Vegan Seitan
Homemade seitan is one of those kitchen projects that genuinely pays off — you end up with a hearty, protein-packed ingredient that slices, shreds, and cubes beautifully for whatever you're cooking all week. The dough comes together from vital wheat gluten seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, and a splash of tamari, giving it a deeply savory, almost meaty flavor before it even hits the pot. The real magic happens during the long, gentle simmer in a seasoned vegetable broth, where the seitan firms up into something with real chew and substance. Keeping the broth at a lazy bubble — not a rolling boil — is the key step that prevents a spongy texture and gives you that satisfying, springy bite instead. Store-bought meat alternatives can be expensive, heavily processed, or hard to find, so making your own puts you fully in control of what goes into it. This batch serves six, making it a smart meal-prep move you can slice into sandwiches, toss into stir-fries, or use anywhere you'd want a bold, filling centerpiece.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the seitan dough
- 1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the simmering broth
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper until evenly combined.
- 2
Add the 3/4 cup vegetable broth, 2 tbsp tamari, and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, then knead in the bowl for 2–3 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and holds together in a firm mass.
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