Just 20 minutes to make, and only 7 ingredients, this is by far the quickest and easiest seitan recipe ever!! This vegan chicken alternative is simple to whip up and perfect to add to any meal. Crispy crunchy on the outside, and tender chewy in the middle. The perfect meaty texture to amp up any vegan meal! If you are new to making seitan this is the perfect recipe for beginners to try.
I came across a video on TikTok by @futurelettuce showing a 15-minute seitan recipe. I had to try it immediately! Unfortunately, even after trying it a few times, I wasn't super happy with the results. The seitan is first fried, and then you cover the pan with a lid for 10 minutes to cook it through. The problem with this is that by covering the seitan after it is fried, it tends to lose the crispy outside due to the steam. Or if you cover it and there isn't much moisture in the pan, then it can run this risk of burning before the seitan is cooked through. And I don't know about you, but soggy burnt vegan chicken just isn't my thing. The end result is spongey and rubbery, and just not super delicious.
But I loved the idea of making a quick seitan recipe so I had to play around with different techniques until I came up with my recipe for the quickest and easiest seitan recipe! In my experience, no matter how many techniques I try, steaming seitan is always a must. Boiling seitan makes it have a brainy spongey texture, frying seitan (without first steaming it) makes it rubbery and spongey, baking it makes it dry and rubbery. Steaming seitan, on the other hand, will yield the perfect meaty, juicy, chewy, yet tender seitan every single time. So even though I tried to get away with a one-pot recipe, it just didn't work for this recipe. The key is to first steam the seitan (which takes only 10 minutes) and then pan fry it for that crispy outside. Vegan chicken perfection!
The result is seitan that is crispy, juicy, chewy, tender, and absolutely amazing!!!! While I love all of my seitan recipes, (you can see them here), they do tend to take an hour or even longer to prepare. So I have fallen madly in love with this recipe as you just can't beat the speed of this one!
Hot to make the quickest and easiest seitan recipe:
Add about an inch of water to a pot with a steamer basket and bring to a light boil.
In the meantime, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, flour, vegetable broth powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Pour in the water and mix to form a ball of dough.
Lightly grease the steamer basket, then tear off bite-sized pieces of the seitan dough and place them in a single layer in the steamer basket.
Cover, and steam the seitan for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small bowl or a measuring glass, mix together the Thai sweet chili sauce, hoisin, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside. (See notes for other sauce options).
When the seitan is done steaming, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan. Use tongs to remove the seitan bites from the steamer basket, and place them into the hot oil in the pan. Be careful as it may splatter. Cook the seitan bites a few minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy.
Remove from the heat and add the sauce and toss to coat.
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired and serve hot.
When preparing the seitan with the provided sauce recipe I love to serve it over a bed of rice with a side of cooked greens such as broccoli or spinach. Of course when you are using different sauce recipes, you can get as creative as you want! BBQ seitan bites would be great served with vegan potato salad, macaroni salad, or mac and cheese. Yum! For jerk seitan bites, try serving them with rice and peas and coleslaw. If you're using an Italian sauce try tossing them onto pasta. The options are endless!
Bon Appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
The Quickest & Easiest Seitan Recipe!! (Vegan Chicken!)
Ingredients
For the seitan:
- ¾ cup vital wheat gluten
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vegetable broth powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup water
For the sauce (optional, see notes for other sauce ideas):
- 3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons light oil for frying (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 small handful chopped green onions or chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- Add about an inch of water to a pot with a steamer basket and bring to a light boil.
- In the meantime, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, flour, vegetable broth powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the water and mix to form a ball of dough. Lightly grease the steamer basket, then tear off bite-sized pieces of the seitan dough and place them in a single layer in the steamer basket. Cover, and steam the seitan for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, in a small bowl or a measuring glass, mix together the Thai sweet chili sauce, hoisin, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside. (See notes for other sauce options).
- When the seitan is done steaming, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan. Use tongs to remove the seitan bites from the steamer basket, and place them into the hot oil in the pan. Be careful as it may splatter. Cook the seitan bites a few minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the heat and add the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired and serve hot.
Georgie says
Your 'vegan steak' and 'vegan tender' recipes are my go to seitan recipes. I haven't found any recipes that can beat them, and recommend them to anyone looking to make seitan at home.
As much as I love them, they are a bit more complex so I love the idea of this quick and easy version.
How do you feel the flavour of this recipe compares to the vegan tender recipe you have?
Sam Turnbull says
It's similar but this recipe is chewier more like the texture of pork or beef.
Annelies says
Wow Sam, this is amazing!! I have many seitan recipes I use as "favourites" for our family, but this beats them all hands down! I have been meaning to make these bites since you first published the recipe, but only managed to do so a couple of days ago. We have been missing out the past 3 weeks!! The children all absolutely love it and have to make sure they get some before dad eats them all 😀 I have had to double the recipe, with today's request of tripling it for tomorrow. We are hooked! I haven't tried it with the sauce yet, as don't have all the ingredients on hand atm, but yesterday I just sprinkled the (in toasted sesame oil) fried bites in some salt and drizzled some dark soy sauce on top, today I just sprinkled them with salt. The bites barely make it to the table!
My 16-yr old son can often be found in the kitchen making one or other seitan recipe as part of his fitness/gym/bulking regime, and I know this one will become top of his list.
Your reader Beata has provided some wonderful and delicious tips, I'll be trying them over the next few days. No risk of getting bored of these, the options are endless. Thank you so much for this!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww you're most welcome, Annelies! I'm so thrilled you love it so much. And yes, so amazing to have such great fans on this blog! I'm loving all of the recipe variations 🙂
Missy says
Sam, I love this being so quick and easy! I also love your seitan steaks! (I just had one for dinner last night) Do you think it’d be possible to do a beefy version of this with just a free seasoning tweaks? Thanks! Love your blog and you tube channel! ❤️
Beata says
I've had great luck with beef flavorings by using Better Than Bouillon vegan beef base and vegan Worcestershire sauce. I think black pepper and maybe a touch of ketchup could be nice to add too?
For this particular recipe, I would use a heaping tablespoon of the vegan beef base plus maybe 2 tablespoons of vegan Worcestershire sauce (I would start with 1 tablespoon of sauce and do a taste test to make sure I am not using too much) and I would probably lessen the water by a few tablespoons to account for the liquid in the vegan base (I know it's a paste but still more moist than the broth powder listed in the recipe card) and for the liquid coming from the Worcestershire sauce.
I actually posted the variation of this recipe that I made using tofu and vegan chicken base in the comments right here, just a few comments down!
Missy says
Awesome! Thank you for the great suggestions! I’ll check out your recipe too!
Beata says
I actually made the beef flavored bites last night and the steamed (not fried yet) bites are hanging out in the fridge to get extra meaty for dinner in a day or so - I will be sure to post about my results afterwards!
Beata says
It just also occurred to me that if you love the seitan steaks, you could try flavoring these bites the same way the seitan steaks are flavored. 🙂
Missy says
I’ll be anxious to hear how they turned out! Good suggestion on the seasoning recommendation!
Beata says
Had my beef flavored bites for dinner the other night - while I would definitely up the seasoning (I think I used only 1 tablespoon of vegan beef bouillon and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire and methinks at least 2 tablespoons or even more of each would be better) and add some tomato paste or ketchup, the bites were meaty yet super tender! No gristle here, lol.
The bites browned very nicely and since I was feeling lazy, I literally just used about half a bottle (so maybe 5 ounces) of Coconut Secret Garlic sauce to flavor the bites and my dinner was nothing short of scrumptious! To get the stir fry vibe though, I would definitely go for a thicker sauce (say, like the one Sam suggests in her recipe) but this just goes to show how versatile these little nuggets are!
BTW, writing this made me hungry so I went to the kitchen to steal a few pieces of now fried and "sauced" leftover beef bites and they are even better and more meaty (definitely more substantial in their mouthfeel) while still tender! Note to self, steam, fry AND THEN store the bites to make them extra meaty!
Next up in my kitchen, flavoring these the same way Sam's steak is seasoned! 🙂 Thank you again, Sam!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Love all of your variations Beata!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much Missy! I have been thinking about this too! I will give it a try 🙂
Lisa says
Just made these for a second time, this recipe is absolute gold. I have to add a little more water to combine everything, scant cup total, maybe because I live in Colorado? I used a two layer approach in my steamer this time - using both the pasta basket and the higher veggie steamer tray for a single batch. Fry 'em as crisp as you like - still chewy in the middle, YUM. Thank you!
Jd says
Could you sub the all purpose for gram flour?
Beata says
From what I know about gram flour, probably - but the raw gram flour tends to taste bad when not cooked all the way, so I am not sure if 10-15 minutes of steaming plus the frying time would be enough to cook off the raw gram flour flavor.
Somewhere on another vegan website I frequent, I read that if you "rehydrate" the gram flour with water first, the raw taste will go away after about 5 minutes. With that in mind, if I were to use gram flour in this recipe, I would mix the gram flour with water (same proportions as listed in the recipe for ease) first to make a smooth mixture and let it sit while I gather the rest of the ingredients. Then pour the gram flour mixture into the bowl with the VWG and all the spices and mix to form your dough.
Hmm, I might actually try that to see if it works! 🙂 Thank you for the inspiration!
Sam Turnbull says
Great tips Beata!
Lola says
Seitan on a weeknight with no pre-planning?! Thank you so much for this. It is quick, easy, and delicious.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Lola!
Deb D says
Just had to comment one more time! My meat eating son tried this when I made Sweet and Sour Vchicken last night, and he couldn't tell that it wasn't meat! Such a versatile recipe that could be used in so so many ways to replace chicken pieces in your stirfries and saucey dishes. Thanks again Sam!
Elle says
Hands down the best (and easiest!!) seitan recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you so much. This is a gamechanger!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! Thank you so much Elle!
Sam Turnbull says
Love that!!! You're most welcome 🙂
Beata says
Woohoo! What a great recipe! I do not use white flour so I substituted about a 3rd of a 16 oz. block of super firm high protein tofu, so about 5 oz. (Nasoya brand in the U.S.) as I have made seitan with this particular tofu before (recipes from other websites) and I know that seitan turns out well using this tofu. I did not have the broth powder so I used a heaping tablespoon of Better than Bouillon vegan chicken broth base. I also used at least a tablespoon of garlic powder, because garlic, lol! Used about 1/2 cup of water to account for the moisture from the tofu and bouillon. The dough came together very nicely and I steamed it in an ungreased steaming pot for about 15 minutes. Then I simply fried it up with some store bought Szechuan sauce and reused the same steaming pot to steam some broccoli. Tossed everything together over some shirataki rice to cut down on carbs. Holy cow yum!
I just devoured the leftovers for lunch and I must add that just as with other seitan recipes I have made, the seitan texture is much better after hanging out in the fridge overnight. Still, even right from the steaming pot, we could not stop snacking on the seitan pieces, hahahaha. BTW, they really tasted like chicken! I am not vegan but intentionally make a lot of vegan meals and I can attest this recipe can stand for chicken in any stir fry dish and probably many other dishes calling for pieces of meat. Next up in my kitchen, flavoring these nuggets with vegan beef bouillon and Worcestershire sauce to make beef flavored bites!
Thank you, Sam!!!
Beata says
Oh, I did omit the salt completely as the bouillon is quite salty, in case anyone asks. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful Beata! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂
Missy says
Yum! This sounds awesome too!
Lea says
So I already have your salmon and steak recipes on rotation...why not this recipe too?! I made this with Better than Bouillon No Chicken broth because...well...it was there. I added some of the pieces to a stir fry, with some leftover Korean BBQ sauce.... It was good but I thought texture-wise kind of glutinous (but it is gluten, after all)...no biggie. I fried the rest up and put it in the fridge. Took it out again for supper to add to some to a Vegan Cajun pasta... Texture changed...firmed up....and for my taste buds...for the better.. Soooo many things I can do with this recipe!!! I'm already planning on making more tomorrow!!..Thx Sam!!
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! So happy you enjoyed it Lea! And yes setian almost always improves in texture when you chill it overnight 🙂
Deb D says
Made this yesterday! Sooooooo Good, so Easy!! Thanks again Sam! 😀
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Deb! So happy you enjoyed it!
Cathy H says
10\10. Fast, easy & delicious. Will definitely make this often. Thanks for another great recipe Sam .
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Cathy!
Julia says
I made this tonight and it was AMAZING! I froze half the batch to see how it works for me. Can't wait to try it again. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So thrilled you love it Julia!
Amy says
Sam! This is so incredibly quick and easy - just like you said!! This is going to be on super high rotation. I’m obsessed.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing! Thrilled you loved it so much, Amy!!
Deb D says
Hi Sam! 😀 Love your recipes, cannot wait to try this one! Question...I have both your books, and cannot find Seitan in either, am I not looking properly!?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Deb, thank you so much! I don't include seitan recipes in either of my books because (except for this recipe) seitan is generally no "Fuss-Free" and usually takes longer than 30 minutes to make 🙂
Deb D says
Hi Sam 🙂 Thanks so much for the very quick reply! 😉 I thought that might have been the reason, and I hope in the near future you have a book come out with all your awesome seitan recipes! Thanks again for all your hard work. My family loves everything I make out of your books, which is just about everything! Cheers from Australia! Keep safe and well!
😉
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much Deb!
Sonya says
Omg another one added to my favorites thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha you're most welcome, Sonya!
tamber says
I Love your Vegan recipes Sam as they always turn out so well!Appreciate this quicker version of Vegan Chicken&will try it out for sure!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, tamber! I hope you enjoy it!
Heather says
We LOVE your seitan tenders recipe, it’s a staple in our house. Can you sub the all purpose flour for tofu to up the nutrient level?
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks so much, Heather! I haven't tried it, but you are welcome to 🙂
Beata says
Hi Heather! I did just that and posted my recipe variation in the comments here under my name! Tofu version was super yummy, if I say so myself. 🙂
LBaker says
If I use pre-made seitan, do you still recommend steaming it in advance?
Sam Turnbull says
There is no need to follow this recipe for pre-made seitan, as the seitan you purchase is ready to eat/fry. You can enjoy the sauce tho! Note that the texture/flavour of the store-bought seitan will be different as it's a different recipe. 🙂
Deb Z says
Hey Sam! Steaming in an InstantPot is faster, less energy used,no heat given off. I swear that's the only way I make Seitan now and for those who think it's hard, it isn't. Instant Pot every time. Usually do it half the time you steam on the cooktop. Put it on a cooling rack and then fry.
Sam Turnbull says
For me, it's not worth the effort of hauling my instant pot out of the cupboard, and waiting for it to pressureize and depressurize. I just find tossing a pot on the stove so much quicker. But of course if you prefer the Instant pot, go for it! 🙂
Brenda says
Ooh, this has me thinking. I don't turn to seitan very often when I'm trying to sub out meat, because it's so labour intensive, but this sounds much more doable. And I'm not immediately seeing any reason this technique couldn't form the basis for pretty much any stir-fry dish. Get the seitan fried (just like one might otherwise sear a protein), then carry on with the rest of the stir-frying... Unless I'm missing something, this should work, and I will definitely be trying it!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes it will definitely work well for any stir-fry! I hope you love the recipe, Brenda 🙂
Maggie says
I will try to air fryer and instapot this. BTW, the link to get your seitan recipes gave an error not found message.
Sam Turnbull says
Let us know what you try and how it turns out 🙂 I just tested the link and it seems to be working for me... werid! Here is the link again, hopefully, it works this time 🙂
Zach says
I have been waiting for your take on this one as you always make the best seitan recipes. So excited to try this and your sauce gives me the perfect excuse to use the bottle of hoisin sauce in my fridge that I have barely used in the past year.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks Zach! I hope you love this new seitan! 🙂
TofuAnnie says
You've done it again! Great job!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you!
Brian Boatright says
Can I sub vegan better than bouillon if I don't have the broth powder?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, just crush the bouillon to make a powder, or dissolve it into the water that is used to make the dough. Enjoy!