100 Vegan Seitan Recipes (Sorted By Time and Meal Type)

Seitan is one of the best vegan protein sources, but I found myself in a bit of a rut making the same seitan recipe over and over, so I thought it was time to try something new.

I collected just about every seitan recipe that I could find that looked good and ended up with 100 (possibly more to come in the future). Obviously I haven’t vetted all of these personally yet, so if you find any that are amazing or terribly, feel free to share.

By default all recipes will show (you will need JavaScript enabled), but there are filters. Let me quickly define what the labels and filters are:

• “Show Recipes That Are” – If you’re just looking for a plain seitan recipe that you can toss in a sandwhich or stirfry, select “plain seitan.” Alternatively, if you’re looking for a full meal, make sure “meals” (or both) are selected.
• “Needs Pre-Made Seitan” – Many recipes call for store-bought seitan or seitan that you already prepared beforehand. You can use any of the plain seitan recipes here, but it will obviously add to your overall cooking time.
• Cooking Methods – This is not a filter, but is on every recipe card. It’s a quick way to check the main cooking methods involved in case you don’t have certain equipment (i.e. don’t have a steamer, or don’t want to boil seitan).

If you have any questions or suggestions of recipes to add, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

A Few Seitan Cooking Tips

I am not a great cook by any means, but I have made seitan quite a few times and can offer some advice for you if you’re new to making it:

• Chickpea flour adds more of a chicken texture. So far, the seitan recipes that I’ve tried that call for chickpea flour taste a bit more like chicken than the others. You can substitute a bit of the vital wheat gluten for it in recipes that don’t have it.
• The more vital wheat gluten you use, the firmer it will be. Likewise, if there’s more other types of flour in the recipe, it will soften up. Some people like it firm, some don’t, you’ll have to experiment.
• Do you “need” tinfoil? A lot of recipes for plain seitan say to wrap it in tinfoil when baking. I’ve made the same recipe both with and without the foil and don’t notice much of a difference (cook it about half the time without foil though).
• Consider adding flavoring. While seitan typically contains flavoring ingredients, adding some vegan barbecue sauce to it, and even grilling it can make it taste even better.

Seitan Nutrition

I didn’t include macros here, but if you are interested in macros, see my collection of high protein vegan recipes which have them.

Additionally, I’ve done a few detailed comparisons to other protein sources you might find useful:

• Seitan vs Chicken
• Tofu vs Seitan

Common Questions About Seitan

How is vital wheat gluten made?

Vital wheat gluten is made by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch granules have been removed, which leaves the sticky insoluble gluten as an elastic mass, which can be cooked or dried for later use.

Is seitan gluten-free?

No, seitan is not gluten-free as it is made from wheat gluten, which is the main protein in wheat.

What does seitan taste like?

Seitan itself has a mild, bland taste but can easily absorb flavors from seasoning, marinades, and the way it is cooked, making it versatile in recipes.

Is seitan good for you?

Seitan is a good source of protein for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet but should be avoided by anyone with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity. It’s also low in fat and can be a healthy meat substitute if not overly processed.

How do you cook with seitan?

Seitan can be grilled, fried, sautéed, baked, or incorporated into soups and stews. It’s often used as a meat substitute in various dishes like stir-fries, sandwiches, and even as a mock meat in vegan adaptations of traditional recipes.

Can seitan be frozen?

Yes, seitan can be frozen, either raw or cooked, for up to six months. Thawing and reheating it is simple, and it retains its texture and flavor.

How is seitan different from tofu or tempeh?

Unlike seitan, which is made from wheat gluten, tofu and tempeh are soy-based products. Tofu is made from coagulated soy milk pressed into solid white blocks, while tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and has a firmer texture and nuttier flavor.