While vegan seitan isn't made purely from fruits and vegetables, it does hold a pretty impressive nutritional content. With a more meat-like texture than cauliflower steak, adding seitan to your recipes will keep them looking and tasting as authentic as ever. Additionally, although seitan is made almost entirely of wheat gluten, it is still high in proteins and minerals, contributing to a healthy diet. Seitan is low in carbs, calories and fat, making it an excellent option for individuals looking to cut back on the three.
When purchasing pre-made seitan, be sure to read nutrition labels. Some pre-packaged and canned varieties may contain excessive salt and fat and are not the healthiest option when creating plant-based meals.
Ready to start using this popular meat alternative? There are a few ways that you can include seitan in your recipes.
First, due to its rise in popularity, pre-made seitan can now be found in most health food stores. Available in strips, blocks and other shapes, it's commonly stored in the refrigerated section. Additionally, pre-made seitan comes in several different flavors. Because of this, we recommend heading to the grocery store with a recipe in mind so that you can determine the flavors that will work best.
Second, if you can't find this meat substitute at your local store or enjoy cooking it yourself, seitan can be made from scratch in the comfort of your kitchen. To make seitan for the first time, start with a simple recipe like this Basic Seitan Recipe. Made with vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast and spices this recipe creates the perfect seitan that can be easily flavored with your favorite herbs and spices.
Turn a simple meal into a vegetarian masterpiece by adding seitan to this Millet Stir Fry. A recipe so good, we had it printed directly on our bags of hulled millet; this stir fry is made with a winning combination of hulled millet, broccoli, water chestnuts, carrots and ginger. By adding seitan to this recipe, you'll lend it a meat-like texture while also adding extra protein to the dish. And because seitan absorbs flavors easily, it will quickly employ the taste of the various herbs and spices used in this dish.
No great dinner list would be complete without a flavorsome pasta recipe to try. This Fettuccine with Eggplant Sauce is an Italian classic with a Middle Eastern twist. Quick and easy to make, this recipe only uses seven ingredients to create a dish overflowing with flavor. Vegetarian in nature, to add a bit of extra heartiness to this meal, we recommend mixing in a seitan. An easy way to boost this plate's nutritional value, seitan adds a meaty texture to the dish while keeping it entirely plant-based. As a recipe that the entire family will enjoy, you'll surely want to add this to your weekly meal rotation.
Now that you know more about seitan and the many ways this plant-based alternative can be used, it's time to begin cooking with it. Whether you choose to make homemade seitan or purchase it from your local health food store, it can easily be incorporated into various recipes ranging from ragu to shepherd's pie. Use the easy seitan recipes on this list as inspiration and get creative in the kitchen by adding your twist to them. Seitan is an excellent addition to the menu, no matter what diet you're following. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, we wish you a healthy and flavorful day!
Have a loved seitan recipe that you'd like to share with us? We'd love to hear more about how you cook with this plant-based ingredient. Share your favorite seitan dishes in the comments below!
