How To Make the Best Seitan

Seitan may be a bit of a labor of love but I promise the flavor and texture is worth it!

Seitan has quickly become a family favorite when it comes to vegan meat alternatives. What I love most about making seitan is the fact that I know exactly what is going into it and the fact that it’s very few ingredients makes me feel good! 
If you need a crash course on Seitan and what it is, you can read more here! 
Seitan is a versatile vegan meat alternative- you can make:

• burgers
• “chicken” strips
• “chicken” nuggets
• breaded cutlets
• “cold cuts”
• Hot dogs

Really the list is endless! This recipe is best used to replace that chicken texture you may remember without eating actual chicken.

A couple of notes before we jump in to making seitan:

• This recipe does take a little while to make (2 hours) but that’s why I made the recipe substantial to make it worth your while. Make it on the weekend and store the rest either in the freezer or in the fridge to use through the week – we love adding it to salads!
• You have the option to use either powdered vegetable broth or liquid broth in the dough. If you use the powdered version, simply add water to the dough. Do not use water if you’re adding broth! You won’t need both.

Let’s make seitan!

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Best Seitan Recipe

Yield: 15

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 cups vital wheat gluten (bulk barn is best tasting!)
• 3/4 cup chickpea flour (bulk barn is best tasting!)
• 1 1/2 cups nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetarian chicken broth (powdered),, available at bulk barn
• 2 1/2 cups water (or vegetable broth if not using powdered version)
• 2 L vegetable broth, for boiling

Instructions

1. In a large bowl or mixer with hook attachment add all of the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
2. If using a mixer, slowly add the water or vegetable broth and mix until a dough is formed.
3. Transfer the dough onto a surface and knead dough to form a log that is about 3" in width and roughly 15" long. Seitan will expand when it is boiled so be sure to form into a small log to slice. (Alternatively if you're planning on just making strips or nuggets you can cube or flatten dough to slice into strips)
4. In a large pot, bring 2L of vegetable broth to a rolling boil, then turn heat down to med-low.
5. Add in pieces of seitan and allow to boil with lid off for approximately 2 hours, allowing the broth to completely evaporate.
6. Allow to cool completely before breading/frying. If you're making it ahead, you can refrigerate the seitan in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g