We won’t lie…
We’re gym rats. We want tons of protein.
So we started researching how to make seitan. Then we made lots of it. It took a while to get right, but it was worth it.
It’s super simple to make, but very hard to master. We hope our recipe takes some of the headaches out of it for you.
Wheat gluten is nothing new – It was first documented being used by Buddhists around 2600 years ago in China. Needless to say, it’s passed the test of time.
Now, it’s your turn.
Here’s what you’re gonna need:
Ingredients for the dough:
- 1/4 cup + 1/8 cup gram flour (1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
- 2 -3 heaped teaspoons vegan bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/4 cup nooch (nutritional yeast)
- 3 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water to begin with then work from there (up to 3/4 cups water)
Ingredients for the broth:
- 2L Water
- 2 3/4 tablespoons of bouillon powder
If you’ve made seitan a few times before and want a concise version, scroll to the bottom. If you’re a seitan newb, read on as the beauty (or devil) is in the details.
First things first…
Prepare your dough
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl with a fork.
Add the wet ingredients, starting with ½ cup of water and give it a mix.
Add more water a tablespoon at a time until a dough has formed. You want JUST enough water – don’t let it get too wet or you may end up with spongy seitan.
You’ll need to use your hands a bit here, but our goal isn’t to knead the dough right now. Just get it ready for kneading.
Pro tip: If there are still some dry bits on the outside of the dough, wet your hands a little and gently pat the outsides.
Knead your dough
As you knead, more gluten develops. Think of it like muscle fibers building up.
Knead too much, and your seitan can end up rubbery. Knead too little and it can be too spongy.
In our tests, kneading vigorously for 2 minutes and 45 seconds produced a nice meaty middle ground. Make sure you set a timer first.
After you’re done kneading, perform a stretch test. The dough should not rip apart too easily. Nor should it be too hard to rip apart.
If some parts are ripping away easier than others, spend a little extra time (20-30 seconds, then stretch again) micro-kneading the softer bits.
After you have a smooth but firm dough, cut your seitan into 4-6 loaves. Quickly shape them with your hands.
Leave the shaped loaves to sit for 15 minutes. This is to let the water develop in the seitan.
While it’s resting, let’s prepare the broth.
Prepare your broth
There are many ways to cook seitan. But for simplicities sake, we’ll be simmering it in a pan.
The absolute GOLDEN rule here: Don’t boil! Simmer. SUPER important so we’re telling you upfront.
If you cook your seitan in boiling water, you’ll have a spongy texture where all the bubbles have penetrated it. It’ll look like bread! No thank you.
A very low simmer is what you need. Think dumplings. You want to see tiny surface bubbles popping up around the top. That’s the perfect temperature.
Bring 2 liters of water to a boil. Stir in 2 ¾ tablespoons of bouillon powder. And then…
Simmer your seitan
Gently lower your seitan into the pan. Bring the heat down to a perfect simmer mentioned in the previous step. We like to have the pan lid on but not completely covered.
Set a timer for 45 minutes.
Monitor your broth to ensure the temperature is just right.
Turn your seitan over halfway through cooking.
And you’re pretty much done. Almost.
Let it rest
Like humans, seitan needs rest too. Rest brings out its meaty texture. The best texture takes a full day to develop.
Turn the heat off and leave the seitan to rest in the pot for 15 minutes. Don’t skip this step.
After that, your seitan is ready to eat or use!
We can’t blame you if you’re craving a big chunk o’protein right now. But if you have more patience, let it rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Store your seitan in an airtight refrigerated container with its broth covering it. It’s good for about 5 days in the fridge.
Use it! Fry it, slice it, shred it, slab it, cube it, marinate it.
Even though it’s ready to eat, why stop there? Even just a simple pan-fry in olive oil is great.
We also find that the best temperature to eat seitan at is slightly warmer than room temperature.
Recipe
Dough ingredients:
- 1/4 cup + 1/8 cup gram flour (1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
- 2 -3 heaped teaspoons vegan bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/4 cup nooch (nutritional yeast)
- 3 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water to begin with then work from there (up to 3/4 cups water)
Broth ingredients:
- 2L Water
- 2 3/4 tablespoons of bouillon powder
Instructions:
1. Mix the dry ingredients together with a fork in a large bowl.
2. In the same bowl, mix in the wet ingredients. Carefully add more water as necessary one tablespoon at a time until a dough is formed.
3. Knead the dough vigorously for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. Make sure the dough doesn’t rip apart too easily when stretched. Cut your seitan into 4-6 loaves and shape them a little.
4. Leave the seitan to rest for 15 minutes while you prepare your broth.
5. Bring 2L of water to the boil and stir in 2 and 3/4 tablespoons of bouillon powder.
6. Lower your seitan into the pan and bring the broth down to a simmer for 45 minutes. Turn your seitan halfway. (Make sure it’s NOT boiling – you want gentle surface-level bubbles)
7. Turn off the heat and let the seitan rest in the pot for 15 minutes.
8. Your seitan is ready to use! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge with its broth. Its texture will develop while resting. The longer the better. Use within 5 days.
What’s next?
If you liked this recipe, check out our other recipes and food-related guides.
