15 Amazing Seitan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is seitan good or bad for you? ›

Is Seitan Healthy? In many ways, yes, seitan is quite a healthy option. The seitan nutrition facts are hard to argue with: notable amounts of protein, iron, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. This combination of macro- and micronutrients can result in some pretty impressive health benefits.

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.

soy sauce or tamari - Adds saltiness, umami, and depth of flavor. balsamic and apple cider vinegar - Vinegar rounds out the flavor profile and helps disguise the subtle bitterness of vital wheat gluten. fat - Including a little bit of oil or other fat improves the overall flavor and tenderizes the seitan.

Cover each container tightly with a lid and store the seitan in the fridge for up to ten days, or in the freezer for up to six months.

While seitan is a versatile plant-based protein, people with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or gluten allergy should avoid it. Premade seitan can also be high in sodium, so it's important to read the nutrition label if you monitor your sodium intake.

“Eat it sparingly,” he says. “It's not necessarily a once a day thing, and if you think you need a plant-based option I'd actually suggest tofu over seitan.”

Specifically, they may be quite high in sodium, which represents a problem for people who are trying to lower the salt in their diets. Because seitan depends on added seasonings to deliver flavor, it's important to make sure you aren't sensitive to any of those ingredients if you do have food sensitivities.

Some people may have gluten sensitivities or allergies, and seitan is not suitable for them. Additionally, consuming seitan in excessive amounts may lead to an imbalance in nutrient intake, as it is primarily a protein source and lacks other essential nutrients found in a well-rounded diet.

Seitan will dry out over time, and I find wrapping it in foil helps preserve some of the moisture. If you find that your seitan gets dry, rehydrate by heating up a pan with a little water, vegetable broth, or gravy and let the seitan simmer in the liquid for a bit.

Why do you add baking powder to seitan? ›

Baking soda by some miracle seems to work wonders when combating the gluten taste. You don't need very much, either. Typically about 1/4 teaspoon per cup of VWG should do the trick. Whisk it right into your dry mix, and because it is such a small amount, it won't do anything to offset your wet/dry ratio.

All-purpose flour: 10–12% protein – This can be used, but some brands work better than others depending on where the protein is coming from. Read more info below. Bread flour: 12–16% protein – Fine-grain, unbleached, white varieties are optimal for making seitan.

It's possible to overcook the seitan (it can get tough). Rest: After the seitan chicken has steamed, remove the pot from heat, take off the lid, and let them cool for 5 minutes in the foil. They'll settle, so this step is important. After the 5 minutes is up, remove the foil carefully.

STEP 5: Let the seitan rest.

It's best to cook it the same day, but you can also refrigerate it, covered in water, overnight, or up to 12 hours. Once it's cooked, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within two days, or freeze for up to three months.

Secondly, discoloration or spots of mold can indicate spoilage - generally, its color should be beige or brown (depending on the marinade), so watch out for anything that deviates from that. Lastly, another sign can be an off-taste, so if you're uncertain, it's best err on the side of caution and discard it.

Is seitan better for you than tofu? Both foods are a good source of plant-based protein. Seitan has twice as much per serving than tofu. However, tofu has more calcium, phosphorus, and antioxidants than seitan.

While seitan provides similar protein and iron content as meat, animal meat is a complete protein, and seitan is not. In addition, iron found in animal-based products is generally more easily absorbed than iron from plant-based foods. Meat typically also has more fat than seitan.

Nutrition and Protein

Seitan is highest in calories and protein, as its main ingredient is vital wheat gluten, which has a similar nutritional profile to protein powder. Tempeh is high in protein, vitamins and minerals, but also low in sodium and carbs.