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Homemade Seitan - Mock Meat

45 min

Homemade staple

10 ingredients or less

Freezer-friendly

Derived from wheat gluten, seitan boasts a meaty texture and an incredible ability to absorb flavours. With a history rooted in East Asian cuisine, this protein-packed powerhouse has become a staple for those seeking a hearty and satisfying meat alternative.

Servings

(125g per serving)

Total

45 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Contains

Soy symbol

soy

Gluten symbol

gluten

Free from

Peanut symbol

peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Ingredients

Wet ingredients

Dry ingredients

Directions

  1. Combine all the wet ingredients in a jar or small bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients.
  3. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until it combines into a dough.
  4. Knead the dough for 4 - 5 minutes.
  5. Bring a pot of water to a boil and insert a steamer basket. Place the seitan in the middle of the basket and steam, covered, for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using in your favourite recipes. Tear, shred, cut, or pulse in a food processor to make pieces of any size. Enjoy!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze for up to 2 months.

Let us know what you think

Watch it step-by-step!

Nutrition info

Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.

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Lieke - Oct. 24, 2024, 2:27 p.m.

I don’t have liquid smoke. I know it’s listed as an optional ingredient, but I can imagine I’d be a nice addition! I do have smoked paprika powder. Would it a be a good idea to sub the listed paprika powder for smoked paprika powder?

PUL small logo PUL Team - Oct. 24, 2024, 8:56 p.m.

Hey Lieke, using smoked paprika powder is also a lovely idea to add a touch of flavour without liquid smoke! We've heard a positive review for this from Jojo. Hope you love the seitan recipe is you give it a try 😊✨


Kristen Whyte-Bailey - Oct. 5, 2024, 11:44 p.m.

Just finished cooking. Can't wait to try in the donar recipe!


Chelsea Olorenshaw - Oct. 2, 2024, 10:06 a.m.

Mine didn't work out. It was spongey and doughy. I tried making vegan schnitzel with it and the texture is just bad. Not sure what I did wrong as I followed exactly.

PUL small logo PUL Team - Oct. 2, 2024, 8:11 p.m.

Hi Chelsea, we're sad to hear the homemade seitan didn’t turn out as expected. The spongy or doughy texture might be from under-kneading or under-steaming. Depending on your seitan's thickness, you might need to steam it for an extra 10 minutes. Let us know if you give it another go!


Tania - Sept. 24, 2024, 5:39 a.m.

This was one of easiest seitan recipes I've made. The flavor is amazing! I've wanted to transition away from the convenience of store bought meat alternatives and I'm happy to say this will be a go-to for my protein!

PUL small logo PUL Team - Sept. 24, 2024, 4:33 p.m.

So glad to hear that the homemade seitan recipe was a success, Tania! Enjoy all the creations with it 🙌


Maria - Sept. 21, 2024, 12:39 p.m.

Do you think I could replace chickpea flour with soy flour? Thanks in advance 🤗

PUL small logo PUL Team - Sept. 23, 2024, 5:13 p.m.

Hey Maria, we haven't tried but we imagine that you can replace chickpea flour with soy flour. It will give a different flavour and texture, but it should work well in the seitan recipe. Let us know how it turns out if you give it a try 🤗


Nita teller - Sept. 21, 2024, 11:21 a.m.

Great recioe . Ingredients are easy to find, and the process of making this, is easy, too. Thank you


Malou Hollsten - Sept. 16, 2024, 12:42 p.m.

This recipe is 🔥 I’ve made it several times and it always comes out perfect!


Tiana Bogaert - Sept. 4, 2024, 1:45 p.m.

What a great recipe! I’ve wanted to make this for ages but all the recipes I found caked for a food processor which I don’t have. This version was so easy and will definitely be a staple in our home moving forward. I can’t wait to try it in the many PUL seitan recipes! Thanks PUL team!

PUL small logo PUL Team - Sept. 5, 2024, 2:41 p.m.

Yay we're so happy to to hear this, Tiana 🥰 enjoy experimenting with the seitan recipes!


Sarah D - Sept. 1, 2024, 10:27 p.m.

My go to seitan uses canned chickpeas or lupini beans and requires the blender which is yet another thing to clean up.
Loved this recipe that I can make even after my kids are in bed because it is all flours and there is no more noise from the blender!!
My only addition to all seitan recipes is a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast (as recommended by Sauce Stache) to bump up the flavor and texture.
Thank you so much!! I'm excited to enjoy this in my lunches for the week. Loving the chicken spice mix as well.

PUL small logo PUL Team - Sept. 2, 2024, 3:43 a.m.

Ooo what a fun idea to make a seitan recipe with nutritional yeast, Sarah! Thanks for sharing your experience and the idea 🫶


Alessandra Ventre - Sept. 1, 2024, 12:07 p.m.

Quick and Easy!! Fabulous for pasta al ragù :)


Alicia - Aug. 31, 2024, 12:02 p.m.

This works really well! I had never before used a mix of vital wheat gluten and chickpeas flour as a base, only ever the gluten, and it is definitely easier to handle and comes out softer so good job on the recipe!

PUL small logo PUL Team - Sept. 1, 2024, 3:35 p.m.

Woohoo! So glad that the seitan recipe was a success, Alicia 🤗


Federica Bitonti - Aug. 30, 2024, 7:40 p.m.

What a discovery! I will never buy Seitan again. It is so easy to prepare and the result…..incredible!! Highly recommended to try it


Caterina Michalitsi - Aug. 29, 2024, 2:45 p.m.

Best Seitan ever!!! It was so quick and easy to make. 15 minutes yo prepare and 30 to steam. The result was amazing. We loved it, the kids loved it! We don't need to buy the substitutes anymore :-) Thanks for the great recipe

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 30, 2024, 4:02 a.m.

Woohoo! So thrilled to hear that the seitan recipe was a success, Caterina, happy cooking 🤗


Nadin Moussa - Aug. 27, 2024, 12:08 a.m.

Made it twice and added it to my weekly meal prep, I LOVE this recipe


jojo - Aug. 25, 2024, 6:38 p.m.

So easy to make and very delicious. I made ground mock meat from the seitan. Tip: if you don’t have liquid smoke, use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika powder. ☺️


RJ - Aug. 24, 2024, 11:29 a.m.

I'm convinced this is the best seitan recipe to ever exist!!


Marina - Aug. 22, 2024, 11:08 p.m.

I've tried making seitan with various recipes before, spending hours washing the flour, but the results were always disappointing. The seitan would turn out spongy, and when paired with any sauce, the texture became mushy and unappealing, making the effort hardly worth it. But your recipe has completely changed my experience. It's incredibly easy, super fast, and the outcome is outstanding! As someone on a vegan diet, I’ve often missed the dense consistency of meat—something that beans or lentils just don’t offer. This recipe nails it perfectly. The texture is a solid 10 out of 10, and the taste is just as amazing🤌🏻
I’ll be making this again and again! Thank you so much for this incredible recipe 💕

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 25, 2024, 10:45 p.m.

Goodness, this is so incredible to hear, Marina 🥹 we're beyond happy to hear that the homemade seitan recipe is being enjoyed and will be a new staple. Thank you for welcoming us into your kitchen and nourishing adventures 💛


josh - Aug. 19, 2024, 9:51 a.m.

Loved it! So much easier than I thought it would be.


Perdita Spriggs - Aug. 18, 2024, 4:17 a.m.

Hi, love your recipes and am excited to try the seitan. What can I use in place of the veggie bouillon cube or can I omit? Thanks for all of your lovely and delicious dishes!

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 18, 2024, 11:25 a.m.

Hi Perdita! If you don't have a vegetable bouillon cube, you can substitute it with 1 cup of vegetable broth instead of the hot water and bouillon combo. This will still give the seitan a nice depth of flavour, though you might want to add a pinch of extra salt or some additional seasoning (like more 'chick'n spice mix') to balance the flavours. I hope you love the seitan, and thanks for your kind words!

Perdita Spriggs - Aug. 18, 2024, 4:34 p.m.

Thank you so much!!


Taylor Currie - Aug. 10, 2024, 1:21 a.m.

So easy and yummy! I’ll be making this regularly. I eat a lot of tofu so this is. Good way to swap my protein cheaply.


Aparna - Aug. 9, 2024, 3:03 a.m.

Has anyone tried steaming this in the instant pot? How long do you steam it for?

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 10, 2024, 4:47 p.m.

Hi Aparna, while we haven't tried it ourselves we imagine you could use an Instant Pots steam function for homemade seitan 🤗 Just be sure to add enough water to the pot and use a trivet or steamer basket to keep the seitan elevated. If you test it out we'd love to hear how it turns out!

Aparna - Aug. 12, 2024, 2:05 p.m.

I steamed it for 45 mins in the IP and it worked great!

Lin - Oct. 29, 2024, 6:32 p.m.

I tried it after reading your comment and it was amazing! Thank you!


Sanne - Aug. 7, 2024, 12:23 p.m.

Is there a other option to replace the chickpea flour?

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 8, 2024, 5:36 a.m.

Hi Sanne, using all-purpose flour in place of the chickpea flour should work. We've also heard a positive review for rice flour as a 1:1 substitute from Louise. Let us know if you give any substitutes a try 😊


tj - Aug. 6, 2024, 11:13 a.m.

Who could have thought making seitan was so easy? I thought it was always the most daunting thing... boy was I wrong!

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 8, 2024, 5:30 a.m.

Right?! Homemade seitan is surprisingly simple 🙌 so glad it was enjoyed, tj!


Maria - Aug. 4, 2024, 10 p.m.

As a long time vegan I’ve tried many seitan recipes but THIS HIT THE SPOT. Easy, fast, tasty and a cheap way of getting a meat substitute.

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 5, 2024, 5:50 a.m.

Gosh so glad that the homemade seitan was enjoyed, Maria - thank you! 😃


tamar - July 25, 2024, 8:26 p.m.

Wow! I didn't expect it to be that easy! How cool is this? It's so meat-like it's actually scary. Haha have to keep reminding myself it's plant-based. Thanks for opening my horizons!

PUL small logo PUL Team - July 26, 2024, 7:54 p.m.

Isn't it unique?! Thanks for sharing your experience with the homemade seitan, Tamar 🤗


Andromahi - July 13, 2024, 11:48 p.m.

Simpler than the recipe I usually follow and great tasting—will definitely have this in the regular rotation!


Cassidy - June 17, 2024, 9:59 p.m.

This is my first time trying a seiten recipe, and I think it went great! I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I used it in the chickpea caesar wrap instead of the chickpeas because I didn't have any. It was delicious!

PUL small logo PUL Team - June 19, 2024, 8:46 p.m.

So happy to hear your first time was a success, Cassidy! Here's to many more nourishing adventures 🤗


Charlotte - May 26, 2024, 9:24 a.m.

Where did you buy the vital wheat gluten? Online or is there a Dutch store that sells them? (I also live in NL)

PUL small logo PUL Team - May 27, 2024, 8:09 a.m.

Hiya Charlotte, we get our vital wheat gluten online from De Notenshop or Baktotaal. It's usually called "tarwegluten" 😊

FoodDr Taylor - Aug. 5, 2024, 6:35 p.m.

Charlotte if you're in St Johns, Corner Brook or Mount Pearl there should be a Bulk Barn which has wheat gluten


Dorina Mátay - March 25, 2024, 11:42 a.m.

Easiest, most tasty seitan recipe I tried so far! We made the best vegan gyros pita with it. Thank you!

PUL small logo PUL Team - March 28, 2024, 5:40 a.m.

Whoop whoop! So glad you enjoyed it, Dorina 😊


C. Aimée - March 17, 2024, 1:28 p.m.

Hi, 2 questions: can I cook the seitan instead of steam? I don't have a steaming basket. And can the chickpea flour be skipped? Thank you ☺️

PUL small logo PUL Team - March 19, 2024, 12:34 a.m.

Hey there! Great question: boiling seitan is a common cooking method. Boiling results in a spongy but flavourful texture - give the cooked seitan a good squeeze/press before using it in recipes. You can try baking it. Baking will result in a drier texture - adding extra moisture in the seitan dough, through beans or blended vegetables could help. We will keep your comment in mind for our future seitan recipes, and work to develop a non-steaming alternative. As for the chickpea flour, we wouldn't recommend leaving it out, the texture ends up very gummy. Using regular flour should work. We've heard a positive review for rice flour as a 1:1 substitute from Louise though! Let us know how it goes if you test out any modifications in the recipe :)

lini - Aug. 13, 2024, 5:09 p.m.

Hi. I don’t have a steamer. If boiling, any ideas on how long to boil for?

PUL small logo PUL Team - Aug. 13, 2024, 6:52 p.m.

Hey lini, if you're boiling the seitan instead of steaming, it typically takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Just keep it at a gentle simmer and flip it halfway through for even cooking 😊 We would still recommend boiling the vital wheat gluten seitan in a broth to help everything stay super flavourful. You can follow the boiling directions from the "washed flour seitan" recipe you can find the recipe here: https://www.pickuplimes.com/r…


louise - March 7, 2024, 10:58 p.m.

Hmmm…I give it 5/5 because it is very like meat and I guess that was the point of the recipe. But that is also the problem. I find the texture too meat like. It’s freaky. Also, it has minimal nutrients so I don’t think it’s something I will be eating in future. I felt a bit like a scientist creating a synthetic meat 😂 and feel a bit repulsed.

Ps I used rice flour instead of chickpea flour on a 1:1 substitution

katelijne sommen - April 16, 2024, 7:26 p.m.

I'm interested why you would say this is minimal in nutrients? It's super high in protein.


Bogi - Feb. 25, 2024, 5:49 p.m.

This is the first recipe I made with the app, it tastes fantastic. Love it.

PUL small logo PUL Team - Feb. 25, 2024, 5:59 p.m.

Awe we're so thrilled that the first recipe was a success, Bogi, and thanks for supporting the app 🥰 here's to many more delicious creations together!


anne-marie b - Feb. 23, 2024, 4:36 p.m.

Ive been meaning To make seitan and did this as soon as I saw the recipe as my wheat flour arrived yesterday. It was really simple to make. I didn’t have liquid smoke so I put in soy sauce. I also didn’t have chicken spice so I added a mix of dried chives, Italian herbs and nutritional yeast. Overall, great recipe but it seemed a bit dry, even after adding a bit more water than the recipe suggested. Did I leave it to steam too long? Is the dough supposed to come out it super dry?

PUL small logo PUL Team - Feb. 23, 2024, 8:10 p.m.

Hey Anne-marie, thanks a bunch for taking the time to share your experience with the seitan. Traditionally seitan is boiled, so our version is more spongey and dry than boiled versions. It can turn out even more dry if overcooked though, so if you give the recipe another try, you could reduce the steaming time. We also enjoy serving the seitan with sauces, such as in our Seitan Steak Dinner which helps add more moisture: https://www.pickuplimes.com/r… 😊


Maria - Feb. 23, 2024, 2:27 p.m.

Yay, I've been meaning to make seitan for ages now and this looks so simple! I don't have any liquid smoke though. Do you thinks I could replace it with smoky paprika and/or soy sauce without it affecting the flavour and texture too much? Thanks :)

PUL small logo PUL Team - Feb. 23, 2024, 7:58 p.m.

Hey Maria! Thanks for the question. Yes, you could use soy sauce instead of the liquid smoke so we've updated the recipe to add that possible sub. We hope you enjoy the recipe 😃

Maria - Feb. 23, 2024, 9:12 p.m.

Wow, thank you, you're always so on top of things! Can't wait to try it! 🤗