Basic Seitan Recipe - Seitan Three Ways
What is Seitan? Wheat Meat, Mock Meat, Vital Wheat Gluten
How to Make Homemade Seitan: Seitan Three Ways, from Robin Robertson's excellent new cookbook, Quick Fix Vegan, a sequel to her earlier cookbook, Quick Fix Vegetarian - which is also all vegan.
Robin's easy basic seitan recipe is the best I've had. We ate it in Seitan Donburi with Unagi Sauce - simple & delicious!
Total Prep & Cook Time: 15 Min. + 1 hr stovetop
Yield: 32 oz or 16 servings
Nutrition Data, 22g Serving: 86 cal, 5g carb, 2g fat, 144mg sodium, 1g fiber, 13g protein; low Cholesterol; good source Vit B6, B12, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin. Estimated glycemic load 3
Seitan Ingredients
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten (NOT gluten flour)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (low sodium suggested)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups cold vegetable broth (unsalted recommended)(for stovetop and slowcooker methods
Seitan Directions
- In a food procesor or bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, nutrition yeast, tapioca flour, garlic owder, onion powder, salt and pepper
- Pulse or stir to mix
- Add the water, soy sauce and oil, and process or stir to mix well
- Turn the mixture out onto a flat surface and knead into a cohesive dough, 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes
- Stovetop Directions:
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and place them in a large pot with enough cold vegetable broth to cover
- Bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour
- Let the seitan cool to room temperature in the broth
- Slowcooker Directions:
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and place them in a slowcooker with enough cold vegetable broth to cover
- Cook on low for 8 hours
- Let the seitan cool to room temperature in the slowcooker
- Baking Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Flatten the seitan into a 6-inch square and enclose it loosely in a sheet of aluminum foil
- Place the seitan packet in a shallow baking dish and add enough water to come halfway up the seitan packet
- Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and bake until firm, 1 hour
- Remove the seitan from the pan, remove the foil, and set aside to cool to room temperature (suggest covering)
Recipe Tips:
For all three methods, once the seitan has cooled to room temperature, it is ready to use in recipes.
For the best texture, the seitan should be refrigerated for at least an hour to firm up before using.
It can be refrigerated either in the broth in a covered container or removed from the broth and tightly wrapped.
The seitan will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, when tightly wrapped and frozen.
Savvy Veg Notes:
My seitan has a slightly spongy texture and absorbs the broth it's stored in. I squeeze the excess liquid out of it gently with my hands before using.
Seitan fries brown & crispy in a little oil, or it's delicious as is.
I've used seitan so far in stir fries and wraps. I plan to use it in other recipes from Quick Fix Vegan - like the Mac 'n' Cheezeburger Bake.
Robin says you can store seitan refrigerated for 3 days, but I've had mine in the fridge for a week and I haven't died yet. Of course that doesn't mean YOU should be that relaxed about food safety!
This recipe makes ALOT of seitan! So I halfed the recipe just to try it. I haven't tried freezing it, but I will next time, when I make the full recipe, now that I know how fantastic it is!
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