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The recipe everyone comments for

The best seitan recipe everrrrr

And I'm not just saying that, I promise. The message I get the most is "OMG Vicki, your seitan recipe changed my life!!!!" OK, maybe that's a bit dramatic. But I've had hundreds of messages from people saying it's the best seitan they've ever made.

A big salad topped with crispy seitan pieces, mushrooms, tomatoes and a drizzle of dressing
146calories
31gprotein
4.3gcarbs
0.5gfat

Per 100g cooked. One batch makes about 800g (1.76 lb).

Take me to the recipe

First, what actually is seitan?

Pronounced say-tan, it's one of the best plant-based protein sources going, because it's high in protein and really low in carbs, fat and calories. That's what's called a "lean" protein.

The main ingredient is vital wheat gluten, a flour that's had nearly all the starch removed, so what's left is mostly protein. Which means no, it can't be gluten-free (soz). When you're buying it, check the label for 80g+ of protein per 100g. The higher, the better.

Vital wheat gluten on its own is low in a couple of key amino acids, lysine and leucine. That's why I add soy or pea isolate (and a bit of leucine if I've got it), so you're getting a properly high-quality protein.

I don't want to blow my own horn, but I've not come across a seitan recipe with better macros than this one (toot toot).

Just to put it in perspective, 100g of cooked chicken breast is about 165 calories and 31g of protein. So per calorie, this seitan has MORE protein 🤯

It looks like there's a lot going on. There isn't. Mix the wet and the dry, knead it a bit, sauté it, steam it. Boom. One of your main protein sources for the week, sorted.

The recipe

High-protein seitan

Batch

Makes about 800g (1.76 lb) cooked, or 7 steaks or burgers. Steaming takes 60 minutes.

Dry ingredients

    Wet ingredients

      For cooking

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      Method

      1. Mix the dry

        In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. I sieve the vital wheat gluten and protein powder so there are no clumps, then use a metal whisk to combine it all.

      2. Mix the wet

        In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together until they're well mixed.

      3. Bring it together

        Add the wet to the dry and mix it all with a silicone spatula until everything's incorporated and you've got a dough.

      4. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes

        If the dough's very sticky, add a little more vital wheat gluten. If it's too dry, add a splash more water. Try not to over-knead it though. When you pick it up it should hold together and you'll see the gluten strands. If it falls apart, you most likely need a little more water.

      5. Shape it

        Steaks, burgers, nuggets, sausages, whatever you like. For steaks or burgers, cut it into 7 equal pieces. For nuggets, cut it into small bite-sized pieces.

      6. Sauté

        Heat a large cast-iron or non-stick pan over a medium heat, spray with oil and sauté the seitan in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until it's lightly browned on both sides. Set aside.

        Please don't skip this bit. You can, but you'd be doing this recipe a disservice. Sautéing seals in the flavour and moisture, and it's what stops it being chewy seitan.

      7. Steam for 60 minutes

        Add a couple of cups of water to a steamer pot and bring it to a simmer. Add the seitan to the basket (layer them if you're doing steaks or burgers). They expand quite a lot as they cook! Steam for 60 minutes, turning them over halfway. Don't let the pot boil dry!

        Seitan pieces piled high in a steamer pot
        See how much they puff up? Give them room.
        60:00

        I'll give you a nudge at 30 minutes to turn them over.

      8. Cool and store

        Let it cool, then keep it in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Eat it as it is, or heat it up in a pan, the oven, the air fryer or on a griddle. I make big batches and freeze it.

      No steamer? Simmer the pieces in a pan of water on a low heat for the same amount of time instead.

      Make it beefy or make it chicken-y

      The beauty of this recipe is you can change the shape AND the flavour. So be brave, Bunny, and get experimenting!

      As written

      Beefy

      The Marmite, BBQ sauce and smoked paprika give it that deeper, "beefy" taste. Brilliant as steaks, burgers or in a stir-fry.

      Swap

      Chicken-y

      Swap the Marmite and BBQ sauce for tomato ketchup, use a chicken-free chicken stock, and add some rosemary and thyme.

      A bowl of seitan stir-fried with potatoes, green beans, peppers and edamame
      One of my favourite ways to eat it. Thrown in a stir-fry with whatever veg is in the fridge.

      How to log it

      Weigh it once it's cooked, and log it per 100g. If you cut a batch into 7 steaks, each one is roughly this:

      Per 100g146 kcal31g protein
      Per steak (about 115g)~165 kcal~35g protein
      Whole batch~1,170 kcal~248g protein

      Not sure how much protein you actually need in a day? My free Protein Calculator works it out in about a minute.

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      Questions I get asked a lot

      Is it gluten-free?

      Nope, soz. The main ingredient is wheat gluten, so this one's not for you if you're coeliac or avoiding gluten.

      Which vital wheat gluten should I buy?

      Check the nutrition label and look for one with 80g+ of protein per 100g. The higher the protein, the better.

      Can I leave out the protein powder?

      Yes. Swap the 30g of soy or pea isolate for 50g of chickpea (garbanzo) flour. The macros will change a little, but it still works.

      Do I need the leucine powder?

      No, it's completely optional. I add it to improve the quality of the protein, but the recipe works fine without it.

      Can I freeze it?

      Absolutely. I make large batches and freeze it. Let it cool completely first.

      Mine came out chewy. What happened?

      Usually it's one of two things. It was over-kneaded, or the sauté step got skipped. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes max, and always brown it before steaming.

      Train With Vicki

      You're doing all the things, just in the wrong order

      Most women I work with have tried every diet going. What nobody taught them was to build muscle and learn maintenance first. Train With Vicki is my 12-month programme that does it in that order, so you stop starting over.

      Everything inside is 100% plant-based, but you don't have to be. You just have to want more plants on your plate.

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      If you make it, tag me on Instagram. I love seeing them.

      Vicki x