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!
How 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
- â…” 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Davida says
Thanks for the quick and easy recipe! When I tried it tonight, the pieces were quite chewy. I followed the recipe except tossed in a bottled Buffalo sauce. Maybe the pieces were too big, I didn’t mix the dough enough or over mixed it, added too much water, over steamed?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Davida, you can't really over steam the seitan, so that wouldn't be the problem. If your pieces were big that would make them chewier. I also recommend letting the seitan cool and storing it in the fridge overnight. It will be more tender and even meatier the next day. Fry it up fresh and add your sauce. 🙂
Vera says
This is indeed the quickest and easiest while being so tasty! I had my doubts. You make some pretty lofty statements. I'm glad they are true!! The seitan ball is quite sticky which was inconvenient but a minor nuisance that can't be helped for some great seitan. I prefer the steaming method over boiling as well.
I have never heard of vegetable broth powder so substituted nutritional yeast instead. I can't imagine there'd be much difference. I also did use chickpea flour instead of white flour b/c the best seitan recipes tend to use it.
I cut my loaf into strips b/c I wanted to make fajitas. My seitan strips turned out absolutely perfectly! Seitan will always have a slight rubbery-ness to it because it's made out of gluten, but I wouldn't call my strips rubbery. They were easy to chew and break without needing to stretch them.
I've tried several seitan recipes and most don't match the hype. This one does! Thanks for it!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it Vera!
Debby says
This was a hit with every member of my family, including the omnivore. Loved the sauce too. Served the seitan with rice and roasted bok choy, drizzled sauce over everything. So good! This is going in my Pinterest Favorite folder. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it Debby!
Doodlebug says
Looks great! About how many pounds does this make?
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't weighed it, but I'd estimate about 1 pound.
Ginette Bisaillon says
This is the kind of recipe that makes me feel sorry for people who are gluten intolerant!
Sam Turnbull says
I know right!!
Jean says
Hello, I did like the recipe very much, I used some Pho Ga chicken flavor powder, and some broth that I had instead of water. I steamed for 17‘ because it was looking not very hot I thought it would need a little longer, but then it was a bit rubbery, what can I do to make it a bit more fibrous? Steam less, or add an ingredient? (Also I let in the fridge for the night before steaming, had not enough time to cook it that day.)
Thanks for all your work!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jean, for the best results I recommend following the recipe exactly as written. Steam the seitan right after making it, and at that point if you want to store it overnight you can. Enjoy!
Nancy says
Thank you! I've been determined to make a good seitan. Tried boiling (nope), baking(big nope), but this recipe finally gave me the results I craved! So yummy! I have half a batch (unkneaded)in the steamer now. The other half (kneaded for 1 minute) ready to go, trying to see which texture suits us best.
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! So happy you love it Nancy!
Leslee B says
This was great! Thank you for the recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Leslee!!
Kate says
I seem to be in the minority here but I like my seitan to be meaty/stringy...this one was very ooey/gooey...idk if I did something incorrect but I followed the directions and after I was done cooking it and trying it, it all went straight to the bin...it was not very good. The sauce was alright...a bit too salty for my taste, but not awful...but the seitan I would not make again. Waste of ingredients
Ginette Bisaillon says
You obviously did something wrong
Danielle says
nah, I had the same experience.
Lynne says
OUTSTANDING! I had this recipe sitting in my "Try This" pile and finally got around to it. So sorry I waited so long! It was easy, quick, and delicious. I tried the "Sweet & Smokey" sauce from your suggestions and it was delicious! This is truly a keeper that I'll use regularly as I work my way through your other sauce suggestions. Thanks for making eating vegan food so easy and delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww yay! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂
Deb Z says
How about steaming in an instant pot? How long Sam? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried but I don't think it would take long. There is no risk of oversteaming.
Dina says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finally an easy seitan recipe that actually works and tastes amazing! I did not have the broth powder so switched the water for veggie broth. I can’t stop making this! Thank you AGAIN!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it!!
Emily says
Brilliantly easy! I just steamed then put them in a frying pan, added bbq sauce, Done!
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!
Carissa says
Hi there! I am making this right now and just have a quick question. I want to marinate in bbq sauce but am wondering should I follow your instructions to fry up before I marinate or should I marinate the seitan right after steaming and then fry up when ready?
Carissa says
Also, one other question … sorry! If freezing I know you said to cool after steaming before freezing but I am wondering do you recommend freezing right after cooling after being steamed? Or do you recommend letting it cool, then frying it and then freezing it? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Let cool after steaming, then freeze. Thaw and then fry when ready to enjoy!
Sam Turnbull says
I would marinate after steaming and then fry when ready to serve. Enjoy!
Mandy says
Omg. Thank you Sam! This was deeeelicious! I added cashews,mushrooms and a bit of bok choi for a veggie/legume quotient but the base was easy, fast,tasty and....completely devoured. No leftovers. Wah!!!(thank you,will def be making this again!)
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed Mandy!!
Christiane says
Excellent recipe ! I made it tonight. It was so easy and so good I had trouble trying not to eat it all. Thank you for the recipe !
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, you're welcome! 🙂
GinaB says
Awesome! I ate half the recipe all by myself and above all, I will file away all my other seitan recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha love it!!!
Krishna says
Thanks for the quick recipe. I will definitel try it. Quick question can we replace all purpose flour with wheat flour? Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
all-purpose flour is wheat flour, but if you mean whole wheat flour, then yes that should work. Enjoy!
sadie says
Using whole wheat flour would not have the same gluten content as Vital Wheat Gluten. As this recipe does not call for washing the mixture, wouldn't using only whole wheat be more starchy and yield less protein content? Curious minds want to know, TIA
Kasie says
Hi! How many ouces do you do per serving?
Jane says
A lot of seitan recipes are daunting in their complexity. This one really is simple, quick and easy. I followed the recipe but omitted the extra salt and added some nooch. I had to steam in 2 batches to fit in single layer, but that only increased cooking time by 10 mins. I used in a stir fry with lots of veg, garlic, ginger, chilli and soy sauce. Even my carnivorous husband polished off the lot.
I think a large batch for the freezer is called for!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved it Jane! The seitan freezes beautifully so I love making large batches 🙂