This homemade seitan recipe using gluten flour provides an easy and economical route to a great DIY plant-based protein. Be sure to see the step-by-step guide in this post on how to make seitan from scratch using vital wheat gluten flour. You’ll also find a link to a roundup of delicious vegan recipes for making the most of this versatile high-protein food.
Store-bought seitan can be quite good, or it can be shoe-leather tough, to use a non-vegan metaphor. And while it’s not ridiculously pricey, it isn’t as much of a protein bargain as beans, or even tofu. That changes when you make it at home.
I’ve been tweaking this simple formula for years, and though you’ll find a number of variations in books and around the web (incorporating chickpea flour, nut flours, flavorings, beans, etc.), it’s good to nail this basic recipe first, to get the feel of how to make seitan. Then, by all means, experiment as much as you’d like.
What is seitan? — and a few basics
- A traditional Asian food long used as a meat substitute: You may have had seitan in dishes like Buddha’s Delight or Mongolian “Beef” in Chinese restaurants.
- Seitan is basically wheat gluten: So of course, it isn’t for anyone with gluten intolerance or sensitivity or who is celiac.
- Protein & nutrition info: Seitan is one of the most protein-dense plant foods available. Protein content varies a bit, but an average serving has about 21 grams. See this helpful article for an overview of average nutrition facts.
- Seitan’s meaty texture lends itself to many preparations. It’s great as a substitute for beef chunks in stews, stir-fries, fajitas, and kebabs. It’s fantastic on the grill, too, with traditional barbecue sauce.
- Homemade seitan doesn’t require much effort. You just need a little patience for the few hands-on steps, resting time, and cooking. If you follow the steps outlined, this homemade seitan recipe can yield a more tender and flavorful result than the store-bought variety.
- It freezes well: When I make this, I often freeze half after it has been cooked and cooled (in an airtight container with some of the broth. Pack it firmly into the container, the less air space, the better.
Vital wheat gluten flour: Bob’s Red Mill® is a widely available brand of vital wheat gluten flour; there are a few others, including Jovial® and King Arthur®.
Here’s my little secret: I believe that adding a mere teaspoon of baking powder to the dry mix makes all the difference when it comes to the texture. If I ever forget to add it, boom! It’s back to shoe leather toughness. So I make sure not to forget any more.
The step-by-step guide is coming right up, or if you’d like to have all this info in pdf book format …
Our downloadable homemade seitan mini-cookbook
Enjoy this enormously popular homemade seitan recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions in a handy, ad-free 60-page mini cookbook. This PDF is viewable on your devices and also features 20 delicious recipes (all accompanied by gorgeous photos) to have at your fingertips. Just $9.50! Learn more here, purchase securely on Etsy or …
Homemade Seitan — A Step-by-Step Guide
First, gather your ingredients. In addition to water at various stages, you’ll need:
- Soy sauce (or tamari, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos)
- Vital wheat gluten flour (like Bob’s Red Mill®)
- Baking powder
- Vegetable bouillon cubes
- Fresh ginger root or bottled ginger
Optional (but highly recommended)
- Nutritional yeast
- Seasoning or spice blend (good options: BBQ seasoning, jerk seasoning, vegan poultry seasoning or rub spices)
Combine 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos) in a small bowl.
Dry ingredients: Combine 2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons (optional) nutritional yeast, and 1 to 2 tablespoons (optional) seasoning or spice blend —BBQ seasoning, jerk seasoning, vegan poultry seasoning, or rub spices — in a roomy mixing bowl. Stir together thoroughly.
Gradually add the liquid to the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough, stirring with a spoon at first, and then working together with your hands. Drizzle in a little more water if need be; you want all the dry ingredients to be moistened, while making sure the dough remains stiff.
Once the wet and dry mixtures are combined, turn the dough out onto a floured board (you can use more gluten flour for this). Knead for 2 to 3 minutes. It won’t be a smooth dough, but really work it!
Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes or so in one of the bowls; cover with a clean tea towel.
Meanwhile, prepare the cooking broth. Fill a roomy soup pot about 2/3 full with water. Add the bouillon cube(s), 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, Bragg liquid aminos, or coconut aminos) and 3 to 4 slices fresh ginger (or teaspoon or two of bottled ginger). Bring to a slow boil.
Divide the dough into two parts and stretch into two mini-loaf shapes. It’s not easy to shape and cut this springy dough, but do the best you can, it will all work out! With a sharp, serrated knife, slice into 1/2-inch-thick (at most) segments. Kitchen shears work even better! Don’t make the pieces too large, and don’t worry about the shapes, it will be fine even if the pieces are irregular.
After the water in the soup pot has come to a slow boil, gently drop in each slice of dough. Return to a gentle simmer.
Within a couple of minutes, the dough is going to puff up and look like it’s threatening to escape the cooking pot! It will settle back; keep pushing the pieces down into the water with a wooden spoon. Cook the dough, which we can now call seitan, for 30 minutes.
Scoop the fully cooked seitan that you plan to use right away out of the broth. Place on a cutting board, and when cool enough to handle, cut into strips or small chunks.
If not using right away, store the cooked and cooled seitan in an airtight container (with a little of the broth) in the refrigerator. Since this recipe makes a generous amount, you can freeze a portion of it. Save the broth; you can use it for other purposes, such as a soup or gravy starter.
Once you’re ready to use the seitan, squeeze as much liquid out of it as you can, as that will result in a nice, firm texture in dishes. Here, we start to amp up the flavor and texture by stir-frying the seitan strips in just a little oil and soy or teriyaki sauce; that’s just the most basic of ways to use it. Here are lots of delicious ways to use it …
21+ Hearty Seitan Recipes —Plus a Guide to This High-Protein Plant-Based Food
You may also enjoy another way to make seitan…
Easy Homemade “Chicken” Seitan
Our downloadable homemade seitan mini-cookbook
Would you like to have all this information in a pdf book format? Enjoy this enormously popular homemade seitan recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions in a handy, ad-free 60-page mini cookbook. This PDF is viewable on your devices and also features 20 delicious recipes (all accompanied by gorgeous photos) to have at your fingertips. Just $9.50! Learn more here, purchase securely on Etsy or …
Yield: Makes about 2 pounds, 8 or more servings
Easy Homemade Seitan Recipe
Here's an easy homemade seitan recipe for this high-protein plant-based meat alternative.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos)
- 1 cup water
Dry mixture
- 2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten flour (like Bob's Red Mill®)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
- 1 to 2 tablespoons seasoning or spice blend (good options: BBQ seasoning, jerk seasoning, vegan poultry seasoning or rub spices), optional
Broth
- Water
- 1 large or 2 regular-sized vegetable bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 3 to 4 slices fresh ginger or a good squeeze of bottled ginger
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce (or tamari, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos) and water in a small bowl.
- Combine the dry ingredients — vital wheat gluten, baking powder, (optional) nutritional yeast, and (optional) seasoning — in a roomy mixing bowl. Stir together thoroughly.
- Gradually add the liquid to the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough, stirring with a spoon at first, and then working together with your hands. Drizzle in a little more water if need be; you want all the dry ingredients to be moistened, while making sure the dough remains stiff. Once the wet and dry mixtures are combined, knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes or so in either bowl; cover with a clean tea towel.
- For the broth: Fill a roomy soup pot about 2/3 full with water. Add the bouillon cube(s), soy sauce (or tamari, Bragg liquid aminos, or coconut aminos), and ginger. Bring to a slow boil.
- Divide the rested dough into two parts and stretch into two mini-loaf shapes. It's not easy to shape and cut this springy dough, but don't worry! With a sharp, serrated knife, slice into 1/2-inch-thick (at most) segments. Kitchen shears work even better! Don't make the pieces too large, and don't worry about the shapes, it will all come out well even if the pieces are irregular.
- After the water in the soup pot has come to a slow boil, gently drop in each slice of dough. Return to a gentle simmer. Within a couple of minutes, the dough is going to puff up and look like it’s threatening to escape the cooking pot! It will settle back; keep pushing the pieces down into the water with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the dough, which we can now call seitan, for 30 minutes.
- Scoop the seitan that you plan to use right away out of the broth. Place on a cutting board, and cut into strips or small chunks when cool enough to handle. See storage tips in Notes, below.
- Once you’re ready to cook with the seitan, squeeze as much of the liquid out it as you can, as that will result in a better texture and allow it to soak in the flavors of whatever you’re cooking it with.
Notes
Once cooled, transfer whatever portion of seitan you won’t be using right away to an airtight container, then pour in enough stock to cover. Use within a few days or freeze. Seitan freezes very well, thaw out on the counter or in the refrigerator before using.
Save all or part of the tasty broth that remains to use in soups, stews, and gravies.
Sample seitan recipes on this site
Vegan Mushroom and Seitan Stroganoff
Vegan Jamaican Jerk Seitan
“Beefy” Vegan Seitan Stew
Even more ways to use seitan: This epic post — 100 Vegan Seitan Recipes — includes recipes for both pre-made and homemade seitan. It includes various seitan styles, including deli slices, pepperoni, chick’n style, etc.
