We bought and roasted the top three selling vegan holiday roasts and are giving our honest opinion. It was a hard job, but someone had to do it. LOL!
This is not a sponsored post. We purchased the roasts and all opinions are ours.
THE THREE TOP SELLING VEGAN HOLIDAY ROASTS
We get it, there are people who are not that into cooking, especially during the holidays. The idea of putting together a lentil loaf or a Wellington, can be too much, especially when there are several side dishes and desserts to make.
Well, we're here to the rescue, because there are so many great vegan options for your holiday table, and we've broken down what we like best about the three best selling plant-based turkey holiday roasts, so you can choose the one that's right for you, and take the stress of making the main course off of your plate. See what I just did. 😉
We made the oldie but goodie, Tofurky Plant-Based Roast & Wild Rice Stuffing, Field Roast's Celebration Roast with Traditional Bread Stuffing, and Gardein's Holiday Roast with Cranberry and Wild Rice Stuffing.
They all took about and hour to an hour and thirty minutes to roast and they were all EASY to make. If you can preheat an oven, brush some olive oil on the top, cover with foil and pop it in the oven and set a timer, then you can make one of these like a pro.
FIELD ROAST CELEBRATION ROAST WITH TRADITIONAL BREAD STUFFING REVIEW
WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT THE CELEBRATION ROAST WITH TRADITIONAL BREAD STUFFING
We loved the look of this roast. It has the look of a cob of corn on the exterior that looked festive and inviting.
The color was a beautiful golden brown.
It came with gravy, but we didn't make it because we didn't want the gravy to compete with the roast.
The flavor was good. There was a slight taste of seitan, which we didn't mind, but would have preferred it not be there, but they spiced it well.
WHAT WE WOULD IMPROVE IN THE CELEBRATION ROAST WITH TRADITIONAL BREAD STUFFING
The stuffing blended into the roast so well that it was hard to distinguish the two.
It has to be defrosted in the refrigerator overnight.
TOFURKY PLANT-BASED ROAST & WILD RICE STUFFING REVIEW
WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT TOFURKY VEGGIE ROAST WITH WILD RICE STUFFING
It looked like a real turkey roast, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it.
The flavor was good. There wasn't a lot of seasoning, which made it taste like a turkey that wasn't rubbed or basted with a lot of spice. We did follow the instructions for the rub that they recommended we brush on the roast before cooking, but it didn't really make a difference.
WHAT WE WOULD IMPROVE IN THE TOFURKY VEGGIE ROAST
It has to be defrosted overnight.
The texture was slightly rubbery.
We like spice and flavor, so if we made this again we'd add a bolder rub to the surface before roasting.
GARDEIN HOLIDAY ROAST WITH CRANBERRY AND WILD RICE STUFFING REVIEW
WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT THE GARDEIN HOLIDAY ROAST WITH KALE, CRANBERRY AND WILD RICE STUFFING
EVERYTHING!!!!
You can bake it frozen, no need to thaw. That's so great for me because I always forget to thaw things out. The other two roasts needed to be thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
Let's start with the crispy breaded crust. It browned and crisped up perfectly and gave a wonderful texture to the tender and meaty roast.
If we hadn't known that the meaty part of the roast wasn't turkey, we would have thought that someone was trying us to slip us the real thing. The texture and the taste was so much like what we remember.
The stuffing was lovely and flavorful.
We loved this roast so much that I went back to Whole Foods and bought three more. This will definitely be on our table for Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with a few other main courses.
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE GARDEIN HOLIDAY ROAST WITH KALE, CRANBERRY AND WILD RICE STUFFING
They only release these roasts during the holidays. 🙁
I will be going to buy a few more to keep in the freezer for a cozy winter meal in February and March.
We wouldn't complain if any of these vegan roasts were served to us, but we will definitely choose the Gardein roast when given the chance.
Let us know if you've tried any of these and tell us what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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Dan says
I went to Wegman's this morning to get a vegetarian turkey roast (my wife is vegetarian and while I'm not, I don't really like real turkey anyways) and encountered a freezer end case with four different types: Tofurky, Quorn, Gardein, and Field Roast. I stood in front of that case and stared at those things for like 10 minutes. There was only one Tofurky left and the Gardein had the most left. I figured that probably meant something and I was about to open the door and grab a Tofurky when the girl from the cheese counter came over and pointed at the Gardein. "That's the one you want. Trust me." Thanks for confirming her choice. Looking forward to trying it.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Dan! Good choice, we think you're going to love it. We're having a terrible time trying to track down a Gardein roast in our area. Thankfully, we bought several last year and still have one in the freezer. That with our lentil loaf and sides will make everyone happy.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Carol says
My only complaint about the Gardein roast is - too much stuffing, not enough 'fake' meat. And I have been a Gardein fan for years. I'm going to look for that Trader Joe's version. Hopefully, less stuffing.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Carol! Yes, we agree with you. We still think it has the best texture and flavor, though. Trader Joe's in our area has been packed every time we drive past, so we haven't attempted to look for their roast. Fingers crossed it isn't busy early tomorrow morning. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving!
Veg Girl says
Thanks for the review, but I can’t eat any of the roasts you reviewed. I’m gluten free and vegan, but none of the vegan versions of turkey roasts are gluten free. As a result, we are doing vegetarian with the quorn roast but would prefer a vegan version. Not sure why none of the vegan roasts are gluten free but all have wheat gluten. Vegan and gluten-free is much harder to maintain.
Linda Meyer says
Hi there! Yes, it would be so nice if someone came out with a delicious vegan and gf roast. My son is gf, so I made our veggie lentil loaf for him with gf oats from Bob's Red Mill, and a Gardein roast for those who could eat gluten. Hopefully Beyond Meat will come out with a holiday roast, because there products are soy and gluten free, and non GMO.
Cap'n Dave says
I haven't had the Field Roast only because it's always so freaking expensive compared to the other two, but I have had the Tofurky. It's been my go-to for awhile now, and I will state that yeah, it's rubbery. That's why I wound up sort of OVER-basting it, and it soaked that up as it was roasting, which made it a lot better. Still a little shy on the spices, even with what I added to the basting. In truth, I'd have loved to have had some lavender to add to it - I did an herb rub to a turkey (pre-vegan days) that used lavender and OHMYGAWD...my very health-conscious stepsister wound up peeling off the skin from the breast after it came out and eating it like it was candy! I'll have to find that exact mix again - I THINK it may have been in the Kitchen Witch's Cookbook by Patricia Telesco. Anyway, on to the rest. Gardein...my assessment? OH HELL YES!!! I'm in full agreement with you. The very first Gardein product I ever tried was their fishless fillets. I swear to you that I literally had to check the ingredients list THREE TIMES to be sure it didn't contain any meat! A few of their products are a little "hit or miss", but these roasts? I'm with you there. I loved EVERYTHING about them. Sadly, where I live now has very few Gardein products available. In fact, only two that I'm aware of since they scaled back their products because here, in the land of beer-battered deep-fried Dr. Pepper on a stick, there's not much call, sadly. So this year? I'll be making my own. And yes, there will be stuffing...with wild rice, cranberries, and mushrooms. Boom.
Linda Meyer says
Hey Dave, Thanks so much for the comment! That lavender seasoning sounds amazing! I bet that would make the Tofurky roast super delicious. Couldn't agree more that the fishless filets are AMAZING!!! Coming from the Midwest and attending tons of Friday fish frys we can definitely say that these hold up. Let us know how your own roast turns out this year! It sounds like it's going to be awesome!
Ruth McCoskey says
Thank you for this review. I never liked the Tofurky one and was disapointed with the Field Roast one even though I love the Field Roast Sausages. i live in a community that is just now learning to cater to vegans with minimal vegan meat alternative products. The problem is that the selection is very skimpy. I usually have to stick to either Field Roast sausages or Quorn products - chik'n naked cutlets or chik'n or beefless strips. Those get really old after a while. My hubby likes the recipes for vegan meatloaf you posted so we are going to try one of those for Christmas.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Ruth! Thanks for your comment. If you get the chance to try the Gardein Holiday Roast, you definitely should. It's delicious! We've been told that the Trader Joe's holiday roast is the same as the Gardein roast. If you have a TJ's in your area, try theirs. The meatloaf is a great choice. Our family and friends love them both. Happy holidays!
Cap'n Dave says
I definitely agree that the Tofurky needs...well..."help". Even the stuffing was just sort of "meh". I haven't tried the Fieldroast one (always found it priced WAY too much for such a small roast), and I'll trust your judgment and skip it.
The gardein one? I'm right there with you! I had purchased the "Savory Stuffed Turk'y", which only has two small roasts, but thoroughly enjoyed them. The gravy put me off a bit though - too much sage in it for my tastes, but the roast itself was wonderful!
Next time? My OWN gravy! (Will definitely try TJ's version and see if it is, in fact, just repackaged gardein - especially since TJ's is just up the street from me a bit.
Thanks for the review!
Linda Meyer says
Hi! We didn't even try the gravy because we love ours. LOL! Let us know it the TJ's is the same as Gardein's.
Fia says
I just picked up a roast last weekend. Trader Joe's breaded turkey-less stuffed roast with gravy. It's in the refrigerated (not frozen) section. They said it will stay good in the fridge for a month. It can also be frozen for later use. I've never had it before so can't comment on taste, but it sure looks good. If it is I will go back and get one for Christmas.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Fia! I've been told that the Trader Joe's roast is actually the Gardein roast, it's just sold under the TJ's name. If that's so, I think you're going to love it! People have also told me that they sell out fast. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
Great reviews and so many great options now. I have three in my freezer to pick from for the holidays thanks to sales through the year, lol! I like them all too, especially loaded with vegan gravy. But agreed on the Gardein.
Linda Meyer says
You are all set!!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Trish says
I’ve tried all of them but absolutely nothing compares to Vegetarian Plus’ Vegan Whole Turkey. I bought two a couple of weeks ago because they sell out super quickly. If you haven’t tried it it’s a must!
Linda Meyer says
We had no idea that even existed! Wow!!! We'll have to try that next year. Thanks for the tip. 🙂