Easy Homemade Seitan Recipe

Here’s an easy homemade seitan recipe for a high-protein plant based meat alternative.

Ingredients

• 2 T. soy sauce (can use tamari, Bragg’s liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos)

• 1 cup of water

• 2 ¼ cup vital wheat gluten flour (not the same at wheat flour)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1-2 T seasoning or spice blend (ie, BBQ powdered seasoning, jerk seasoning, began poultry seasoning or rub spices) or make your own blend (2 t each of; onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chili powder)

Broth

• Water

• 1 large or 2 regular-sized vegetable bouillon cubes (can use any kind of bouillon, packaged broth, miso powder or paste) *I used chickpea miso for a soy allergy.

• 2 T soy sauce of choice (can use any alternative options, some listed above)

• 3 to 4 slices of fresh ginger or a squeeze of bottled ginger

Instructions

1. Combine the soy sauce with 1 cup of water in a small mixing bowl and stir together.

2. Combine the gluten flour, baking powder, and seasonings in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Gradually add the liquid to form a stiff dough, stirring with a spoon at first and then working together with your hands. Drizzle in a little more water if need be; you want all the dry ingredients to be moistened, while making sure the dough remains stiff.

4. Turn out onto a floured board (you can use additional gluten flour as needed) and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. The dough will not be smooth, but really work it the best you can. You want to make sure that there are no dry spots.

5. Return the dough to one of the bowls you used, then cover with a clean tea towel. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, fill a roomy soup pot about ⅔ full with water. Add the bouillon cubes and ginger. Start heating.

7. Once the dough has rested, divide it into tow more or less equal pieces and pull into long, narrow loaves the shape of miniature French breads. This dough isn’t easy to work with; it tends to spring back to whatever shape it’s in. but do the best you can - it will come out fine!

8. With a sharp knife (serrated), cut each section of dough crosswise into slices no thicker than ½ inch. Or you can cut random small pieces off with kitchen shears.

9. When the water comes to a slow boil, gently drop in each slice of dough. Within a couple of minutes, the dough is going to puff up and look like it’s threatening to escape the cooking pot! It will settle back; keep pushing the pieces down into the water with a wooden spoon.

10. Simmer gently and steadily for 30 minutes. Scoop out pieces of seitan to cool on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut into smaller slices or chunks (if you would like)

Notes

Transfer whatever portion of seitan you won’t be using right away to a container, then pour enough of the stock to cover. Use within a few days or freeze. Seitan freezes very well, and you can thaw out on the counter or in the refrigerator before using. Save any of the tasty stock that remains to use in soups, stews and gravies (just remember this stock has gluten in it in case someone with a sensitivity or allergy will be eating your soup)

I like to store mine in 4 oz serving sizes in reusable freezer bags.

4 oz of Seitan gives you 10.4g of Carbs, 0.9g of Fat and 23.6g of Protein