• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • About Sam
    • FAQ's about veganism
    • Press
    • Contact
      • Reader Inquiries
      • Business Inquiries
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Video
  • Start Here

It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
  • Start Here
    • Tips to Use This Site
    • Press
    • Contact me
    • FAQ About Veganism
  • Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Recipes
    • Start Here
      • Tips to Use This Site
      • Press
      • Contact me
      • FAQ About Veganism
  • Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    May 13, 2018 601 Comments

    Vegan Seitan Steak

    55.3K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    It finally happened. I've posted my first ever seitan recipe. And it isn't just any old seitan recipe either, I decided that if I was going to post a seitan recipe, it should be THE seitan recipe. It's go big or go home time, so I went all the way to the top of the seitan game, straight to a VEGAN SEITAN STEAK.

    Yes, Vegan Seitan Steak! Mouth-watering, flavor packed, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. You can BBQ, skillet, or pan fry. Then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad or in a vegan steak sandwich. So delicious and satisfying!

    YES, THAT IS VEGAN!!!!! Caps lock on. So much excitement. Can't help it. Yes, I made this vegan steak from scratch in my kitchen, and you can too! I know, it's mind-blowing.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    What is Seitan?

    OK, let's talk about seitan. Unfortunately, in the vegan world, there are a lot of unappetizing named foods. Nutritional yeast, tempeh, quinoa, and then you have seitan. If I could re-brand some vegan foods I totally would, but what can you do?

    Seitan (not satan 😈) is a chewy, protein-packed, meat-like food made from vital wheat gluten (another horrid name for a food).

    Vital wheat gluten is a flour made by removing the starches from wheat, leaving behind just the gluten. Gluten is the main protein in wheat and it's also the part of wheat flour that makes dough stretchy and chewy, which is why it's difficult to make gluten-free baked goods that have that same bouncy, chewy texture.

    So, vital wheat gluten can be used to make seitan which has this amazing, chewy, meat-like textured dish that wows.  A lot of the vegan meat substitutes you see in grocery stores or in restaurants are often seitan. If you've ever had a vegan meat and asked: "are you sure this is vegan?" you were likely eating seitan.

    Despite the weird name seitan can be pretty dang healthy too (assuming you don't deep fry it). One of my vegan seitan steaks contains: 295 calories, 42g protein, 22g carbohydrates, 4g fat, 5g fiber, 27.7% iron. Pretty cool right?

    Ok but now, let's get to the real meat of the matter (tee hee), DOES IT TASTE GOOD?

    The answer: silly rabbit, surely you know I would never post a recipe on my blog that isn't (in my opinion) straight up delicious. It took a LOT of experimenting, but I finally nailed the texture and flavours to be incredibly mouth-watering scrumptious. This vegan seitan steak has the perfect chew, is juicy, a little smoky, umami, satisfyingly yum for each and every bite.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    How To Make Vegan Seitan Steaks:

    Add all of the vegan seitan steak ingredients to a food processor and pulse to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed until everything is well mixed. Alternatively, if you do not have a food processor you can first mash the cooked lentils with a fork or potato masher, then add everything together in a large bowl and mix well.

    Now you know I'm not a fan of hard to find ingredients, but for this recipe, vital wheat gluten is crucial and it's worth the search. If you're lucky, your local grocery store may carry vital wheat gluten, but if not you will be able to find it in a health food store or here on Amazon.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    Once mixed, it will look something like this.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and begin to knead it together. It may be a bit crumbly at first, but keep kneading it for a few minutes until it comes together into a tight ball.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    Cut the ball into 4 sections, then use a rolling pin to roll out each section into ½" thick steaks. The dough will be very tough and stretchy, but just keep working at it until you get your desired steak shapes.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Put the steaks in the steamer basket and cover with a lid. It's ok if they are overlapping a bit. Steam for 25 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through so they steam evenly. They will double in size.

    Steaming the seitan first, cooks the dough through, and makes it juicy and tender. In my experimenting, I also tried boiling and baking the seitan, but steaming it was by far the best method for the ideal texture for a vegan steak.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    In a large ziplock bag or air-tight container, mix together all of the marinade ingredients. The oil won't really combine, but that's fine. Remove the steaks from the steamer and coat in the marinade. Let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking, or for as long as several days when kept in the fridge.

    I love that I can make these in advance and let them hang out, ready to be grilled up when I desire. They also freeze well pretty well. Just pop the steaks in the marinade and freeze the entire thing, marinade and all. I have found that after frozen and thawed the steaks might suck up more of the marinade so you might want to whip up extra marinade for brushing on when cooking.

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    How To Cook Vegan Seitan Steaks:

    When you are ready to enjoy the vegan steaks, heat a frying pan, grill pan, or barbecue. When hot, fry or grill the steaks a couple of minutes on each side until grill marks form. Brush the steaks with leftover marinade while cooking to keep them juicy, and also right before serving.
    Serve however you desire. I like mine served with a potato and some greens. I also enjoy mine sliced and put on salad. So many possibilities!

    Vegan Seitan Steak! Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #vegansteak #steak

    Bon Appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull

    Print Recipe
    4.99 from 316 votes

    Vegan Seitan Steak

    Inspired by the amazing recipes for vegan steaks by The Happy Pear and Veggie Rose.
    Yes, it's vegan!! Mouth-watering, tender, chewy, juicy, flavourful, meat-like texture. Amazing! BBQ or pan fry then serve whole or slice and put on top of salad for a steak salad. So delicious and satisfying! 
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time35 mins
    marinate30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : AmericanCanadianFrenchItalian
    Servings: 4 steaks
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the vegan seitan steaks:

    • 1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
    • 1 cup cooked lentils (I used canned)
    • 6 tablespoons water
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    For the vegan seitan steak marinade:

    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    To make the vegan seitan steaks:

    • Add all of the vegan seitan steak ingredients to a food processor and pulse to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed until everything is well mixed. Alternatively, if you do not have a food processor you can first mash the cooked lentils with a fork or potato masher, then add everything together in a large bowl and mix well.
    • Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and begin to knead it together. It may be a bit crumbly at first, but keep kneading it for a few minutes until it comes together into a tight ball. Do not over-knead the dough, the more you knead it, the tougher the steaks will be, so knead it just until it comes together. Cut the ball into 4 sections, then use a rolling pin to roll out each section into ½" thick steaks. The dough will be very tough and stretchy, but just keep working at it until you get your desired steak shapes. 
    • Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Put the steaks in the steamer basket and cover with a lid. It's ok if they are overlapping a bit. Steam for 25 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through so they steam evenly. They will double in size.
    • In a large ziplock bag or air-tight container, mix together all of the marinade ingredients. The oil won't really combine, but that's fine. Remove the steaks from the steamer and coat in the marinade. Let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking, or for as long as several days when kept in the fridge.

    To serve the vegan seitan steaks:

    • When you are ready to enjoy the vegan steaks, heat a frying pan, grill pan, or barbecue. When hot, fry or grill the steaks a couple of minutes on each side until grill marks form. Brush the steaks with leftover marinade while cooking to keep them juicy, and also right before serving. 
      Serve however you desire. I like mine served with a potato and some greens. I also enjoy mine sliced and put on salad. So many possibilities! 
    " player-type="default" override-embed="default"]

    Notes

    Freezing:  pop the steaks in the marinade and freeze the entire thing, marinade and all. I have found that after frozen and thawed the steaks might suck up more of the marinade so you might want to whip up extra marinade for brushing on when cooking.
    Vital wheat gluten is essential to this recipe, and there is no substitute. Therefore this recipe cannot be made gluten-free. For a vegan gluten-free chicken inspired recipe try my Baked Tofu Bites recipe.
    Steaming tips: I recommend getting a steamer pot if you plan to make seitan often, or you can use a DIY method if you do not have a steamer.
    Cleaning tips: vital wheat gluten is very sticky and can destroy dish brushes and cloths. So what I like to do is save old clothes, sheets, or towels that are too shabby to donate, and cut them into rags. I use these rags to clean up after preparing a seitan recipe and discard the rag once finished.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1steak (recipe makes 4 steaks) | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 874mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    More vegan seitan recipes you might enjoy...

     

    « Super Easy Vegan Croissants
    Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue Neild says

      March 25, 2023 at 11:02 am

      4 stars
      I made this but must have not measured the fluids properly as it was hard to get it to stay together. It was more like chunks. I steamed it in my instant pot for 10 minutes based on someone else’s comment but it was not long enough. The next day I steamed it for another 20 minutes and it was perfect then. I really enjoyed the steak and marinade. Thank you.

      Could you please include instant pot steam time in your recipes if you know it?

      Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Sarah says

      February 06, 2023 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today as needed a store cupboard meal and I had some gluten flour. I've made a fantastic seitan roast every year, for over twenty years now, from an original Joanne Stepianak recipe, which everyone who eats it absolutely loves, but I have to say this is officially the best seitan recipe I've ever tried. it was absolutely perfect, the taste and texture were amazing. I've never found one of your recipes that wasn't amazing but this was an 11 out of 10.
      Thank you!
      p.s I subbed chickpeas for the lentils because...chickpeas! 🙂

      Reply
    3. KM says

      February 03, 2023 at 5:49 pm

      5 stars
      I had no idea what to expect from this but my partner wanted a “meat and potatoes” meal so I thought I’d give it a try. This steak is absolutely delicious! Thanks for another keeper recipe!

      Reply
      • Linnéa says

        February 06, 2023 at 12:03 pm

        5 stars
        I've made this so many times that I've lost count.

        Since I've got a weaker blender, I like to blend the lentils with all the liquids before stirring it into the dry ingredients by hand. Always works like a charm.

        Reply
      • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

        February 08, 2023 at 4:48 pm

        Woo! That's fantastic!

        Reply
    4. Patricia E Sackett says

      December 26, 2022 at 8:47 pm

      Can a different bean be used rather than lentils?

      Reply
    5. Chevy says

      December 07, 2022 at 10:21 pm

      5 stars
      Came out good! Love the recipe and I even think this would be great in a burger. Served it with truffle mashed potatoes, roasted purple cauliflower & grilled asparagus.
      Would make it again!
      Thanks for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 11, 2022 at 11:26 am

        Yay! So happy you love it!

        Reply
    6. Meryl says

      November 22, 2022 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      Could this recipe be cooked as a roast instead of steaks?
      The texture and flavour of the steaks are perfect, each and every time I have make them.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 03, 2022 at 12:38 pm

        I haven't tried it, but you're welcome to give it a try. Let me know how it turns out if you do!

        Reply
    7. Vern Gran says

      October 06, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe!...I added some vegan Worcestershire sauce to the marinade and it turned out fantastic. A definite keeper 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 20, 2022 at 3:23 pm

        Wonderful! So happy you loved it! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Kipp Smith says

      August 05, 2022 at 8:58 pm

      4 stars
      This recipe is excellent! I also added 1/4 cup TVP to give more texture.only kneaded about a minute. Added steak butter too when served. Kudos!

      Reply
    9. Tracey says

      July 25, 2022 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic!!! Easy, tasty, great texture, and our whole family enjoyed it. Looking forward to making it again and using it for a “beef” stirfry. Your recipes are consistently excellent. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        July 28, 2022 at 9:47 am

        So happy you love my recipes Tracey!! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Hazel Buxton says

      July 24, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      5 stars
      Sam your vegan meats are the best and this one didnt disappoint either, although mine was maybe a bit to soft but still delicious had it with my first go at garden vegtable which included potatoes, courgettes, cabbages & peas so good. I'm away to make sweet potato treats for my vegan dogs nie. Keep it up you are the best.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        July 28, 2022 at 9:45 am

        So happy you loved it! To make it tougher try kneading it a bit more. Enjoy!

        Reply
    11. Lesley says

      July 20, 2022 at 8:37 am

      What colour of lentils did you use?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        July 20, 2022 at 9:29 am

        It doesn't matter, any lentil will work, but the ones I used were brown. Enjoy!

        Reply
    12. Annie Hill says

      July 08, 2022 at 2:56 am

      5 stars
      Hi Sam

      This is a winner. And a typical ENORMOUS North American steak! I haven't eaten dead animal since the 90s, so to be fair, I doubt I can remember what steak is like to eat. However, occasionally I don't want my food in a sauce, or all mixed up with other ingredients: I want 3 or 4 discrete piles on my plate. I followed your recipe (using smoked paprika instead of liquid smoke and leaving out any sweetener) and cooked the steak on the trivet in my pressure cooker for 5 minutes. Fried it in olive oil and served it with chips (french fries), Brussels sprouts and Dijon mustard. It was truly excellent. And I made 1/4 recipe, which worked.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        July 20, 2022 at 9:07 am

        So happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    13. Cyndi says

      July 04, 2022 at 12:59 pm

      Love this recipe but each time there is way too much gluten flour and not enough liquid. Always have to add twice as much water. Thinking it does not need as much gluten flour?

      Reply
      • Marie says

        August 19, 2022 at 2:40 pm

        5 stars
        Hope this helps - Gluten settles a lot in the bag. I use a wire whisk and stir my gluten before measuring. My steaks come out perfectly every time.

        Reply
    14. tom says

      June 06, 2022 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Sam, loving the recipe... can't wait to make it 🙂
      I'm planning on making a big batch. How long can these be kept in the freezer?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 13, 2022 at 9:19 am

        I'd say about 6 months in the freezer. Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Darina says

      May 06, 2022 at 9:11 am

      5 stars
      Wow this is so good!! The texture is perfect, great recipe!!

      Reply
    16. Nicole says

      April 27, 2022 at 10:42 pm

      I made this and I loved it! My boyfriend on the other hand didn’t. He didn’t like the marinade. What else could I marinate it in?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 26, 2022 at 10:10 am

        Hi Nicole, here is a list of 12 seitan marinades 🙂

        Reply
    17. Genie says

      April 24, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      I can't tell you how many times I've made these over the last like 4 years?! They are the very best! I even use this recipe when I am planning to make Philly cheese steaks or fajitas. My whole family loves these steaks and I haven't disliked a recipe of yours yet. Thanks so much for doing what you do 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 26, 2022 at 9:56 am

        Aww that's so wonderful!! So happy you love them Genie 🙂

        Reply
    18. Tim says

      April 16, 2022 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      I just made some for the second time cause some turned out quite hard and breadlike the first time I tried the recipe.
      I used an microwave steamer to steam them, maybe it just was too much heat or smth, I dont know.
      This time some of them puffed up and completly turned into bread, does anyone have an idea why? Fortunatly I didn't use the whole batch, so I wrapped the rest in aluminium foil and steamed them that way - problem solved, they were tender and juicy.

      Those were amazing, an easy way to do some mealprep and get my protein intake!

      Reply
    19. Anya says

      April 14, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      Sam, this recipe is marvelous. I usually have problems with seitan steaks not cooking all the way through so I just tried this recipe and I divided the dough into 6 pieces, steamed, and pan fried them. They are so juicy even my meat loving co-worker loved it (I first gave her a small piece to try and she asked for a bigger piece!). This one is going to be a keeper!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 14, 2022 at 5:25 pm

        That's wonderful Anya! If you happen to have a cooking thermometer, seitan needs to reach at least 160F internally, then you know it's cooked through 🙂

        Reply
    20. Christal says

      April 03, 2022 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      We live this recipe and have made it many times but this time it came out too soft but it was still good. Any idea what would make it too soft?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 06, 2022 at 6:12 pm

        Kneading it less will make it soft, and kneading it longer will make it tough. I also find that when you cook it to finish it, it can change the texture. My favorite way is to pan fry but baking it can sometimes make it softer. Hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Joe says

          April 11, 2022 at 8:49 pm

          5 stars
          Also if you don’t steam it long enough the seitan will have a yucky squishy texture. Just put it back in the steamer and you’ll be good to go.

    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Sam Turnbull

    Hi Friends!

    I'm Sam. Bestselling cookbook author and full-time vegan recipe creator! I LOVE vegan food, but it didn't start that way. As someone who comes from a family of hunters, butchers, and chefs I'm the last person I thought would go vegan. Here's My Story →

    Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Amazon.com • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Nobel • Indigo • Kobo • Book Depository

    Amazon.com • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Nobel • Indigo • Kobo • Book Depository

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright

    I love when you share! All of the images and text on this site is the property of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Feel free to share photos and quotes with a link back to my original post. Do not share entire recipes, large bodies of text, or edit my photos in anyway without first obtaining permission from me. Social media shares are always welcome. Thank you!

    Affiliate Link Disclosure

    On this site, I sometimes use affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken would receive a small cut, at no cost to you.

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    COPYRIGHT

    I love when you share! All of the images and text on this site is the property of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Feel free to share photos and quotes with a link back to my original post. Do not share entire recipes, large bodies of text, or edit my photos in anyway without first obtaining permission from me. Social media shares are always welcome. Thank you!


    AFFILIATE LINK DISCLOSURE

    On this site, I sometimes use affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken would receive a small cut, at no cost to you.

    Privacy Policy | Contact | About | Sponsor Newsletter

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 - IT DOESN'T TASTE LIKE CHICKEN