A holiday dinner loaf made with firm tofu, vital wheat gluten, and an array of seasonings. This loaf can be stuffed with a savory filling or left plain, and is best made the day before. The stuffed roast slices beautifully and pairs well with festive holiday trimmings, especially gravy. The plain roast is great served hot or cold, sliced or shredded, as a holiday entrée or in sandwiches and salads.
In a food processor, crumble the tofu and add in the garlic, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, vegetable broth, maple syrup, and liquid smoke. Process until somewhat smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the vital wheat gluten and remaining seasonings. Process until a soft elastic firm dough forms, about 1 minute.
Remove the dough and knead with your hands for about 1 minute. If the dough is too wet, add a little vital wheat gluten. If it's too dry, add a little more water or broth. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Divide the dough into three equal pieces, then form each piece into long ropes. Intertwine the ropes together, twisting and tucking them under and around one another, then roll and shape to create an oblong loaf, shaping with your hands to form a smooth even loaf. (This step helps develop the gluten and make fibrous strands).
Options – Stuffed or Plain: to make a plain loaf, proceed to the next step.
To fill the loaf with stuffing make the Simple Stuffing per the Stuffing Instructions** in Notes below.
Roll out your loaf to create a small rectangle. Scoop the stuffing into the center, slightly applying pressure to mold a small oblong loaf shape atop the dough, leaving an inch on either side. Lift one end of the dough up and over the stuffing, then lift the opposite end of the dough up and over the stuffing, joining and pressing the ends of the dough together to form a seam. Press the sides up and down, pressing together to seal the sides. Carefully turn the loaf over so that the seam side is on the bottom.
Wrap the loaf in a large piece of parchment paper so that the seam side is down. Transfer the loaf to a casserole dish or large loaf pan. Pour in ½ cup of broth. Cover the pan tightly with foil or a tight-fitting lid.
Bake the loaf for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Remove the roast from the oven and allow to cool completely, then cover the dish and refrigerate overnight (for up to three days.)
Make the Turkey Glaze.
In a bowl, stir together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, maple syrup, and poultry seasoning. Set aside.
To Serve.
Take the loaf out of the refrigerator and transfer to a shallow casserole dish or baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375° F while the loaf comes to room temperature.
Remove the parchment paper from the loaf. Using a pastry brush, baste the loaf with the prepared Turkey Glaze.
Roast the loaf on the middle rack for 20 minutes, until golden brown and heated through.
Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Store any remaining loaf in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
* If you can’t have soy or tofu, use one can of chickpeas or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained.** If you follow a gluten-free diet, replace the 1½ cups of vital wheat gluten with 1 cup sorghum flour, ½ cup pea protein and 2 tsp Xanthan gum.*** You can use packaged stuffing or make your own Simple Stuffing. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable broth to a simmer and turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then the dried bread cubes. Allow to rest 5 minutes, then toss lightly to fluff. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.I use my food processor with the s blade. You can also use a stand mixer using the whisk attachment to combine the crumbled tofu and first set of ingredients, then shifting to the dough hook after adding the vital wheat gluten and seasonings. Mix on low to medium loaf speed until a soft dough forms.The turkey seiten is adapted from My Quiet Kitchen. My stuffed loaf is inspired by Gardein’s turk’y roast.