If you’ve been wondering how to make seitan yourself rather than paying $4 for a tiny box of it at Whole Foods, then this is the recipe for you! This is my go-to, easy, basic homemade seitan recipe that I make in batches and then use throughout the week.
If you’re not familiar with seitan (I haven’t shared any seitan recipes in a while!), it’s a vegan meat analogue made from wheat gluten. After wheat berries are ground up and the starches are washed away, what’s left is called vital wheat gluten.
Seitan is very high in protein, and it’s also really chewy. Some might even call its texture… meaty. But it doesn’t taste like meat! It’s mostly a blank slate, with a hint of wheat-y flavor. It’s not the prettiest thing in the world, but it’s tasty!
You can technically make seitan from flour yourself, but I’ll save those instructions for another day. I’ve done it before and it’s a big pain ;). By starting with vital wheat gluten, this becomes a very easy recipe and is much more economical than purchasing seitan in the store.
Also, maybe I’m biased but I think it tastes better. Both because it’s fresh and because we’re going to add some umami to it, which isn’t present in all store-bought seitan. This recipe also calls for a bit of chickpea flour to mellow out the wheat flavor.
Some more advanced seitan-making methods call for baking it, but those have a tendency of exploding in the oven. To protect you from that horror, in this recipe we will be steaming it and it is unlikely to explode. You can then use it in any recipe calling for seitan.
After the homemade seitan is steamed and ready, you can slice it up into cubes or “steaks”, season it and add it to everything from stir fry to chili! Slather it in BBQ sauce… fry it chicken style… do your thang. It’s a great way to veganize recipes that require you to substitute something for beef or other meat. May I suggest using it to make a batch of vegan Mongolian beef?
Learning how to make seitan opens up a lot of healthy and delicious possibilities! Give this DIY seasoned gluten recipe a try and go forth.
Basic Homemade Seitan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or any oil)
- 1 large yellow or white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp blackening seasoning (or any other seasoning blend, or additional paprika)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (optional; omit for soy-free)
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour (34 grams)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 and 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten (193 grams)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is softened slightly.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Add the sweet paprika and other spices to the pan, stir, and cook for 60 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
- Use a spatula to transfer the onion-garlic mixture, including oil, to a blender or food processor. Add the tomato paste, vegetable broth, soy sauce if using, chickpea flour, and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. (Raw chickpea flour tastes terrible so I don't recommend sampling this).
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the vital wheat gluten, then stir until evenly combined. Once stirred, use your hands to knead the mixture until it becomes more firm and a little bit springy, about 2 minutes. Do note that this will feel wetter and moister than many other seitan recipes, due to the fact that we are steaming it rather than boiling it. The dough will be quite loose and moist, so this won't feel similar to kneading bread.
- Prepare boiling water and a steamer (see notes for a description of my setup). Be sure to add plenty of water since this will be steaming for a long time. Form the dough into a vaguely log-shaped blob and then roll it up tightly in a piece of tinfoil, twisting the ends tightly. Depending on the size and shape of your steamer, you may need to separate it into two pieces.
- Once the water is boiling, steam the wrapped gluten dough for 1 hour, carefully flipping it over halfway through (I use tongs).
- Let the cooked seitan cool to room temperature, then unwrap it and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. For best results, slice the seitan as needed for recipes rather than pre-slicing it. The homemade seitan in log form will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from a variety of sources, but especially Teff Love (one of my absolute favorite vegan cookbooks!).
P.S… if you like this recipe you might also enjoy my seitan-based homemade vegan meatballs!
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Branden says
Tasty recipe. I’ve played around with it a little and found I can cut out the onion, oil, and tomato paste for a dense seitan log. I also cook it wrapped in a silicone mat inside my instant pot using the steam setting for an hour to save on tin foil. Recently tried mixing in craisins and it tasted delicious.
Holly Salimaki says
Instead of chickpea flour could I use all purpose?
Bouchra says
Not the recipe creator, but yes. I use all purpose/plain flour in seitan all the time, and have seen other recipes use it too.
I really hate the taste of chickpea flour in seitan (don’t know why, it just really seems to dominate for me), so it’s helpful to be able to use plain.
Tom says
I just want to say, I’ve made this recipe several times now and I absolutely love it, and I can’t thank you enough!
One thing I tweaked was 1 tbsp of tomato paste instead of 2. The first time I made it, it had a stronger tomato flavour (which I’m not a fan of) and the seitan was a lot more red than in your pictures. The paste I used is “double concentrate”. Not sure if it has anything to do with that. Either way, amazing recipe.
I’m relatively new to making seitan and I’ve already started to notice how different brands of VWG seem to differ. The first brand I tried was perfect, and was quite moist once you were kneading it. Picked up a brand from a local health food store, and it was very dry upon kneading so I had to add more vegetable stock.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hmm yeah I suppose the doubly concentrated tomato paste would probably be better to use half the amount. I have noticed differences between VWG brands as well for sure.
Christy says
I whole heartedly agree with Tom. While it IS a great recipe, I thought it was a little “tomato-y” My tomato paste was NOT double strength however, I still agree with halving the amount…will try for next time!
Deb says
Are you able to freeze it or the recipes you use it in?
Megan says
Was overall bland besides the metal flavor from the aluminum foil. Had to throw it away. Bummed ☹️
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Sorry to hear that!
Steve says
I haven’t made this recipe yet, more studying various recipes but i feel you should amend the part about wrapping in straight foil. You should wrap it in baking paper first then in foil, this will provide a barrier between dough/foil and also help retain moisture
source; i’m a chef 🙂
Chef Chris says
Season it to your liking, and wrap it in parchment paper before you roll it in foil.
Jamie Colbert says
Hi, I was just wondering if this recipe would work for sandwiches?
Andrew says
Oh…I will try berbere next time. Yummm!
Olivia Alexander-Leeder says
After it is steamed and cooled, can you bake it for airfry it to have a bread crumb crust? The possibility of it exploding is actually terrifying, so I just want to make sure!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Never tried this and don’t know how it would come out, but if you’ve taken it out of the foil after cooling, it will hold its shape and I’m pretty sure it can’t explode at that point, since being contained in the foil wrapper is what causes seitan to explode sometimes.
Zayne says
Does it haven’t to be in the fridge for 8 hours or can it be eaten right after steaming?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
You should let it cool for the full 8 hours since it completes the cooking process during that time (similar to how you can’t slice into bread right away, but seitan is super dense so it needs longer to cool)
Ani says
thanks for the recipe – worked great in a rice cooker with a colander inside. set on brown rice (pre-heat + 35 min cook time) and let it stay warm for another hour or so. Texture was perfect.
Tobi says
can you use this to make cold spreads to eat on a sandwich? is it suitable to be use in let’s say a vegan like chicken curry spread?
Mel says
I would just use processed tofu for a sandwich spread, seitan will be too dense.
Stephen M DuBois says
This recipe looks great, but I’m not thrilled about cooking things in foil. Is cheesecloth an alternative? Or too pourous?
Glenis says
I always wrap in cheesecloth and parchment paper
Debbie King says
I wrap mine in parchment paper first, then foil, too prevent the food from touching the foil. I’ve seen done people use parchment or cheese cloth them tie it right with string but I haven’t personally tried that. 🙂
Pat toth says
Where do you buy wheat gluten?
Deborah says
Most natural food stores, and most likely at stores like; Whole Foods, Sprouts, and possibly Trader Joe’s. Bobs Redmill carries it. I found it in bulk at a natural food store so I just could buy what I need.
Elena Siroshton says
Amazon
Bob’s Red Mill brand
Winco in bulk food section
Monica says
I got mine from amazon:
https://amzn.to/3bdlGnu
Alice F Humphrey says
Hi can you make sliced vegan meat for sandwich and if so, how can I make it. Also do you have a good bread recipe ;for whole wheat bread, and gluten free breads? How can I use it for adding the gluten flour to my yeast breads and clover leaf rolls?
Regina L. says
I am looking to try vegan recipes. However, I have a severe and deadly food allergy. Or allergies. I’m allergic to chick peas, chick pea flour, soybeans, soybean oil, peanuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, almonds, etc. The Legume allergy. Very deadly to me. The smell of a jar of peanut butter sent me to ER with anaphylactic issues. I’m allergic to Rpsemary too. I do eat and well but at my age (47 now) with a 20yr old son and a 3yr old son, I want and need to be a healthier mom. I grew ip in the south on meat and taters. I see amazing vegan recipes and think hmm my kids and husband would eat this. And I would too. I’m just so darn allergic to so much I’m afraid to try anything. You have any suggestions or substitute ingredients I could try?
Any feedback is helpful. I truly want to eat clean and healthy. And not deal wirh anaphylactic issues that lead to yet another ER visit with Epinephrine.
Thank you
Regina L.
Morry says
Just omit the ingredients you cannot eat with this recipient and use flour instead. It’s a good meat substitute. Basic seitan can be made with vital wheat gluten salt and water. Most things can be substituted good luck
n/a says
I have a legume nut allergy as well. There’s seitan recipes w/o chickpea flower, just look for recipes in general because chickpea flower isn’t necessary just suggested. There are alternatives to soy sauce, just choose what you’d like best.
Monica says
When I got my first ever bag of wheat gluten, I had no idea what to do with it. So I just added some water and spices, then fried it in olive oil (nugget sized pieces). I served it to my family tossed in sweet and sour sauce. They instantly fell in love with this stuff!!! And my kids are picky eaters! I too was absolutely sold, which is why I’m looking online for some recipe ideas (I say ideas. because I always end up modifying them to suit my and my families pallet). My 2 daughters are also deathly allergic to peanuts and fish, so I’m good are customizing recipes for this reason. My point is, you can make necessary modifications to meet your needs without compromising quality of taste. This stuff is pretty easy to work with.
Jennie says
Can you adopt this for use in an Insta pot?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I’ve tried making this once or twice on the pressure setting in my Instant Pot and it didn’t work. I wasn’t happy with the texture. If anyone has successfully tweaked it to work in the Instant Pot I know we would all love to hear about it!
Nicholas King says
Could you skip the chick pea flower and just use all wheat gluten instead?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes, I believe others have done that successfully or used other flours as well.