What Is Seitan (wheat-meat) and How Can I Use It?

Wondering what to do with seitan (wheat-meat)? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it — with 17 recipes to put it to work.

Recipes using seitan (wheat-meat)

There are 17 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Black Bean-Chipotle Chili with Seitan

Vegan black bean chili with smoky chipotle and chewy seitan stand-in for meat. A 45-minute one-pot chili that delivers serious depth and heat without animal protein.

Mushroom Miso Cornucopia

This dish has a mild, sweet taste with a hint of terragon.

Seitan a la Normandie

Seitan a la Normandie baked with sliced apples, caramelized onions, tamari, mirin, and ground pecans. A French-inspired vegetarian main dish with sweet-savory depth.

B-B-Q Seitan

This recipe has been developed as part of work toward being a participant and finalist in the Culinary Olympics held in Frankfurt, Germany.

Chickpea-Zucchini Curry #2

A quick microwave chickpea and zucchini curry with seitan, raisins, and mild curry paste in tomato sauce. Vegetarian, low-fat, and ready in 30 minutes.

N.Y.Cima Roll

A vegan cima roll: pureed tofu wrapped around a colorful filling of seitan, spinach, roasted red peppers, pistachios, and peas, then steamed into a sliceable log. Plant-based Italian showpiece.

Pressure Cooked Seitan

Pressure cooker seitan made from a boxed wheat gluten mix and broth, ready in about 25 minutes under pressure. A faster path to chewy, meaty seitan without hours of simmering.

Vegan London Broil

Thick seitan steaks baked until firm, then simmered in a savory tamari broth with kombu and fresh ginger for deep umami flavor. Brushed with sauce and broiled until lightly charred, these vegan steaks have real chew and satisfying meatiness.

Irish Seitan Stew

Vegan Irish stew with seitan, potatoes, parsnips, and carrots in a rosemary-herb broth thickened with cornstarch. A plant-based take on the classic Irish stew.

Seitan Parmigiana

This is a fairly close approximation to what a parmigiana dish should be like.

Seitan Roast with Mushroom Gravy

Vegan seitan roast simmered with sliced mushrooms and onions in a savory basil and sage gravy. A hearty plant-based main course that's ready in under an hour.

Chili Con Seitan

A hearty vegan chili made with ground seitan, kidney beans, and tomatoes seasoned with cumin, chili powder, and a touch of cloves. Ready in 35 minutes. Serve with cornbread or warm tortillas.

Italian Pistachio Pilaf

Italian pistachio pilaf with basmati rice, seitan, sweet bell peppers, fennel, scallions, and a generous cup of pistachios. A vegetarian Mediterranean main with serious Italian-sausage flavor.

Seitan Posole Stew

Seitan posole stew is a vegan take on the Mexican hominy classic: dried posole simmered for hours with chipotle and bay, then joined by seared seitan cubes in a smoky cumin-oregano broth. Topped with avocado, tomato, and cilantro.

Rosemary Lemon & Garlic Seitan & Brown Rice

Another Dr. Life original, this recipe is a great example of how to combine great spices to get a flavorful meal without having to use a lot of salt. Seitan is a good source of protein, however it is a gluten based product so if you are a sufferer of Celiac, you will need to use a different (and gluten free) protein substitute!

Vegetarian Holiday Roast

A hearty vegetarian holiday roast made with lentils, brown rice, millet, walnuts, and sage, served with homemade mushroom gravy. The plant-based centerpiece your table needs.

Seitan Pepper Steak

Vegan pepper steak made with seitan, shiitake mushrooms, and bell peppers in a rich miso-tamari sauce thickened with arrowroot. Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

All 17 recipes