Need a wicked high protein, low fat, low carb option? Well, hail seitan. The macros are damn near on par with chicken breast! <—and no soy is required. We love seitan!
I’ve been making neutral seitan sausages every week since our last meal prep video. It’s essentially like the perfect meal. And by making vegan sausage neutral in flavor I can add any kind of sauce on top. 99% of the time I use teriyaki and 1% of the time I’ll use vegan buffalo wing sauce.
Why do I mention this? It’s because making neutral seitan sausages arethe easiest basicrecipe. 330 grams (2.75 cups) gluten flour + 60 grams chickpea flour, vegan chicken broth. Start with 2 cups of liquid then keep adding more until your dough forms into a FIRM MASS. If it’s sticky add more gluten flour, if it’s dry add more water. EASY! Then I divide into 8, wrap in foil and steam for 45 minutes. DONE.
If you just add different spice flavors then you could totally make specialty vegan sausage! In my mind this is a no brainer simple recipe but…….
When looking into seitan sausage & pepperoni recipes they all suggested things like tomato paste and sh*t. I didn’t have any paste so I just used tomato sauce. I also tried barbecue sauce. And I added oil. And sugar. Before I knew it my dough was wayyyyyy mushier than anticipated. It made me nervous because I felt like a f*ck up. But adding additional gluten flour fixed my problem.
What am I saying? If you’re not a seitan sausage pro then anticipate using additional gluten flour after mixing everything together. Maybe 1 TB more or less. No big deal.
EACH RECIPE BELOW MAKES ONE LARGE SAUSAGE
Italian Vegan Sausage – Seitan
2 ts of poultry or Italian herb blend, 1/4 ts salt, 1/4 ts sugar, 1/4 ts ground thyme, 1/4 ts ground fennel, 1/8 ts garlic powder, 1/4 ts onion powder, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1 TB tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
Mesquite Brown Sugar Vegan Sausage – Seitan
1.5 ts mesquite barbecue powder blend (bought from whole foods) + 2 ts brown sugar, 2 TB BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1/4 cup water
*I think those first two ingredients were over powered by my impulsive use of BBQ sauce. You might be able to skip the sugar & powder blend. Maybe BBQ is all that’s needed for a sweet mesquite sausage flavor.
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
Maple Breakfast Vegan Sausage – Seitan
1 ts sage powder, 1/2 ts salt, 1/2 ts onion powder, 1/8 ts garlic powder, 2 TB maple syrup, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1 TB tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
Chipotle Cajun Vegan Sausage – Seitan
2 ts Cajun blend 1/2 ts garlic powder, 1 ts onion powder, couple drops of adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers, 2 ts soy sauce, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1/4 cup water
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
FAQs
Seitan is a popular plant-based meat alternative made from wheat gluten, water, and sometimes other flavoring ingredients. It's high in protein and low in fat and carbs, and it's a good source of minerals such as selenium and iron.
Is seitan good or bad for you? ›
Is Seitan Healthy? In many ways, yes, seitan is quite a healthy option. The seitan nutrition facts are hard to argue with: notable amounts of protein, iron, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. This combination of macro- and micronutrients can result in some pretty impressive health benefits.
Can you eat seitan every day? ›
“Eat it sparingly,” he says. “It's not necessarily a once a day thing, and if you think you need a plant-based option I'd actually suggest tofu over seitan.” That said, Mora says there's no denying that folks can benefit from adding seitan to their menu—especially since it comes in a variety of flavor profiles.
How healthy are vegan sausages? ›
While vegan alternatives may benefit the planet (although not lab-grown meat, as recent analysis suggests it could have a carbon footprint up to 25 times that of conventional meat), they aren't necessarily good for our health. Vegan sausages contain a litany of highly processed ingredients.
What is healthier seitan or tofu? ›
However, while seitan is an excellent plant-based protein alternative, tofu is a complete protein (seitan lacks the amino acid lysine). Unseasoned tofu is typically lower in sodium than store-bought seitan, which can be processed with salt, sugar or other flavors added.
Why does my stomach hurt after eating seitan? ›
Digestive Discomfort: Seitan is high in protein and can cause digestive discomfort in some people, especially if consumed in large quantities or if the digestive system is not used to high-protein foods.
What to eat with seitan to make complete protein? ›
So, seitan is not only a great protein source but also has a good amino acid profile. If you're wondering what else you can add to seitan to make up for its lack of lysine, it's easy – lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds.
Can you lose weight eating seitan? ›
The answer is, yes! —as long it's part of a well-rounded diet. A 100g serving of seitan has about 141 calories and 25 grams of protein, making it comparable to the amount of protein in chicken or beef. Because the starches are removed from the wheat when seitan is made, it has very little fat and carbs.
Does seitan make you gassy? ›
If you have a wheat allergy, celiac disease or gluten intolerance, seitan is definitely out of the question as it is literally made from wheat gluten. If you have a sensitivity to gluten, eating foods like seitan can result in many adverse side effects such as bloating, diarrhea, fatigue and abdominal pain.
How long does seitan last in the fridge? ›
Cover each container tightly with a lid and store the seitan in the fridge for up to ten days, or in the freezer for up to six months.
The best part is that making seitan at home is easy, and it's much cheaper than buying pre-made or store-bought seitan.
What is the healthiest vegan meat? ›
Like its cousin tofu, tempeh has a rich nutrient profile. But it also boasts double the protein, bringing it to protein parity with beef, but slightly less than chicken. While tempeh is naturally gluten free, many store-bought versions contain additives that definitely aren't.
What is the healthiest sausage? ›
Extra-lean chicken or kangaroo sausages tend to be the healthiest sausage option. Leaner sausages are also often lower in calories and salt.
How long does vegan sausage last in the fridge? ›
Understanding how long these vegan-friendly items last is crucial for maintaining both their taste and nutritional value, as well as ensuring food safety. Unopened plant-based sausages can generally be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, ensuring they remain fresh and suitable for consumption.
What is seitan sausage made of? ›
Seitan sausage FAQs
Seitan is a vegan the term given to a food made predominantly from wheat gluten. Wheat gluten is the main protein of wheat and is made by washing regular flour to remove any starch. When cooked seitan has a surprisingly “meaty” texture and is very easy to mould into different shapes and sizes.
What are the side effects of seitan protein? ›
People who are allergic to wheat or gluten should avoid seitan and other wheat-based products. Digestive Discomfort: Seitan is high in protein and can cause digestive discomfort in some people, especially if consumed in large quantities or if the digestive system is not used to high-protein foods.
Is seitan better than meat? ›
While seitan is a great alternative to traditional meat-based meals, it lacks certain essential amino acids. This being, you'll want to combine it with other protein sources to make sure your meal is providing you with a source of complete protein.
