35 Seitan Recipes Every Eater Will Love (Vegan & Delicious)

Are you a hardcore vegan? Or a meat lover? It doesn’t matter which one. I guarantee, that you will absolutely LOVE these brilliant homemade vegan seitan recipes.

What is seitan?

Seitan, or “wheat meat” is a meat alternative made from gluten. It is traditionally made by washing the starch out of wheat flour over a sieve to isolate the gluten, which is then seasoned and cooked like meat. Nowadays, it’s much easier to buy prepared tofu or make your own with vital wheat gluten flour.

 

Seitan Recipes

To find more tasty vegan high protein recipes, see our tofu, smoked tofu, silken tofu, tempeh, TVP, soy curl, and Beyond Meat roundups.

 

1. Base Seitan Recipe

Sometimes seitan available at the market is chewy and tasteless. It is entirely possible to make your own seitan at home with superior texture and taste for much less. This recipe improves seitan by adding baking powder and apple cider vinegar to vital wheat gluten and then it is simmered in a flavorful broth.

 

2. Vegan Roast Beef

Okay, the picture posted with this vegan roast beef recipe really had me fooled. Beets and paprika impart the deep red color that resembles a rare roast beef.

 

3. BBQ Seitan Chicken

I know this is a cliché, but seitan really does taste like chicken. That is why BBQ seitan chicken is crazy good. The BBQ is complex in flavor but not in preparation. Liquid smoke is a key ingredient.

 

4. Vegan Chicken

This seitan chicken reminds me of slow-cooked pulled chicken. The recipe adds tofu and jack fruit to the seitan to give it a more fibrous and meaty texture. You can also shred it for use in any other recipe.

 

5. Vegan Fried Chicken

Are you having trouble weaning your kids off of chicken nuggets? Try these vegan fried chicken bites with a crunchy breadcrumb coating and an easy gravy dipping sauce.

 

6. Seitan Meatloaf

I know we vegan cooks make versions of meatloaf. Vegan seitan meatloaf is hearty and comforting. Pair it with mashed potatoes and green beans for a classic diner dish. Leftovers make for great sandwiches the next day.

 

7. Juicy Vegan Ribs

These juicy vegan ribs would be perfect for an omnivore-centric summer BBQ. I think using horseradish sticks as the bones is ideal because I love the flavor of fresh horseradish that will only add to the ribs.

 

8. Vegan Carne Asada

Your next Taco Tuesday should definitely include vegan carne asada. Seitan steaks sliced thinly and marinated in Mexican spices and citrus juice are grilled and served in soft tortillas with vegan cheese.

 

9. Vegan Meatballs

Are you a little weary of bean and grain meatballs? I know I am because it is hit or miss if they will hold their shape. Vital wheat gluten will ensure that your meatballs remain round and sturdy when you lower them into a simmering sauce.

 

10. Seitan Cordon Bleu

Don’t be stumped by the name of this recipe because cordon bleu generally has chicken, ham, and cheese. This is a reimagined vegan cordon bleu with crispy panko-coated seitan chicken that is stuffed with plant-based ham and plant based Swiss cheese.

 

11. Vegan Bacon

Do you also have vegan/vegetarian family members who break their own rules when they smell bacon cooking? Make them this vegan bacon. It looks and taste like the real thing. Maple syrup and liquid smoke make the recipe work.

 

12. Vegan Chicken Tenders

Vegan chicken tenders breaded with crunchy panko and dipped in a sweet Dijon BBQ sauce will likely have your kids asking for this weekly.

 

13. Vegan Turkey

Every Thanksgiving table should be graced with a plant-based turkey. This version reminds me of a rolled turkey breast only without the meat. And, the leftovers can be sliced thinly and used to make vegan turkey sandwiches.

 

14. Vegan Schnitzel

Schnitzel is a thin slice of veal or pork that is breaded and deep-fried. It is a popular dish in Germany. This vegan version is crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

 

15. Vegan Sausages

I am so impressed with how much these sausages look like the real thing, right down to the grill marks. These links have a generous amount of herbs and spices. Serve them in hot dog buns at a backyard party or potluck.

 

16. Vegan Ham

If you celebrate Easter, this seitan ham is the perfect entrée. It is chewy, salty, and smoky. The glaze is sticky and sweet. It also would make excellent ham and cheese sandwiches for weekday lunches.

 

17. Vegan Drumsticks

These vegan drumsticks are unique because they have an outer skin that is made from rice papers soaked in coconut milk. They will make for a great weeknight meal or an impressive appetizer.

 

18. Spicy Vegan Salami

I know from experience that homemade vital wheat gluten salami will have the heads of non-vegans turning. This recipe is fairly classic in that it is loaded with seasonings, just like spicy cured meat salami. Tomato paste gives it a red hue.

 

19. Vegan Corned Beef

Corned beef reminds me of a one-pot meal of brined beef with potatoes and cabbage. This protein-packed seitan corned beef is great to make Reuben sandwiches or a hearty meal for St. Patrick’s Day.

 

20. Seitan Piccata

This recipe immediately spoke to me because I enjoy pretty much anything piccata with a velvety lemon sauce and capers. Seitan piccata is so much better than the tofu piccata I default to. Try this recipe with polenta and greens.

 

21. Vegan Doner Kebab

If you don’t know, doner kebab is a Turkish street food where layered meat is churned on a spit over a hot fire. Believe it or not, there are many vegan versions of this fun dish using layered vegetables. If you want the meatiness of the original, try this seitan doner kebab.

 

22. Apple Sage Seitan Sausages

Apple and sage are one of those pairings that just makes sense. Who thought of adding them to seitan to make sausages? These sausages can be served in buns with toppings or add sliced sausages to pizza.

 

23. Vegan Salisbury Steak

Salisbury steak is basically a hamburger smothered in brown gravy. This vegan version of it tastes just like the real thing.

 

24. Seitan Deli Meat Slices

The next time you make a party charcuterie board, you will definitely want to include slices of this sundried tomato and peppercorn sliced deli meat. This recipe one ups prepackaged vegan deli meat slices.

 

25. Stuffed Seitan Roast

Okay, it isn’t a Wellington, but it comes pretty close. Thinly rolled seitan is rolled around herbed bread stuffing and then wrapped in puff pastry. Bake until golden brown and serve as an elegant centerpiece at your next formal dinner.

 

26. Seitan Jerky

Jerky has risen to the top of the charts as one of the most sought-after energizing snack foods. What makes me happy is seeing so many recipes for vegan jerky. Buffalo and Thai peanut seitan jerky introduce new flavors to the world of jerky.

 

27. Vegan Pot Roast

I think everyone dreams of a hearty stew on a cold winter night. Pot roast comes to mind. This no-meat pot roast dinner will take you back to mom’s simmered stew filled with root vegetables.

 

28. Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sub

Imagine you have been transported to Central Philadelphia for the best cheesesteaks on the planet. Ah, but all that beef and cheese. Well, that good news is that you can have an authentic style Philly cheesesteak with a runny cheesy vegan sauce with this recipe.

 

29. Vegan Pepperoni Pizza

Homemade pizza topped with pepperoni is so much better than pizzeria pie. The dough is light and crisp. It is topped with spicy pizza sauce, vegan mozzarella, and seitan pepperoni.

 

30. Seitan Stir Fry

While Chinese takeout is absolutely delicious, most meals are usually not vegan. So make this plant-based stir fry with seitan slices, veggies, sauce, and nutty brown rice at home instead. It might become your go-to.

 

31. Yakisoba with Seitan “Duck”

We are heading to Japan with this yakisoba and faux duck. The recipe combines soba noodles with no-frill seitan “duck” and julienned vegetables for a vegan take on the traditional dish.

 

32. Seitan Bolognese Ragu

Bolognese is a tomato-based ragu with a variety of ground meats, such as pork, beef, or veal. It is super simple to prepare, despite the slow cooking time. In this veganized version, minced seitan replaces the meat yet mimics the texture of traditional Bolognese sauce.

 

33. Chile Colorado Seitan Stew

Chili Colorado is a saucy tomato and chili pepper stew. This is a spicy comfort dish with Southwestern roots. I absolutely love that this chili has waxy potatoes as well as pan-crisped seitan chunks.

 

34. Seitan Stew with Potatoes and Carrots

When winter rolls around, vegan beef stew is almost always on the menu. Seitan provides the stew with a hearty texture that seamlessly marries with potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a vegetable and wine broth.

 

35. BBQ Seitan Salad

A good entrée salad should have plenty of fresh veggies and a solid protein served over crisp lettuce IMO. This BBQ seitan salad is filling and complex in textural components. It is also a healthy lunch offering.

 

What are your favorite vegan seitan recipes?

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