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
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Kim says
This was my first time ever eating and making seitan and it was so good!! I steamed the pieces 5 minutes longer as they were a little bigger and then cut them into smaller pieces and marinated them in the Sweet and Smoky marinade before pan frying them. Crispy and delicious, they will be a new go to for sure!! Super easy and so good!! Great recipe!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful!
Melody says
First, I am not a vegetarian, and generally when somebody says “oh you’re going to like this” when trying to feed me “fake“ meat of some type, I generally find it tasteless at best and disgusting at worst. Decades ago, I tried making my own seitan, following a recipe in a vegetarian cookbook. It was supposed to be a roast. All that work, and it went into the trash. A couple years back I tried purchasing seitan from the store, thinking maybe I did something wrong. This one was actually flavored like a “pork roast“. It was disgusting. Also in the trash. So I was a little hesitant to try this, but my husband prefers to eat as many meatless meals as possible, and oh my gosh! They weren’t too bad even before I put the sauce on them but after I put it on… Taste just like chicken nuggets. This will definitely go in my keeper file. I may have to try out some other recipes on your site now. Thank you!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's amazing, Melody! We're so happy that Sam was able to turn you around on seitan! Thanks for the review.
CC says
This recipe is easy and delicious! It is the first seitan recipe that has turned out good for me. Thank you!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's so exciting!
Meg Ryan says
I wish I had found this recipe sooner! It is honestly the best chicken seitan I’ve had; store bought or home made! So easy, less mess than the washed flour version and so damn delicious! I paired ours with a sweet and sour sauce and it’s freaking awesome! I’d give 10 stars if I could! Thanks Sam xx
Meg from Australia
Stephanie says
This was far better than the recipe I was using, and a lot easier, too. Absolutely delicious!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's great news!
Jessica says
Hi,
If I put it in the air fryer after steaming, do you have any idea at what temp and for how long?
Tracy says
I finally had success with making seitan thanks to this recipe. I’m so excited! Made it with a peanut sauce.
Chris says
Not normally a comments guy but I had to today-- this recipe is UNBELIEVABLY good. I was so skeptical when I started it, and it came out better than possibly expected. I just did mine with some lettuce wraps, Bachan's sauce, a little hot sauce and some sprouts I had on hand and it's one of the best things I've eaten in months.
Thank you so much for this!
Nick says
Can this be made with prepackaged seitan?
Amy Young says
This really is the easiest seitan, thank you so much for this recipe. I used to make seitan only a few times a year but will be making much more often now. Even my meat-eating man loved it! Also, I didn't have any dried broth powder so added some Better than Boulion in with the water and turned out fine. Can't wait to try the other recipes, thanks again!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's great news! Enjoy!
Neha says
is it possible to substitute the broth powder for buillon cube? if so how do I change the amount? thanks
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes! 1 Tablespoon of broth powder is equivalent to a bouillon cube. So you could add the bouillon cube to 2 cups of water and then use just the 2/3 of this mixture that the recipe call for and use the remainder in another recipe.
Kathy says
So easy to make, and a hit with our whole family! This version of seitan will be made often at our house.
Tammy says
Made these for the first time and they were so quick and easy to make. Tasty without the sauce and so very good with the sauce (sweet and sour). Will make some to freeze for easy meals. Thank you!!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're so happy you enjoyed it!
Angel says
I usually make the tenders, but I was out of silken tofu so I made these. Wow! Super easy and delicious! We paired it with your teriyaki marinade - chef's kiss. I will be making them again tomorrow to try them fried and also for some homemade chicken soup. It really does only take 5 mins of prep work. Thank you, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you love it Angel!
Cindi says
Can this be steamed in an Instapot ?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes it can!
Tess says
Thanks so much for making this amazing recipe. I need to reduce carbs in my diet for health reasons. I understand the flour softens the texture. If I don't use flour and instead just add more gluten, how rubbery will it be? Will it be inedible? I don't mind if it's a little rubbery. Do you know any other hacks to reduce carbs in this recipe? Thanks again.
Sam Turnbull says
You could sub chickpea flour. I haven't tried it without any flour but it should still be yummy, just rubbery.
Tess says
I subbed with lentil flour since chickpeas have more carbs. It came out wonderfully! Thanks so much for your recipe! You're literally a lifesaver!!!
Dana says
Tess, I often use either a bit of tofu or some almond flour in place of the wheat/bean flour in seitan recipes. Works like a charm with less carbs.
Shaileen says
I make this all the time and am obsessed. I love how easy and quick it is!
Sam Turnbull says
Yayyy!!
Jessica says
I subbed normal flour for chickpea/gram flour and it was great. great simple recipe. thank you x
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed!
Ross says
I'm wondering about the purpose of adding regular flour to the vital wheat gluten rather than just using pure wheat gluten? Does it have some function? Does a small amount of regular flour improve texture somehow?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes it improved the texture, it softens it so that the seitan isn't too rubbery.
Alyssa says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I am fairly lazy when it comes to making food lol and this was my first attempt at seitan! even without any sauce, the little nugget pieces tasted so good!!! I used a "chicken" flavored broth powder and I had to sub coconut flour as I had no regular on hand but it still worked perfectly!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed Alyssa 🙂