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.
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.
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.
Once mixed, it will look something like this.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How To Cook Vegan Seitan Steaks:
Bon Appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
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Vegan Seitan Steak
Servings: steaks
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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
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.
- Fill a large pot with several inches of water and place a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil, then add the steaks to the steamer basket, overlapping them if needed, and cover with a lid. Steam for 25 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through, or until their internal temperature reaches at least 160°F (71°C) when tested with an instant-read thermometer. If the temperature goes higher, that's perfectly fine—you can't really oversteam seitan. The steaks will double in size as they cook.
- 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! * Learn my secret tricks to making perfect seitan in my free masterclass. Click here to learn more and register.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More vegan seitan recipes you might enjoy...
Ines says
Hello! I have a question regarding the quantities because when you change the serving the quantity in weight stays the same so I wasn’t sure whether the 222g was for the 0.75cup/1.5 cup or 3cups.
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Ines, Thank you for pointing that out—I can see how it might have been confusing! I’ve updated the recipe so the numbers increase properly. To switch from cups to grams, simply click "Metric" at the bottom of the ingredient list. I hope that helps!
Alan says
I was skeptical but with so many positive reviews I gave it a try without modification. I was not too happy with the texture which is more like a deli ham but surprisingly the normal gluten twang was absent. I did not use it as a steak but cut the steaks up into chunks and made two meals. Some Cornish Pasties (diced seitan/ rutabaga /potato in a short crust pastry case) and a slow-cooker root stew (mirepoix, rutabaga, quartered potatoes, shallots, kale)....... next time I may change maple syrup for black strap molasses and as an experiment use montreal spice mix.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Alan.
Heather says
Do you think you can use this recipe for a Wellington?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Heather! I haven't tried it, but it should work. When working with the dough, instead of forming steaks, form a log shape and wrap in foil to hold it's shape. Ensure you steam until it reaches at least 160F. Let cool overnight, then you can wrap in the remaining ingredients and puff pastry. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Emily Allison says
I make this all the time!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!
Lucy says
Love these steaks, I just made a batch after a long break, they're in the steamer now. The gluten was in an airtight jar in the cupboard for a while and seemed to work just fine. I didn't have any tinned lentils (such a useful, cheap pantry staple, I really should remember to always have them) so I used some small black homegrown beans from the freezer.
It always seems to me even as an omnivore that steak dinner is a bit like Christmas dinner, a lot of the pleasure of the experience is in all the trimmings and the combination of them, so now I can enjoy it just as much without the meat!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww that's wonderful! thrilled you love it so much Lucy! (apologies for the late reply) 🙂
Dianelys R says
My Husband loves when I make this recipe! The recipe is so easy to make, I’m pretty sure it could win an award for Best Weeknight Dinner Ever. What really makes this dish stand out is the lentils—yes, lentils (I loved them)! They add a richness and depth to the seitan that’s just unbeatable. The flavor is so spot-on. And the texture? Absolutely perfect.
Every time I make this, it’s like a mini celebration in our house. So, if you’re looking for a recipe that’s not just vegan but also irresistibly delicious, look no further. This seitan steak is a total game-changer, and trust me, once you try it, you’ll be as hooked as we are! And for summer is perfect to do it in the grill.
Sam’s chicken seitan recipe is a game changer also and the 12 seitan or tofu marinade recipe is absolutely amazing. That way, you can prepare the seitan in different ways every time.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww yay! Thank you for the lovely review Dianelys!
Dianelys R says
My Husband loves when I make this recipe! The recipe is so easy to make, I’m pretty sure it could win an award for Best Weeknight Dinner Ever. What really makes this dish stand out is the lentils—yes, lentils (I loved them)! They add a richness and depth to the seitan that’s just unbeatable. The flavor is so spot-on. And the texture? Absolutely perfect.
Every time I make this, it’s like a mini celebration in our house. So, if you’re looking for a recipe that’s not just vegan but also irresistibly delicious, look no further. This seitan steak is a total game-changer, and trust me, once you try it, you’ll be as hooked as we are! And for summer is perfect to do it in the
Sam’s chicken seitan recipe is a game changer also and the 12 seitan or tofu marinade recipe is absolutely amazing. That way, you can prepare the seitan in different ways every time.
Kate says
This my go-to recipe when I need some seitan for stir fries. So simple to make; very few ingredients and doesn't involve lots of faffing about with the cooking. And most importantly, it tastes delicious!
Emily says
I was not a fan of steak in my omnivore days, but my vegetarian parents always like trying new meat alternatives. I made these for us and everyone enjoyed the flavor. The texture is a bit dense due to the seitan, but not tough or chewy. Working with vital wheat gluten takes some practice, but is a great alternative when done right. Great for the summer and they freeze well!!
Don DePerna says
We love these. I have a bunch of these steaks in my freezer. They have turned into a near weekly staple in our house this year.
Stacey says
This was sooo much fun to make and eat! I loved the way that I could control exactly how tender or chewy I wanted it. It reheats great in the microwave, too! The flavor is even better when reheated.
Shelley says
After years of making another seitan steak recipe we finally tried this one and we will never go back or stray from it. It's sensational!
Anne-Marie says
This is by far the best and easiest seitan steak recipe I've ever made. I've lost count of how many times I've made it, usually for non-vegans, all of whom have just LOVED it. The smell when it's cooking is really meaty, the flavour and texture are spot-on! It's my go-to steak recipe and since my son's partner gave me a two level steamer for Christmas, it's even easier to make. I just LOVE it.
Barbara says
My family really enjoys this recipe. I make it a lot. It’s easy to make taste is. Great. I have several of her cookbooks. And use recipes most days
Barbara says
I made this for a special anniversary dinner. My husband loved it!!Another great recipe.Thanks Sam..
Nancy Stein says
This steak recipe is beyond words! Even my grandkids love them. A little A1 sauce and wow taste like steak totally awesome! In face I think I need to make some today!