Seitan is a meat substitute that has been around for a very long time and is made from the gluten in wheat flour. Gluten flour (also called vital wheat gluten) can be bought on it’s own and the good thing about making seitan from scratch is that it is not a complicated process (quite the opposite) and you can give it any flavour you like. For this recipe I call on the arsenal of savoury flavours I many times use for a deep meaty flavour. Seitan has a distinctive taste so I do like to add intense flavourings to take that away.
This recipe is somewhat different from other seitan recipes, in that it is simpler and it is also baked in the oven. This makes for a firmer seitan which a slightly crispy exterior. For a softer version that is also moist and juicy you can always cook seitan in broth, or even make seitan with beetroot and mushrooms. Baking in the oven does save time and is simpler to do as it does not rely on the seitan absorbing any liquid. One of the drawbacks of the other methods is that if the cheesecloth used to wrap the seitan in becomes loose or comes off then it can lose its shape and texture very easily. That cannot happen when it is baked. Also, baking the seitan makes it firmer which means it can easily be added to other dishes at the end of the cooking process.
Now, gluten has a bad reputation but it can be found in virtually all wheat products because it is a protein in wheat. It is found in bread, pasta, baking products and many more, and is responsible for creating the elasticity of dough in bread, and why it is important not to overwork dough in cakes. There are a minority of people who have a gluten sensitivity or are gluten intolerant, in which case you already know that it is imperative to avoid gluten at all costs. For most of us it does not present any problem and seitan is a great protein rich meat substitute.
Print recipe 
Pin recipe Description
An easy and inexpensive home made seitan recipe baked in the oven perfect for salads or to be used in other meals. The texture of this seitan is on the firm side.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) vital wheat gluten flour
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sugar
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup of vegetable broth
- ½ tbsp miso paste
- ½ tbsp yeast extract (Marmite)
- 1 tsp tamari soy sauce
- ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sugar
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup of vegetable broth
- ½ tbsp miso paste
- ½ tbsp yeast extract (Marmite)
- 1 tsp tamari soy sauce
- ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients in a jug with warm water and stir until they have all mixed properly.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl a bit at a time, mixing until all the liquid has been absorbed and a dough is formed.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Form into a log shape and wrap first in greaseproof paper, clipping at the ends, and then wrap in aluminium foil.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 165°C (330°F) for 30 minutes.
- Flip the seitan so it gets an even bake, and bake for a further 45. minutes.
- Take out of the oven but leave wrapped in the greaseproof paper and foil until it has cooled down.
Do you like this recipe? Give it a rating!
/rating_on.png "1 Star")
/rating_half.png "4 Stars")
/rating_off.png "5 Stars")
3.79 from 29 reviews
