Vegan Roast Turkey: Tofurkey

The end of summer brings in the dawn of fall. Bring out the pumpkin spice lattes and vegan roast turkey! Who said you couldn't incorporate vegan cuisine into Thanksgiving?

INGREDIENTS

For the tofurkey:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more for pan

1 French demi-baguette (about 4 1/2 ounces), cut into 1/4"cubes (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

5 sprigs thyme

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 large celery stalk, sliced crosswise into 1/4"-thick pieces (about 3/4 cup)

1 cup homemade vegetable stock or low-sodium vegetable broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 (14-ounce) packages extra-firm tofu

3 tablespoons white miso paste

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

For the gravy:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

12 ounces cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped

2 shallots, quartered

1 garlic clove, crushed

5 sprigs thyme

2 fresh bay leaves

4 cups homemade vegetable stock or low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

Special Equipment

A 1 1/2-quart oval loaf pan or 9x5" loaf pan

PREPARATION

For the tofurkey:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease oval pan with oil, then place a 12" strip of parchment lengthwise down center of the pan, leaving a 1" overhang.
   
   

2. Arrange bread and pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking tray and bake until bread is light golden brown and dry, about 8 minutes.
   
   

3. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion, garlic, and thyme, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add celery and cook, often stirring, until mushrooms are cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; remove thyme sprigs. Add bread and pecans, toss to combine, and set aside.
   
   

4. Pour stock and wine into hot skillet and heat over medium-high, scraping up browned bits with a spoon; season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Cook, stirring until just combined, about 1 minute. Pour over bread mixture, then toss to combine.
   
   

5. Whisk soy sauce, maple syrup, paprika, cayenne, 2 Tbsp. oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl.
   
   

6. Break the tofu into large chunks. Working in batches, break apart tofu with your hands and press down into a towel-lined colander to drain as much water as possible. Bring ends of the towel together, gathering tofu into the middle, and squeeze towel into a ball to expel as much water as possible. Transfer the tofu to a food processor and add miso, cornstarch, garlic powder, and remaining 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
   
   

7. Using an oiled spatula, line bottom and interior sides of prepared pan with two-thirds of the tofu mixture, pressing firmly to create compact 3/4"-high walls. Spoon mushroom mixture into the center and press down firmly. Cover with remaining tofu mixture; smooth surface. (If you have leftover stuffing, bake remaining stuffing in a covered dish separately and serve as a side dish.) Using a pastry brush, brush top generously with soy-maple glaze.
   
   

8. Transfer pan to a rimmed baking sheet and bake tofurkey, brushing top with glaze halfway through until loaf is set and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment and place over the oval pan. Quickly but carefully invert pan to turn out tofurkey onto a sheet, using parchment to remove from pan gently — brush loaf all over with remaining glaze.
   
   

9. Heat broiler and broil until a light brown crust forms, 6–7 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes. Top with parsley and serve with gravy alongside.

For the gravy:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low until it begins to brown and smells fragrant, about 30 seconds. Cook mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add stock, bring to a simmer, and cook, occasionally stirring, until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
   
   

2. Strain mushroom mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; wipe out the pot. Cook flour and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a pot over medium heat, constantly stirring, until browned and thickened, 5–7 minutes.
   
   

3. Add wine, stir to combine, and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in mushroom broth, parsley, 1 1/2 tsp. Salt, and 1/4 tsp. Pepper and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until slightly reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/vegan-tofurkey-with-mushroom-stuffing-and-gravy

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