Seitan is a “vegetable meat” made from wheat gluten. It is usually very popular because it has a firm texture and can be used almost the same as meat in many dishes.

Although there are many different types of seitandepending on its ingredients and cooking methods. Generally, the seitan that we are used to eating here is based on wheat gluten, breadcrumbs and soy sauce. A dough is formed, cooked and the result is seitan, ready to be cut and used in whatever we want.

That is, seitan It is not a raw doughit is cooked, but once it is done we can make it again grilled, fried, stir-fried, etc.

Here I will tell you how to make seitan at home in two different ways and I will give you quick and easy seitan recipes so you can learn how to cook it and make your own variations. Also remember that in the ebook «Healthy lunches and dinners: 100 vegetarian recipes» you can find many ideas for preparing vegetarian meals.

Video: Tricks to make the seitan perfect

How to make seitan

Making seitan at home is very easy and very cheap. It is best to start with wheat gluten powder, which is sold in any herbalist or health food store, because this way we can add the ingredients we want and they will be perfectly integrated into the dough.

Wheat gluten does not behave the same as wheat flour, which is not just protein, it also includes starches. Wheat gluten forms elastic and rubbery chains that do not tend to stick to everything as happens when we make bread dough, but instead tend to stick only to each other and leave out the rest of the ingredients that we put in.

• If we start with gluten powder it is much easier, since the chains will form when adding water, mixing with the other ingredients.
• If we make it from wheat flour, With washing and kneading, everything we put in it will go down the sink when we throw away the water full of starches and we will only be left with the already developed gluten, to which we will not be able to add anything else.

To better understand seitan I recommend that you try making both versions at home.from gluten and from flour.

Wheat gluten does not behave the same as wheat flour, which is not just protein, it also includes starches. Wheat gluten forms elastic and rubbery chains that do not tend to stick to everything as happens when we make bread dough, but instead tend to stick only to each other and leave out the rest of the ingredients that we put in.

• If we start with gluten powder it is much easier, since the chains will form when adding water, mixing with the other ingredients.
• If we make it from wheat flour, With washing and kneading, everything we put in it will go down the sink when we throw away the water full of starches and we will only be left with the already developed gluten, to which we will not be able to add anything else.

To better understand seitan I recommend that you try making both versions at home.from gluten and from flour.

1. Seitan from wheat gluten

To make the seitan ball:

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat gluten
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 5-6 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably shoyu)
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 cups of water

Preparation

1. Put the wheat gluten, breadcrumbs, garlic and onion in a large bowl and mix it.
2. In the center put the soy sauce and water and stir it, incorporating the gluten.
3. Knead it by hand until it stops breaking and forms a consistent and elastic dough.
4. Cover it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

To cook the seitan:

Ingredients:

• A couple of bay leaves
• ½ onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ medium leek
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ vegetable broth cube

Preparation:

1. Put all the ingredients, the gluten ball and enough water in a medium-large saucepan or pot to cover it well.
2. Put it on high heat and when it comes to a boil, put it on medium-low heat. Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seitan is firm and cooked.

2. Seitan from flour

Keep in mind that once washed and removed the starch you will not be left with a dough of 500 g of gluten, if not much less.

Ingredients

• 500 g wheat flour (preferably strong flour)
• 500 ml of water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. In a large bowl put the flour and salt and mix it.
2. Make a small hole in the center and pour the water. Stir with a spoon, incorporating the flour little by little until a dough forms.
3. Knead with your hands as if it were bread until it becomes a homogeneous ball.
4. Cover it and let it rest for at least 1 hour.
5. Fill the bowl with water until the ball is covered. Knead it in the water with your hands.
6. Every time the water turns white, throw it away and fill the bowl again.
7. Continue kneading until only the gluten remains, which is a little more yellowish in color than starch and has a very elastic texture.
8. Drain it well and it will be ready to cook.

To cook the seitan do it the same as with the gluten-based version. You can add more things if you want, such as a cinnamon stick, cardamom, a sprig of rosemary, celery, etc.

When we have our seitan done, How do we preserve it? We can store it in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator with its cooking broth, or drain it very well and freeze it (well protected).

3 easy and tasty seitan recipes

Cooking with seitan It is very easy, especially considering that it is a dough that is already cooked, so we will only have to heat it, brown it or add it to our stews or other dishes. I leave you the following recipes as examples.

1. Seitan fillets

Ingredients

• A couple of large slices of seitan
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the thyme. When it starts to fry, add the seitan slices and brown them for 2-3 minutes on each side.
2. Pour the soy sauce over them, turn them quickly a couple of times and take them out.
3. Serve them with vegetables, salad, mashed potatoes, etc.

2. Seitan stew with potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 cups of seitan cut into approximately small cubes
• 4 medium potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ medium leek
• ½ medium onion
• 1 pear tomato
• ½ medium red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 2 cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cumin (seed)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ vegetable broth cube or ½ liter of homemade broth
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

Preparation

1. Finely chop the leek and onion.
2. Heat the oil in a medium non-stick pot or saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic and leek.
3. Finely chop the tomato and add it. Chop the pepper and add it too.
4. Add the garlic, thyme, cloves, cumin and bay leaf and sauté everything together over low heat.
5. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Add them to the saucepan and stir well.
6. Increase the heat and add the seitan. Let everything brown together for a minute and add the soy sauce, vegetable broth and enough water to cover everything.
7. Put it on high heat and when it comes to a strong boil, put it on medium-low heat.
8. Cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are done and tender.

If you want the broth a little more creamy, mix 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour with half a glass of water, add it to the saucepan, stir it well and let it thicken a little.

3. Seitan skewers

Ingredients

• 16 seitan cubes
• 8 small fresh mushrooms
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Teriyaki or yakitori sauce

Preparation

1. Cut the mushrooms into half pieces, the peppers into medium pieces (more or less like seitan) and the onion into eighths or medium pieces.
2. Insert ingredients onto skewers (4 large ones come out).
3. Put a pinch of oil in a large non-stick frying pan or on the skewers if you are grilling them.
4. Cook them over medium-low heat so that they cook with the juice of the vegetables.
5. When they are golden, put a few drops of teriyaki or yakitori sauce on them, give them a couple of turns and take them out.