By: Katie Schroeder and Beth Olson
Meatless Mondays Seitan
Looking for a high-protein meat alternative that you can make at home? Try Seitan. This meat substitute has a chicken-like texture, absorbs seasoning and marinade flavor readily, and can be made from household ingredients. Originally a Chinese recipe, Seitan has been a staple in vegetarian diets since the 6th century and has since integrated itself into the diets of people all over the world. Seitan is easy to make and extremely versatile.
Seitan is made by mixing flour, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powder, and salt and combining it with broth and olive oil. After combining these ingredients and kneading until a glutinous structure has formed, tear the dough into bite-sized pieces and steam for 10-15 minutes. Once steamed, Seitan can be steamed or marinated with whatever seasonings or sauces suit the dish you are making. After thoroughly seasoning or marinating for a sufficient amount of time the pieces of seitan should be shallow-fried, air-fried, or baked to get a crispy texture and then served with the meal of your choice.
Nutritionally, Seitan is a wonderful meat substitute. It is rich in protein, having about the same amount in a 2 oz serving as a 2 oz serving of chicken breast. In order to make Seitan a complete protein combine with a legume such as lentils, beans, and tofu in a meal. The same can be said about its iron content. This food also has a low carbohydrate content, and is considerably lower in saturated fat than its animal counterparts.
Here are some meal ideas to try:
Seitan Stir Fry: After steaming the seitan, marinate it in a mixture of honey, soy sauce, sriracha, and ginger. Then shallow fry in sesame oil until crisp. Set aside. Cut up different vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, sweet peas, and corn. Sautee these vegetables in 1 tsp of sesame oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Once vegetables are soft, add back in the seitan and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add in a mixture of soy sauce, sriracha, honey, ginger paste, and corn starch, and cook until the sauce thickens. Serve over brown rice.
Seitan Lemon Pepper “Wings”: For this recipe, shape Seitan pieces like chicken wings. Mix eggs and hot sauce for a dry mixture and flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. First coat the steamed seitan in the dry mixture, then wet, then back in dry. Place coated wings in an air fryer or oven on high heat convection. Bake or air fry until crisp. While the wings crisp combine butter, lemon juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and lemon zest. Add to large bowl and once wings are crispy add to bowl and toss to coat thoroughly with sauce. Serve with side salad and baked potato wedges.
Seitan and Peppers: Once the seitan is steamed slice thin, season, and shallow fry. Set aside. Slice peppers and onions and sauté in olive oil with salt and pepper. Once onions are translucent add back in seitan and add in the red sauce of your choice. Can be served with brown rice, over whole grain pasta, or with a side of bread of choice.
However you choose to prepare it, Seitan is a nutritious meat substitute that would make for a fun project this Meatless Monday.