Best Vegan Steak Recipe (Seitan) (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.

1 cup of vital wheat gluten to ¼ cup chickpea flour or soy flour is a good place to start. This will give you about 2 cups of seitan. Stir them together in a large bowl.

This vegetarian steak recipe is made using vital wheat gluten and lentils, not tofu. It has a chew much like beef and the taste is similar as it takes on the flavours of the marinade which is super tasty and 100 % plant based.

If you want a firmer seitan with a little more chewiness, you can add more vital wheat gluten to the mixture. For a more tender seitan use ¾ cup of wheat gluten and ¼ cup of chickpea flour. You can customize the spices in the seitan to fit your taste. Add your favorite spices to give it your own unique flavor.

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.”

It's cheaper to make seitan than to buy it pre-fabricated. It's also cheaper to make it than to buy good-quality, local meat, so it's a good budget protein item. It's stupid easy to make, especially if you've made homemade bread. It's super customizable, both in flavor and texture.

So, seitan is not only a great protein source but also has a good amino acid profile. If you're wondering what else you can add to seitan to make up for its lack of lysine, it's easy – lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds.

A too wet, too soft dough is going to make a gummy, soft seitan. This could be because you used a tofu that was not super firm, or not pressed well enough so it was holding extra liquid. Or if there was water suggested in the recipe, you did not wait to add it until the end.

Why is seitan so high in sodium? ›

Both seitan and tofu are plant-based proteins. However, while seitan is an excellent plant-based protein alternative, tofu is a complete protein (seitan lacks the amino acid lysine). Unseasoned tofu is typically lower in sodium than store-bought seitan, which can be processed with salt, sugar or other flavors added.

What Does Seitan Taste Like? Seitan has a fairly neutral flavor that acts as a nice blank canvas for cooking. On its own, it's most comparable to plain chicken or a portobello mushroom, but absorbs any flavors and spices incredibly well.

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.

Too short doesn't give enough time for the gluten strands to come together. Too long and they start to fall apart and become mushy.

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.

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.

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 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.