Herb and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Vegan Turkey Breast

One of the most popular recipes on this site is our Vegan Deli Sliced Turkey. And for good reason! It’s delicious and super easy to make.

We mixed vital wheat gluten, tofu, herbs and spices to create a very convincing vegan turkey breast. The texture and flavor are just spot on!

So when I was thinking over new spring dish ideas, specifically main dishes, I decided I wanted to stuff that turkey breast with some herbs, roll it up, and see how it would turn out.

I had imagined using a variety of herbs and bread crumbs to stuff the vegan turkey breast with, but because I am wrote this recipe durning some very strange, unprecedented, quarantine times, I had to use what I had on hand.

I had a bunch of basil and a bag of sun dried to tomatoes so decided to work from there. I love basil and sun dried tomatoes together and decided the combo would give this stuffed turkey breast and Italian feel. The flavors are bright but also light and zippy.

Even though the filling was not what I had originally dreamed up, it just goes to show using what you have on hand sometimes can create happy accidents….errrr, well, this is less an accident and more a product of availability, and mandatory shelter at home orders. But still the result was happy!

You can use any herbs you have on hand, as well. If do not have sun dried tomatoes you can skip that and just use herbs and bread crumbs.

We ate this vegan turkey breast as a dinner, but you could easily slice it thinly and use it for one dang delicious sandwich, too.

So if you have been thinking about what you would make for your next spring holiday meal, or have some extra time on your hands and want to give seitan turkey a go, there is no better time than now!

This recipe is beyond easy, and so delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 block extra firm high protein tofu (14oz -16oz block)
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 tablespoon No Chicken Better Than Bouillon
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt optional if you feel like the bouillon is not salty enough
3 tablespoons mix Italian herbs for the coating, plus 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

*I used high protein tofu in a sort of vacuum sealed package and this what I strongly advise using. It is much firmer than regular firm tofu and has less moisture and a more chewy texture. If you opt to use regular firm tofu you will need to press it first and remove as much liquid as possible. You may need to adjust the amount of water in the recipe ads a result as well. Add the water last, adding just enough to accomplish a firm dough. Be advised that I have not made this turkey with regular firm tofu and I have gotten several comments that using it has caused the tofu to have more of bread texture with many holes in it. I am sure moisture is what is causing this issue. I really suggest only using the HIGH PROTEIN EXTRA FIRM for this recipe if you can find it.

FOR THE FILLING:

1 cup bread crumbs (make sure they are vegan, many brands are not)
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Begin by adding all of the ingredients for the filling in the food processor. Mix for a few minutes until all of the ingredients are minced up and browned down into a crumb consistency. Place filling in a bowl and set aside. Rinse the food processor.
Break up the tofu and place it into a food processor with the regular metal blade. Run the processor for around a minute until the tofu is broken down.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and let the food processor run for a couple of minutes. You want the mixture to form a dough. Letting the processor run will help knead the dough. We want this seitan to be firm so we need it to knead for a bit. If you dough seems a bit too dry, you can add another few tablespoons of water, just don’t add too much more! I start at 1/2 cup and work from there.
Once you have a smooth but firm dough, remove it from the food processor and place on a clean counter. Knead the dough with your hands for about a minute. Flatten the dough out into a regtangle-ish shape. About 12 inches by maybe 8 inches.
Spread the filling over the dough leaving some room around the edges so the filling does not spill out.
Begin rolling up the dough starting at one of the shorter ends. Once you have rolled it up, tuck in the ends.
Take a piece of aluminum for about 3x bigger than the loaf of dough, and lay it out flat. Coat the foil in spray oil or wipe it down with any oil you have. Sprinkle half coating seasoning you are using in the center of the foil. Place the loaf on the seasoning and roll it around. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the top and press it in. The goal is to fully coat the loaf in the seasoning!
Place the loaf back in the center of the foil and fold up the sides, pinching at the top to seal it up, then twist the ends to fully seal the foil.
Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven on the middle rack. Bake sealed for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes carefully open up the foil, and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
Remove finished “turkey” breast and let cool at room temp. Seal the foil back up and place the “turkey” breast in the fridge over night to rest. This step is important to get the texture we are trying achieve. If you try and serve it before it rests it will not be nearly as firm.
Once the “turkey” breast has been in the fridge over night, you can remove it and slice it to serve. Since this turkey is better hot, Just slice and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until it is heated back through. I like to give it a little spray with oil when reheating and cover with foil to keep it from getting too dry.

*If your oven cooks hotter than the temperature registered, your “turkey” may develop little holes around the edges. If this happens you can decrease the temperature by 20 degrees the next time you make this dish, or cook uncovered for less time . The turkey will still be delicious but this has been a question asked often in our regular deli turkey breast. It could also be a matter of making sure you knead the dough long enough.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Turkey Style Roast with Crispy Skin

I have made many a vital wheat gluten roast in my time, yet they have always been more in the faux beef or pork family. This year for the holidays, I tried experimenting with more of a turkey style roast, and was pretty happy with the outcome.

This time I used rice paper to help create a crispy “skin” on the roast and I tell ya, that’s my favorite part! You can serve this roast right out of the oven, or let it rest in the fridge for a day to firm up some. I totally sliced and ate some when we are taking pics right out of the oven, and it was delicious! It would have been even more delicious on a pile of mashed potatoes covered in gravy, and that is my Thanksgiving plan!

If you let the roast rest in the fridge to firm up, the skin will lose its crispness, and you have to reheat it to get the skin to crisp back up, not unlike real meat. So, you can allow it to rest and pop it back in the oven to allow the skin to get crispy again, or slice the roast and reheat it in a pan, which is what I like to do for sandwiches.

In this recipe we use Herbs de Provence. This is a French herb blend that is pretty similar to poultry seasoning but with a few additional herbs. I LOVE it and use it in all kinds of recipes. I have added a link to amazon so you can give a look if you haven’t seen it before, but you can find it pretty easily in the spice section of most grocery stores now, and even Trader Joe’s now sells it.

If you do not have a food processor, you can still make this recipe. You would at least need to blend the onion and jackfruit in a blender to get it very broken down, then add it along with the other ingredients to a large bowl and knead by hand for about 5 minutes

Even if the ingredients are new and seem intimidating, making seitan (vegan meats from vital wheat gluten) is really as easy as making a simple dough. I promise!!! And if you have a food processor it’s really ridiculously easy. Here’s a video that explains the entire process.

Making your own vegan meat is also really affordable, which is another bonus! Try this recipe to use for lunch meat slices or as a holiday main dish, either way you will likely be surprise just how easy and delicious making you own vegan meat can be!

INGREDIENTS:

You will need aluminum foil, and a baking sheet for this recipe

1 can jackfruit in brine
1/2 small yellow onion
1 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence, or Poultry spice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2-3 teaspoons water if needed

RICE PAPER SKIN:

2 tablespoons white wine
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon Vegetable Better than Bouillon
3 sheets rice paper

INSTRUCTIONS:

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, add the drained and rinsed jackfruit, and the 1/2 onion. Process for a few minutes until the onion and jackfruit are finely minced, almost mushy.
Add in the remaining ingredients except the water. Process for several minutes. You want the mixture to come together into a dough you can handle. Allow the food processor to run for a full minute or two to knead the dough. If it seems too dry and is crumbly, add in some water until it comes together.
After the dough has hung out in the food processor for several minutes, remove and place onto a clean dry surface. Continue to knead the dough while forming it into a smooth oval shape.
Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with spray oil, or brush the foil with some oil. This step is important because the oil is going to prevent the roast from sticking to the foil.
Add all of the ingredients for the rice paper skin, except the rice paper, to a shallow dish or pie pan and whisk. Place one sheet of rice paper into the liquid and let it sit there until it becomes completely soft. This takes several minutes. Gently lift the rice paper from the dish and place it in the middle of the foil. Place the “turkey” roast on top of the paper and fold the edges of the rice paper up around the roast. Continue with the other 2 pieces of rice paper just the same as the first, draping each one over the top of the roast and tucking or pressing the edges of the paper around the roast. The paper should be very soft and sticky, and cling well to the roast.
Fold up the sides of the foil making a pouch, pinching the foil together well along the top to form a tight seal, and twisting the ends of the foil. Place the pouch on a baking sheet in the oven on the top rack. Allow the roast to bake in the sealed pouch for half and hour. After half an hour, carefully remove the roast from the oven and open the pouch, making sure the tops and sides of the roast are exposed. If you sprayed the foil well the rice paper should not be sticking too badly to the foil. If it is, gently pull it away form the foil and push torn rice paper back into the roast. Give the top of the roast a spray of oil or light brushing and return it to the oven for another 40 minutes.
I suggest letting the roast cool and firm up at least over night in the refrigerator wrapped back up in the foil pouch or in an airtight container. When ready to serve the roast just pop it back in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 for 15 minutes or so to warm and crisp the skin back up. You can also slice the cold roast and reheat the slices in the pan. You can serve the roast immediately after cooking it, but I will not be as firm as it would be if you allow it to rest.

If you like this recipe, try these: