning the VWG in and scraping the top with a knife without shaking/compacting it down, you should have just about the right amount and the recipe will be fine. Even if you used too much in this recipe it won't ruin it. You'd just need to add a little more liquid to make the dough come together. Hope that helps.
Heather Bright says
Well this is a game-changer! Loved it, so simple and I'm looking forward to using the leftovers.thank you so much for this recipe, it will be well used.
Lana Anderson says
I made this for supper yesterday. It was a hit! Excellent flavor! I did not have artichokes in oil, so had to use artichokes in brine. It was still delicious. I will buy the artichokes in oil for next time. What is the reason to use artichokes in oil? Less salt?
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm glad you enjoyed it Lana! I prefer the artichokes in oil because that little bit of oil residue on them that ends up included makes the roast a bit more moist and tender, plus the ones in oil taste better. The oil itself adds flavour and they are usually marinated in herbs etc too so add much more flavour to the roast. Also as you said, the ones in brine can make it all a bit salty. The Better Than Bouillon or stock and soy sauce are necessary for good meaty flavour but they are also quite salty. The recipe doesn't need more on top of that. Hope that helps!
Lana Anderson says
Thanks so much!
Cyndy says
This recipe sounds amazing! Do you know if there is any adjustment to cooking time or temperature for high altitude? I want to make this for Christmas dinner but we will be in the mountains at 7200ft. I’m a little worried it might not be cooked correctly and won’t know that until I open the foil. BTW your attention to detail and comments within this recipe are very helpful. They give me the confidence to try this. Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm sorry but I have no experience of cooking at high altitude, but I did just Google and according to this source (and a few others I looked at) https://www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety/four-steps/cook/cooking-guide-for-high-altitudes , high altitudes don't really affect oven-roasted meats etc and sea level instructions should apply still, so that should be the same for this. It's only when boiling, grilling, frying and baking with leaveners and yeast that it makes a big difference. The altitude doesn't affect the oven temperature and there are no leaveners or yeast involved so I'd just bake it as per the recipe. You might however need an extra tablespoon or two of liquid to get the dough to come together. You are looking for a stiff, quite tough to knead, dough. Hope that helps!
Nina says
Hi Mel and greetings from the UK. Thanks for the fabulous recipe and video ( so helpful) my food processor broke down on me yesterday. (new food processor on order) I have all the ingredients to make this. Could I use my Vitamix or Mini blender to blend some of it together? Also can I use my Kitchenaid to knead the dough with the dough hook. If so would I knead it for the same length of time? Many thanks. I love it that you test your recipes so well. I have just purchased your cookbook. Love it.., sending you a virtual ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi there Nina and thank you! You can definitely blend the first part up (minus the vital wheat gluten) in your Vitamix. Then scrape it out into your KitchenAid and add the VWG. Luckily with this recipe, unlike other seitan, it's very hard to over-knead it because of the high proportion of beans and artichokes to VWG. I tried and it made little difference to the outcome so you'll be fine doing it in the KitchenAid. I'd go for 4 minutes kneading in there or when it looks fibrous and stringy like the picture in my post.
Hope you enjoy it!
Kerrie says
Love this recipe!
Mary says
This is the best seitan recipe. So glad I found it. Thank you for sharing it.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you're enjoying it Mary! Watch out for a new one coming soon!
Elaine says
So good! I did end up using artichokes in brine since that was all I had, but I reduced the total water and it worked out wonderfully anyway.
Maria Williamson says
Hi
Have you ever done seitan with chickpeas instead of white beans? I have done seitans before using gram flour, but im sure I read somewhere that chickpeas give a better result. :-) xx
A Virtual Vegan says
You could use chickpeas instead of the white beans but this recipe was tested both ways and I think white beans give it a better texture. Taste-wise it doesn't really make much difference. You definitely can't use gram flour in this recipe though.
Alan says
This is absolutely my go to seitan recipe. I’ve made it with mushrooms of all kinds and can confirm that it comes out really well.
My favorite use is for a “sausage egg and cheese muffin”. Slices from the log perfectly fit an English muffin and I fry a slice lightly in olive oil alongside a slice of silken tofu (drained and squeezed lightly in paper towel) and when turning over, a slice of vegan cheddar is melted on top of the seitan and some kala namak sprinkled on the tofu. When heated through and the cheese has melted place the seitan and tofu on a toasted and buttered English muffin (I add some BBQ sauce). The smell and look is just like a sausage, egg and cheese muffin you would buy from a deli (or McDonalds & Starbucks) and what’s more, the taste is better! It’s a great once a week treat! If I’m feeling very fancy I’ll cut the tofu into a circle to match the size of the
An adjustment I’ve made is to use a vegan beef bouillon and in this version I typically tear pieces roughly from the log (length wise) after refrigerating overnight. The texture and look is very much like pieces of chopped beef and I then use these to make a vegan “beef bourguignon”.
Thanks so much for the recipe Mel. There are a lot of store made and other seitan recipes out there but this is the easiest and best version.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Alan! Watch out for a "beef" recipe coming soon. I'm still testing it but it's very nearly there!
Debbie Gaudet says
Hi Mel, could you explain to me why you can knead this for 7 minutes and all of my other recipes say not to over knead seitan because it makes it too chewy. Thank you, looking forward to another great recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
All recipes are different. Perhaps they have different proportions of vital wheat gluten to the other ingredients. This one has a purposely high proportion of artichokes and beans for flavour and also to avoid the problems of a jaw achingly chewy roast. The gluten needs the kneading for that amount of time or the texture of the roast is too soft. It's been throughly tested at all different kneading times and even if you go way over the 7 minutes it doesn't really get too chewy because the percentage of gluten in it isn't high enough to make it that way. The only way it can get a bit tough is if it gets overcooked, but that's the same with anything. As long as the roasting directions are followed there are no worries there though. I hope that helps and that you enjoy it when you try it!