Strips of high-protein seitan (cooked wheat gluten) make a great filling for these easy vegan seitan fajitas. What’s great about fajitas is that everyone participates in creating his or her own meal. It’s less work for the cook, fun for everyone at the table, and everyone can tailor the ingredients to suit personal tastes. Serve with rice dish, or potatoes or sweet potatoes, or keep it super-simple with salsa and chips. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
Despite being part Irish, my family never really did anything to celebrate St. Patty’s day while growing up. There was no Irish soda bread, no corned beef and cabbage, no colcannon. Since it’s turned into a bit of a foodie holiday, I wanted to make something to celebrate my Irish heritage a few years ago, but there were no family recipes to veganize.
I came across an interesting dish in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens, and it seemed perfect for converting. This cabbage casserole has become a St. Patrick’s Day favorite in my house, but of course, it’s perfect for dinner any day of the year. Continue Reading…
Carne asada fries exemplify how an offbeat local food trend takes off and goes national. An odd combination of french fries, avocado, sour cream, and in its original form, strip steak, this dish originated in San Diego in the 1990s and soon became a standard in casual Mexican restaurants in the American Southwest. Now it’s on the menu in such eateries nationwide. I first had vegan carne asada fries at Mexican Radio in Hudson, NY, and understood why this hearty dish took off. How great that it can be made with seitan instead of meat! You can also use another meat substitute like jackfruit. Continue Reading…
I first made these delicious peppers for a New Year’s Eve party and they were a huge hit! Featuring a meaty-tasting seitan and hearty brown rice stuffing, these beautiful bell peppers satiate omnivores and vegans alike. Ready for the oven in under 20 minutes, these six-ingredient wonders are equally ideal for a holiday party or weeknight supper. Recipe from Vegan-Ease: An Easy Guide to Enjoying a Plant-Based Diet. Published by Jazzy Vegetarian LLC, © 2015, reprinted by permission. Photos by David Kaplan.
Here’s a hearty pasta dish featuring a healthier, nondairy version of cream-filled Alfredo sauce. This dish also has some serious plant-based “beefiness†courtesy of seitan. Serve with plenty of green vegetables (like broccoli, greens, or green beans) and a simple salad for an any-night-of-the-week meal, or even as a company dish. Recipe adapted from Plant Power: Transform Your Kitchen, Plate, and Life with More Than 150 Fresh and Flavorful Vegan Recipes by Nava Atlas (©2014, published by HarperOne, reprinted by permission). Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
This dish is bursting with crave-worthy Vietnamese flavors: lemongrass, lime, mint, ginger. I like to use homemade broth and infuse it with aromatics, but you can use bouillon, if you like. Just try not to make the base too strong; you want all the flavors to shine through. Mock duck is really just seitan, but if you’re familiar with those little cans of “mock duck†at the Asian grocery, feel free to use those! Recipe and photo from Vegan With a Vengeance: 10th Anniversary Edition* by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, ©2015. Published by Perseus Books, reprinted with permission. Continue Reading…
Dense and chewy seitan — cooked wheat gluten — is almost pure protein. Clearly, though, seitan is not for anyone with gluten sensitivity. Store-bought seitan usually comes in 8-ounce packages or 16-ounce tubs, or you can make Homemade Seitan with the recipe on this site. It’s a hearty plant-based protein with an almost meaty texture. Here are 6 of our favorite ways to use this versatile food. Seitan Gyros is a kinder, gentler version of the Greek meat-on-a-pita classic. Seitan makes a superb stand-in, and the shortcut creamy cucumber dressing gives the entire enterprise a refreshing zip. Continue Reading…
Thinly sliced seitan absorbs the flavor of the rich mushroom sauce in these German “hunter’s cutlets.†You can use any kind of mushrooms you like, but I prefer using a variety of different kinds to add interest and flavor dimension to the dish. Recipe from Vegan Without Borders* by Robin Robertson/Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC ©2014, reprinted by permission. Photos by Sara Remington.
Here’s the Chinese restaurant classic, peppersteak, in a hearty, “beefy” vegan version using seitan in place of the real thing. It’s better this way! I enjoy this served with noodles, but serve with brown rice, or even just on its own, if you prefer. To complete the meal, serve with steamed broccoli, and a simple slaw or a platter of raw veggies. Photos by Evan Atlas.
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This simple seitan stir-fry is great choice for hearty appetites, and a warming dish for nippy evenings. Lots of red onion adds great flavor, and the mushrooms bolster the “meaty” quality of the seitan. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
Here is a kinder, gentler version of gyros, the Greek meat-on-a-pita classic. Seitan makes a superb stand-in, and the shortcut creamy cucumber dressing gives the entire enterprise a refreshing zip. For heartier appetites, a serving would be 2 gyros; one is filling enough for moderate appetites or when other dishes are to be served. Recipe adapted from Vegan Express. Photos by Lori Maffei. Continue Reading…
Seitan gives this stew a “meaty†texture, and combined with potatoes and carrots becomes a comforting, hearty dish. Prepared seitan is readily available in most natural foods stores as well as a growing number of well-stocked supermarkets, but you can make your own as well (see the link in the ingredient list). Photos by Evan Atlas. Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. Continue Reading…
This is a whimsical and slightly tongue-in-cheek—but delicious!–vegan version of a standing rib roast baked in a bundt pan with a Shiitake and Kale Filling and rosemary sprig “bones.” Served with a Shiitake Gravy, it is a beautiful holiday or special occasion entree. Recipe and photos contributed by Betsy DiJulio, The Blooming Platter.
This delicious seitan dish was created by Dilip Barman, head of the Triangle Vegetarian Society in North Carolina, and host of the largest annual vegan Thanksgiving feast in the USA with over 800 attendees. For more information, see www.trianglevegsociety.org and www.dilipdinner.blogspot.com. Photographs by Linda Long from Virgin Vegan: The Meatless Guide to Pleasing Your Palate* by Linda Long, reprint permission by Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2013.
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This hearty combination of seitan, bell peppers, and portobello mushrooms is so easy to throw together, yet makes a festive main dish for special occasions. It’s a great centerpiece for a vegan Easter dinner, for example, and would be just as good for a Christmas menu. When you’re preparing a multi-course meal, it’s so nice when the entree can be made at the last minute with little hands-on time. If any of your family or guests eat gluten-free, this is obviously not the choice for them. Recipe adapted from Vegan Holiday Kitchen. Photos by Susan Voisin.
Store-bought seitan is usually excellent, but it can be expensive. Using pure gluten flour is a shortcut to a homemade version that’s not difficult to make. This recipe may be idiosyncratic, but it works well and with practice produces seitan that’s chewy but not overly tough. Whenever I make this, I freeze half. It’s nice come across and use it a few weeks later. Continue Reading…
Here’s a delectable salad featuring strips of high-protein seitan, embellished with avocado and olives. This salad is also delicious served in wraps. It’s great accompanied with a simple potato dish or any kind of potato salad. Seitan is pure wheat gluten, so this is obviously not for those who are gluten-free! Continue Reading…
There’s something enticing about the seitan/polenta synergy, and with the addition of greens, results in a great-looking, hearty dish. Serve with a simple potato dish and salad or slaw. Recipe adapted from Vegan Express. Photo by Susan Voisin.
Inspired by a favorite vegetarian Chinese restaurant dish, Buddhist’s Delight stew is enhanced with protein-packed seitan. Gluten-free? Substitute an equivalent amount of tofu for the seitan. For an everyday meal, serve with Tri-Color Coleslaw. To make it a feast, add Scallion Pancakes or simply serve veggie spring rolls from your natural food store’s frozen food section. Adapted from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons. Photo by Theresa Rafetto.
I had always wanted a luscious, reliable (and of course, easy) jerk seitan recipe, with lots of bell peppers and onions, but all the recipes I’d found rely on lengthy lists of spices, Scotch Bonnet peppers, and substantial time for marinating the seitan. After a couple of attempts to follow authentic-style recipes, with so-so results, I decided to throw authenticity to the wind, and take the easy route. This recipe may not be the genuine article, but its bold flavors never disappoint. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
