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Lifestyle

I Broke Down Tofurky’s List of Ingredients So You Don’t Have To

Ahh, Thanksgiving. Nothing makes you feel more warm and fuzzy than pairing some stretchy pants with a loose sweater and taking in all the glorious smells of the season.

After all, there’s nothing better than wafts of roasting sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, buttery pie crusts laced with notes of pumpkin spice, and of course, if you’re not into turkey, a tofurky in the oven. 

But what is tofurky, exactly?

A photo posted by @the_tofurky_company on

Tofurky is a company that produces 100% plant-based, non-GMO meat analogs, from mock-deli slices to veggie burgers, and most famously an assortment of “Roasts,” “Feasts,” and “Gravy.” The roasts offer vegetarians and vegans a hearty centerpiece entree to enjoy during the holidays (although let’s be real, the sides are what make Thanksgiving awesome anyway).

tofurky
Nancy Chen

The roast itself it primarily made from vital wheat gluten (which is a powder made from the protein of, yes, the same gluten in bread). This is produced by washing wheat flour with water until all the starch dissolves. Also in the mix is organic tofu, canola oil, garbanzo bean flour, white bean flour, lemon juice, a variety of flavorful vegetables, including onion, carrot, and celery, as well as some soy sauce and other natural seasonings.

tofurky
Liz Kaplan

If the turkey substitute wasn’t enough, the roast is filled with a savory stuffing, which is a healthful mix of brown and wild rice rice, whole wheat bread cubes, spices, and onions and celery. Aka a vegan version of what your mom makes.

A photo posted by @the_tofurky_company on

And of course, no Thanksgiving experience would be complete without a guzzle of gravy to wash down the mashed potatoes and stuffing. Tofurky’s plant-based gravy is a flavorful concoction made from water, whole wheat flour, shoyu soy sauce, canola oil, rice starch, onions, carrots, celery, rosemary extract, xanthan gum (likely for thickening), and vitamins E and C (likely to act as natural preservatives).

A photo posted by @the_tofurky_company on

The result? A savory, hearty umami vegan delight reminiscent of a turkey roast. The stuffed roast and the gravy are available for individual purchase, or you can buy the whole shebang in the “Holiday Vegetarian Feast” package.

If you’re not into eating meat, looking for something to feed your vegetarian cousin, or are simply wanting to shake up your entree game, give the Tofurky a try. Holiday Tofurky products are often seasonally seen at places like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and many other natural food and speciality stores.

Katherine has been involved with Spoon since the early days of the NYU chapter. She continued to write for Spoon while earning her master's degree in human nutrition at Columbia University and authored the Spoon Guide to Healthier 2016. Katherine likes to avoid wearing real pants, hanging out with her rescue pup Millie, drinking iced coffee in all 4 seasons, and baking vegan treats (yes, Baker is her last name). Katherine is now a student at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and learns about how climate change impacts human health and nutrition (#school5ever). Hit her up on Insta (@katherinebaker4) and kbaked.com for more #relatablecontent.