I can’t even tell you how good this is. If you’re a Jew, you’ll recognize the smells as shabbat food. If you’re not a Jew, you’ll recognize the smells as delicious and homey. This is my go-to comfort food for holidays, or even just a cozy warm night in with the family. The kids go to town on this and so do we. It’s much easier to make than it seems. When I created this recipe, it was as if the culinary arc of my childhood came back to life for the first time since going vegan a decade ago. Plus – it’s kid and carnivore approved, which isn’t an easy feat for a meal for all.
First of all, you’ll need a covered oven roasting pan for this recipe. Some people call them covered dutch ovens, preferably ceramic. The fanciest sort are available from Le Creuset, but you can buy close copies on major sale at discount stores like TJ Max. This recipe just doesn’t taste as delicious coming from a non stick aluminum pan. Go for the dutch oven. The bigger the better, you’ll want to pack the pan full of goodness and let the leftovers last you all week – trust us. But you really can’t make this recipe without one. So buy one, you’ll use it for a zillion other things.
Here are a few we like;
Jewish Style Vegan Tofurky Pot Roast
INGREDIENTS
- Tofurky (either size) OR Field Roast Roast. We’ve found the Tofurky to work better and absorb the flavors better than the Field Roast in this particular recipe, but we’ve also tried out putting both in the pot to have both options so carnivores can taste test their faux meat preference to be successful. If you buy it frozen, be sure to thaw it overnight. The tofurky often comes with it’s own pack of gravy. Feel free to add it to the homemade gravy we make as a little extra booster, or leave it out. It’s delish either way.
- Carrots -6 large peeled
- Parsnips -4 large peeled
- New Potatoes -10 small red
- Leeks – 2 chopped in half
- Celery – 4 or 5 stalks chopped in half
- Rosemary – fresh container – either whole or chopped
- Sage – fresh container – either whole or chopped
- Shitakes – container
- Onions – two white, chopped in fours
- Garlic – one whole bulb thrown in florets
- Wild or Black Rice – one cup
- Red or Brown Lentils – one cup
- Optional: Cubes of Butternut Squash
FOR GRAVY
- 1 beer OR 1.5 cups of white wine (don’t worry, the booze cooks out so it won’t make anyone drunk)
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup soy sauce or braggs amino acids
- 1.5 cups olive or canola oil
- 1 cup vegetable stock (optional – if you want to leave it out you can use water, will explain more in directions)
- herbs of choice – we prefer a couple of bay leaves, toss of sage, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, more dried rosemary – but you can leave it just the fresh herbs
DIRECTIONS
Put the tofurky in the center of the dutch oven. Toss in the rice and lentils so they are at the bottom. Then stagger all the different veg and garlic and herbs all around the tofurky, making sure the tofurky stays centered. In a tupperware (or anything you can close and shake) – add all the gravy ingredients. Once shaken up, pour it on top of all the roast and veg. If it’s covering everything about 50% up to the top of the dutch oven, you’re in business. If the food doesn’t seem covered – add some more water or veg stock. The sauce will leek into the veggies, potatoes, and roast and make them heavenly. Opt for organic ingredients, if it all possible. Put in the oven at about 375 for 1.5 hours – if all the veg aren’t super soft leave it in another 30 minutes. Serve in the dutch oven and let everyone serve themselves – offer a serrated knife, large spoon, and tongs for all the different options — and also a small ladle so you can sop up some gravy.
TIP:
If you don’t live close to a health food store, and you know you’ll be making this regularly and have deep freeze storage — buy ’em in bulk online and save yourself the hassle.
It tastes even better than it looks!
