Easy Baked Seitan (vegan & high protein) – Plant Based RD (2024)

ByCatherine PerezJuly 2, 2020March 1, 2021Updated onMarch 1, 2021

This easy baked seitan is super simple and involves no boiling! A plant based protein option that gives you a nice meaty texture. Can also be grilled!

I remember the first time I made seitan. It almost became my last time making seitan. If you know what seitan is, you may understand the struggle! In many recipes for seitan, you are often asked to boil or steam your seitan and then bake or sauté. For any of these methods, I only ever ended up with a mushy mess. Well, no more! The method for this baked seitan is simple and gets you the perfect meaty texture. It also taste really darn good too!

What is seitan made of?

Seitan is often used as a vegan meat substitute and is mostly comprised of the protein component of wheat called gluten. To make it, you often will need to start off with the main ingredient, which is vital wheat gluten. You can find vital wheat gluten in your baking aisle.

When this protein is hydrated, you end up with elastic strings of protein. Cooking this protein typically results in a nice chewy, meaty texture. I like to think of it as it’s own protein source without comparing it to other meats, but depending on it’s preparation it can often be an excellent replacement for beef or chicken in vegan/vegetarian recipes.

What does seitan taste like?

Think of seitan in a way similar to tofu or unseasoned chicken in that it can take on a lot of flavor depending on what you prepare and cook it with. On it’s own it has a slight savory taste, but I do recommend experimenting with different sauces or seasoning blends to amplify that savory flavor.

Is seitan healthy?

Hearing the word gluten can often trigger negative connotations. However, the only individuals that should avoid gluten are those with allergies or specific gluten intolerance. Always opt to get tested if you are concerned about symptoms that you exhibit or are suspicious of. It can always be helpful to discuss your symptoms with your health team that might include a Gastroenterologist and Registered Dietitian.

If you do not have allergies, great! Seitan is an excellent source of plant based protein and can be a great addition if you miss the texture and chew of meat. 3 oz of seitan can provide between 15-20 grams of protein. This can be an especially great option for those that might deal with a soy allergy. It is important to note that you will still want to make sure you vary your intake of different plant based protein options to make sure you get enough of the amino acid lysine, as seitan typically is low in this nutrient. Again, as long as you vary your vegan protein sources by emphasizing legumes, you should be able to meet your lysine needs with no problem.

How do you make this easy baked seitan?

In a bowl, add all your dry ingredients including seasonings. With a fork, whisk to combine well. Then add in your wet ingredients and using your fork, combine together with dry ingredients to form a soft dough-like consistency.

On a clean surface, add your seitan dough ball and carefully knead it a few times, no more than a minute. Take your seitan and place on a lined baking sheet and carefully press down on your seitan to slightly flatten it. Your seitan should be about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and baste with BBQ sauce. Either place back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes or place on an electric grill for 10 minutes to get grill marks. Remove seitan and allow seitan to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into it, then serve.

Tips for making this easy baked bbq seitan

• Do not over knead your seitan dough. Over kneading your dough will cause it to become tough after it bakes. You just want to see the dough form. This should not take longer than 1 minute!
• Only use vital wheat gluten. Do not substitute for a different flour in this recipe. Gluten is literally the protein extracted from wheat. It has a specific structure and elasticity that you can’t replicate with flour unless you rinse off the starch, which is a whole different process than this.
• For a softer texture with nice chew, opt to just bake your seitan. Bake it once to set it, pull it out of the oven and then baste it with your BBQ sauce and then place it back in the oven.
• For a firmer texture with some smoky char, opt for grilling your seitan after you baste it with your BBQ sauce.

More high protein plant based meal ideas

• Chipotle Red Lentil Chili
• Baked Tempeh Sabroso
• Tofu Lentil Curry
• Garlic Chili Tofu with Peanut Sauce

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★Catherine