Review: Unreal Deli - Unreal Roasted Turk'y

Unreal Deli's Unreal Roasted Turk'y is a plant-based deli meat made from wheat protein (gluten), cannellini beans, and chickpeas.

A 5-oz bag retails for $5.99 at my local supermarket, but I received this courtesy of Unreal Deli.

The Unreal Roasted Turk'y had a peculiar aroma, and the best way that I can think to describe it would be similar to whole wheat bread but with a beany earthiness and some faint onion notes.

Compared to the Unreal Corn'd Beef by the same company, the Unreal Roasted Turk'y had a firmer texture and less moisture. It maintained its integrity better when handled, but it crumbled into harder, rubbery granules when chewed (this was especially noticeable when eaten by itself). The Unreal Roasted Turk'y fared better when eaten with sandwich fixings, but it still had a fairly resistant bite and strange mouthfeel.

The lighter seasonings on the Unreal Roasted Turk'y didn't do much to help with masking the taste of the vegetable proteins. I mostly tasted some onion and garlic flavors, but they were quite light. In contrast to typical deli meat, these plant-based deli slices were not that salty.

Overall, the Unreal Roasted Turk'y was a flop for me. The texture was quite off-putting even when combined with other sandwich ingredients, and the light seasoning resulted in a bland eating experience. I really felt like I was eating vegan food--bad connotations and all. Of the two Unreal Deli products I've tried, the Unreal Roasted Turk'y was by far the lesser offering. I'd rate this middling to low.

Review by Renee.

Nutritional Info - Unreal Roasted Turk'y
Serving Size - 2 oz (57g)
Calories - 110 (from Fat - 30)
Fat - 3.5g (Saturated Fat - 0g)
Sodium - 380mg
Carbs - 7g (Sugar - less than 1g)
Protein - 16g