How To Make Seitan

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This recipe shows you how to make seitan using white flour, water, and spices. You'll end up with incredibly delicious, protein-packed homemade vegan seitan perfect for a variety of dishes. The process takes about 2 hours, followed by an overnight rest in the refrigerator, so plan to make it a day in advance. The best part? This seitan is budget-friendly and can be frozen, ensuring you always have it on hand to use in a variety of dishes.

If you make this recipe, you absolutely have to try these vegan seitan kabobs as well—they're absolutely delicious! And if you're looking for similar recipes, I recommend trying this vegan roast beef, it's always a big hit, or these vegan tofu nuggets, they're so good!

⭐ Why I love this recipe

I love seitan because it's a fantastic source of protein for vegans and vegetarians. With about 25 grams of protein per 100 grams, it's perfect for meeting your daily protein needs. It's not just high in protein; it's also packed with essential amino acids, making it a nutritious choice for a healthy diet. Plus, it's budget-friendly and requires only a few ingredients that I always have in my kitchen.

Another great thing about this recipe is that seitan can be stored in the freezer. This means you always have a ready-to-use protein option on hand. It's super convenient for adding to various dishes without needing any last-minute prep, making it both practical and delicious.

🧾 Ingredients

To make this recipe, you only need a handful of ingredients. Here are the main ingredients for this recipe:

• High-protein white flour: I prefer using a white flour with a protein content of at least 12%. Higher protein content yields more seitan from the recipe.

• Spices: To flavor the seitan, I like to use a combination of spices. I use smoked paprika, garlic powder, and rosemary powder, which add a savory and aromatic profile to the seitan.

🥄 Equipment

To prepare this recipe, I use only a spacious bowl where I first make the seitan dough and then rinse it to remove the starch. Following that, I use a tall pot or deep pan to simmer the seitan in broth.

🥣 How to make

This chapter provides a detailed breakdown of the recipe, featuring step-by-step instructions. You can find the complete recipe with ingredient amounts at the bottom of this blog post.

Step 1: Combine flour and water in a large bowl, kneading until smooth. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover with cold water, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Knead, pull, and squeeze the dough under water until the water becomes opaque (almost white).

Step 3: Strain the seitan and repeat the process until the water turns only slightly opaque and the seitan is elastic and spongy. It should weigh around 450 g when ready.

Step 4: Squeeze the seitan to remove any excess water and place it in a bowl. Add the spices and knead until well incorporated.

Step 5: Flatten it using your hands, form it into a rectangle and cut it into 3 strands.

Step 6: Braid the strands tightly as shown in the image above. If braiding feels tricky, Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour or gluten powder and knead another 2-3 minutes.

Step 7: Next, pull the strands and knot the seitan one final time.

Step 8: In a large pot, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the seitan, cover partially with a lid, and cook over low heat for 90 minutes. Flip it every 30 minutes and add more stock if needed.

Step 9: Once cooked, allow it to cool completely and store it in the fridge overnight.

Step 10: Shred it using two forks and use immediately. Store the chunks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

👨🏻‍🍳 Expert tip

If braiding the seitan strands proves difficult, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour or gluten powder and knead another 2-3 minutes. You can also try to let the dough rest in a bowl for 30 minutes before attempting to braid. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the seitan easier to stretch.

After cooking, it's essential to let the seitan rest overnight in the refrigerator. Freshly cooked seitan can initially be spongy, but an overnight rest allows its texture to become more meaty.

💭 Top tip

I recommend doubling the seitan recipe and freezing the extra seitan chunks for up to 2-3 months. This way, you'll always have seitan ready to go for any meal. Whether you choose to use it straight from the freezer by quickly roasting it in a pan or prefer to thaw it overnight in the fridge, having pre-made seitan makes meal prep simpler. It adds a protein-packed boost to your favorite dishes without the need to cook from scratch every time, making cooking more efficient and enjoyable.

❄️ Storage

To store the seitan in the fridge, place the chunks in an airtight container. It can be stored this way for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, consider freezing the seitan.

To store it in the freezer, wrap the seitan chunks tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Alternatively, place it in a freezer-safe container or a zip-lock bag, squeezing out as much air as possible before sealing. Seitan can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. When ready to use, thaw the seitan overnight in the refrigerator for best results.

📔 FAQ

🎥 Video

📖 Recipe

How To Make Seitan

Carlo Cao

This recipe shows you how to make seitan using white flour, water, and spices. You'll end up with incredibly delicious, protein-packed homemade vegan seitan perfect for a variety of dishes.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Resting time 12 hours hrs

Total Time 14 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 6

Ingredients

 

MetricImperial (US)

 

1x2x3x

• 1 kg high protein white flour at least 12% protein
• 700 ml water
• 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon rosemary powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1000 ml vegetable stock

Instructions

 

• Combine flour and water in a large bowl, kneading until smooth.Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover with cold water, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Knead, pull, and squeeze the dough under water until the water becomes opaque (almost white). Strain the seitan and repeat the processnuntil the water turns only slightly opaque and the seitan is elastic and spongy. The seitan should weigh around 450 g when ready.
• Squeeze the seitan and place it in a bowl. Add spices and salt and knead briefly.
• Flatten the seitan into a rectangle and cut it into 3 strands. Braid the strands, then pull and knot the seitan once. If braiding the seitan feels tricky, it might just need a bit more prep! Adding 1-2 tablespoons of flour or gluten powder and a quick knead can give it the firmness you're looking for.
• In a large pot, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the seitan, cover partially with a lid, and cook over low heat for 90 minutes.Flip the seitan every 30 minutes and add more stock if needed. Once cooked, allow it to cool completely and store it in the fridge overnight.
• Shred the vegan chicken using two forks and use immediately. Store the shredded vegan chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2-3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 18gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 1.828mgPotassium: 28mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 686IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg

Keyword gluten-free, seitan

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