Tell people you love seitan and they may look at you strangely. Seitan (pronounced say-tan with the emphasis on the tan), is also known as “wheat meat” or vital wheat gluten. It is one of people’s favorite vegan meats because it can be prepared with so many different flavors and textures.
Seitan is processed wheat gluten and it has more protein than tofu or tempeh. Dependingon how you flavor it, seitan can be similar to chicken, beef or pork. It’s dense and chewy and can hold up to any cooking methods so you can Veganize Your Familiar Favorites. If you’re gluten-free, don’t worry. You can make V-Meat, which is a gluten-free version of seitan.
You can buy pre-made seitan in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets and health food stores, but it is less expensive to just make your own. Some people make seitan completely from scratch, rinsing the starch from wheat flour to get to the gluten. Luckily, we can also buy a bag of vital wheat gluten so that part is already done for us. Making your own seitan means you get to choose what flavors and spices go into it and which texture you want it to have. If you’re missing meat, seitan can satisfy your cravings in a meat-free way. Check out 5 Tips for Making Meatless Food Taste Meaty.
Making seitan can sound intimidating. When it’s done right, seitan is absolutely delicious but when it goes wrong, you end up with a globby mess that looks like jiggly brains. Read How to Make Perfect Seitan for several different methods that all lead to the most amazing seitan you’ve ever tasted. Learn How to Make Authentic Smoked Seitan if you love BBQ. Once you have the techniques down, you’ll need to try some incredible recipes. Take a look at Try ‘Seitan’ as a Plant-based Replacement for Meat. Here are Some Recipes! and then try these 15 vegan recipes all made with seitan.
Don’t be intimidated. With these tips, you will be able to make perfect seitan and the most delicious meat-free meals of your life.
1. Seitan ‘a la Taronja’
This Seitan ‘a la Taronja’ is a vegan version of a dish usually made with duck. The seitan is prepared with sauteed cabbage cooked in the flavors of orange juice, marmalade and capers.
2. ‘Chicken-Fried’ Seitan Steak With Buffalo Vinaigrette
Put together Buffalo wings and fried chicken and transform it into one incredible vegan dish and you have this “Chicken-Fried” Seitan Steak with Buffalo Vinaigrette. Served over a salad of carrots and celery, this is indulgence on a plate.
3. Classic Breakfast Links
These Classic Breakfast Links have a firm texture thanks to vital wheat gluten and are crispy on the outside. Just the way a good sausage should be. They have a light beany flavor and pair really well with a tofu scramble and some fresh fruit.
4. Lemon Seitan With Creamy Polenta
This Lemon Seitan with Creamy Polenta is great for a fancy home-cooked dinner for two. Served with roasted apples and butternut squash, this dish will win your way into anyone’s heart.
5. Vegan Bangers
These steamed seitan sausages are seasoned to resemble Lincolnshire sausages. These Vegan Bangers are ideal for sausage sandwiches, added to a vegan fry up or as classic bangers and mash with a rich onion gravy.
6. Grilled Seitan Kebabs With Creole Coconut Sauce
These Grilled Seitan Kebabs are going to have your taste buds dancing. Seasoned with a flavor-packed Creole spice blend, the seitan is cooked in a rich, creamy Creole coconut sauce that will blow your mind.
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7. Chicken-less Burgers
With the right seasonings, seitan can be made to taste like chicken. These Chicken-less Burgers are easy to make and taste so good. They are breaded and baked for a crispy and delicious coating.
8. Betty Crocker Coq au Vin
Make a vegan version of a classic dish. This vegan Coq au Vin uses seitan in place of meat. Cooked in a red wine sauce with lots of veggies and fresh herbs and spices, this will impress your guests for sure.
9. Stuffed Seitan Roast
Just because it’s vegan, doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste amazing! This Stuffed Seitan Roast is stuffed with a flavorful mix of veggies, tofu and nuts. The maple-Dijon glaze makes it perfection.
10. Seitan Kebabs With Sangria Tomato Salad
The tomato salad in this dish is made with white wine and cherry tomatoes. It’s the perfect savory salad to go on the side of these Seitan Kebabs that are flavor-packed from an amazing marinade.
11. Cauliflower Etouffée With Andouille
If you’ve never heard of it before, etouffée is a Cajun/Creole dish from New Orleans that traditionally consists of seafood (usually crawfish) “smothered” in a rich, spicy gravy thickened with a butter-based roux. This Cauliflower Etouffee with homemade seitan andouille sausage is so good , you’ll want to throw the Mardi Gras party just to have an excuse to show it off.
12. Chick’n Style Seitan Cutlets
If you need a delicious replacement for chicken in your recipes, then look no further than these vegan Chick’n Style Seitan Cutlets. They have a texture and subtle salty flavor that is reminiscent of the real thing.
13. Vegan “Butter Chicken”
Use seitan to make this classic Indian dish in a vegan version. Vegan “Butter Chicken” cooks yogurt-marinated seitan in a rich sauce made with cashews and lots of warm, fragrant spices.
14. Homemade Seitan Hot Dogs
Don’t miss out on backyard cook-outs or picnics. These Homemade Seitan Hot Dogs are super easy to make, are juicy and have that kind of eerily familiar mouthfeel.
15. Braised Seitan Short Ribs in Spicy Chile Sauce
After braising in the spicy chile sauce, these Seitan Short Ribs will be tender to the point of almost falling apart. Serve over potatoes or polenta and ladle more of the sauce over everything, after you’ve placed the seitan ribs on top of the mashed potatoes. This dish is so comforting, warm, and satisfying.
Nothing has the same texture and flavor as seitan. Once you try these recipes, you’ll be a seitan worshipper too.
Lead image source: Grilled Seitan Kebabs With Creole Coconut Sauce
