The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (2024)

The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (1)

Confession: before going vegan I’ve never heard of Seitan before. Nowadays, I hail Seitan every time I see it on the menu ;)!

Going vegan has made us aware of so many new foods, I feel like I have more variety in my diet than ever before. These best chicken-style seitan cutlets went from unknown to a staple for us.

The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (2)

So what is Seitan? Seitan is vital wheat gluten – the natural protein found in wheat. It’s basically all gluten and no starch, so it’s not as high in carbohydrates than you would think.

BUT if you have celiac disease or a gluten-sensitivity, then you will want to stay away from Seitan. For people who can handle gluten in their diets, Seitan is a great soy-free meat alternative to try.

The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (3)

Vital wheat gluten is 75% protein so Seitan recipes are protein-packed. Seitan has a chewy, meat-like texture and doesn’t usually taste like much unless you add seasonings.

In this recipe, a serving of 2 Seitan Cutlets has almost 30 grams of protein. Plus, it’s very low in fat and completely cholesterol free.

The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (4)

These best chicken-style seitan cutlets are SO good. They are battered, breaded, and fried in vegetable oil to create a very authentic ‘chicken’-cutlet flavor and texture.

The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (5)

These Seitan cutlets are the PERFECT vegan substitute for recipes like chick’n parmesan, chick’n cutlet sandwiches, chick’n rolls, chick’n piccata, chick’n and gravy, or just eaten alone with some ketchup and mashed potatoes.

The Best Chicken-Style Seitain Cutlets – in a pasta dish!

In this recipe, we made a simple lemon, olive oil, and vegan parmesan sauce that was DELICIOUS on top of spaghetti. I included the recipe for the lemon sauce below if you want to try it the same way we had it. We also added some steamed broccoli too… yum!

The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (6)

Next time we make this recipe, I’m going to try baking the cutlets instead of frying them. Frying cutlets is a traditional Italian method and they came out AMAZING but I’m curious to see how baking goes.

If you try baking them for this recipe, please let me know in the comments the time and temperature and how they came out!

As always, please leave a comment below if you try this recipe, and remember to share on instagram @pastabased!

Vegan Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

45 mins

The BEST Vegan Seitan Cutlets. Delicious vegan chicken-style seitan cutlets that can be used in a variety of dishes.

Course:Main Course

Servings: 8 cutlets

Calories per Serving: 177 kcal

Ingredients

Seitan

  • 1cupvital wheat gluten
  • 2tablespoonsnutritional yeast
  • 2teaspoonsonion powder
  • 2teaspoonsgarlic powder
  • 1teaspoonsalt
  • 1teaspoonblack pepper
  • 1tablespoonsoy sauce
  • 3/4cupvegetable broth

Batter

  • 3/4cupflour
  • 2teaspoonsoregano
  • 2teaspoonsgarlic powder
  • 1teaspoonblack pepper
  • 3/4cupalmond milk(or other non-dairy milk)

Additional Ingredients

  • 1cupItalian seasoned breadcrumbs(plus extra if needed)
  • 1cupvegetable oil

--------

    Simple Lemon Olive Oil Sauce (optional)

    • 3/4cuplemon juice
    • 1/3cupolive oil
    • 1/3cupvegan parmesan cheese

    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.

    2. Combine Seitan ingredients in a medium-bowl. Using a large spoon, mix until combined. Once combined, knead with your hands for a minute to form an elastic dough.

    3. Separate dough into 8 roughly-equal sized pieces. Flatten each piece of dough between your hands to form a cutlet shape. Place evenly on the baking sheet and bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let cool slightly.

    4. Add your batter ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix into a thick liquid. Fill a separate, shallower bowl, with Italian breadcrumbs.

    5. In a large skillet, heat 1 cup vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Make sure the oil has heated up enough before adding cutlets. Be careful because hot oil can splash.

    6. One at a time, dip a Seitan cutlet in the batter. Shake off excess batter. Then dip the cutlet into the breadcrumbs, coating each side evenly.Then, place the cutlet into the hot oil.

    7. Brown each side evenly, carefully checking and flipping, about 3-5 minutes on each side -- but this really depends on how hot your oil is. Use your judgment. While one cutlet starts cooking, you can batter and breadcrumb the next cutlet and place it into the pan. Don't overcrowd the pan, we capped the pan at 4 cutlets.

    8. When each cutlet is done, place it on a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Use in Seitan Cutlet recipe of your choosing 🙂

    Simple Lemon Olive Oil Sauce (optional)

    1. Add all ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk until combined. Serve over pasta.

    Recipe Notes

    Nutrition facts for cutlets without sauce:

    Nutrition Facts

    Vegan Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets

    Amount Per Serving (1 cutlet)

    Calories 177Calories from Fat 9

    % Daily Value*

    Fat 1g2%

    Sodium 741mg32%

    Potassium 133mg4%

    Carbohydrates 24g8%

    Fiber 2g8%

    Sugar 1g1%

    Protein 16g32%

    Vitamin A 85IU2%

    Vitamin C 0.5mg1%

    Calcium 88mg9%

    Iron 2.5mg14%

    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    The BEST Chicken-Style Seitan Cutlets | Pasta-based Vegan Recipes (2024)

    FAQs

    Is it okay to 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.

    Is seitan healthier than chicken? ›

    While seitan provides similar protein and iron content as meat, animal meat is a complete protein, and seitan is not. In addition, iron found in animal-based products is generally more easily absorbed than iron from plant-based foods. Meat typically also has more fat than seitan.

    How to make seitan taste good? ›

    soy sauce or tamari - Adds saltiness, umami, and depth of flavor. balsamic and apple cider vinegar - Vinegar rounds out the flavor profile and helps disguise the subtle bitterness of vital wheat gluten. fat - Including a little bit of oil or other fat improves the overall flavor and tenderizes the seitan.

    How to make seitan less rubbery? ›

    Add a little less water and knead it thoroughly. Let it stay for 30 minutes and knead it again, I even use a wooden roll for that. I some times add a tablespoon of potato starch or cornstarch, this adds consistency without making it too rubbery or hard (don't knead as much).

    Can you lose weight eating seitan? ›

    So seitan is the perfect ingredient for meals in a protein diet. If you're on a protein diet, you often lose a lot of weight in a short time. It's also important to be aware that, at the start, you'll lose quite a lot of fluids. So if you have problems with fluid retention, a protein diet would be great for you.

    Is seitan good for weight loss? ›

    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.

    Who should avoid seitan? ›

    While seitan is a versatile plant-based protein, people with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or gluten allergy should avoid it. Premade seitan can also be high in sodium, so it's important to read the nutrition label if you monitor your sodium intake.

    What are the disadvantages of seitan? ›

    What are the cons?
    • Not suitable for those with gluten-sensitivities or coeliac disease.
    • Doesn't absorb much flavour.
    • High amounts of sodium (salt) in the packaged product.
    • Seitan is hard to source unlike other vegetarian protein alternatives meaning you may have to venture to a specialty vegetarian “butcher”

    What to eat with seitan to make complete protein? ›

    If you have seitan for lunch, some nuts and seeds as a snack and beans for dinner, you're getting all the protein you need and more!

    Is it cheaper to make or buy seitan? ›

    It's cheaper to make seitan than to buy it pre-fabricated. It's also cheaper to make it than to buy good-quality, local meat, so it's a good budget protein item. It's stupid easy to make, especially if you've made homemade bread. It's super customizable, both in flavor and texture.

    Which flour is best for seitan? ›

    All-purpose flour: 10–12% protein – This can be used, but some brands work better than others depending on where the protein is coming from. Read more info below. Bread flour: 12–16% protein – Fine-grain, unbleached, white varieties are optimal for making seitan.

    Does Trader Joe's sell seitan? ›

    In the world of plant-based protein, seitan (pronounced SAY-tan) is a name you need to know. It's as high in protein as steak, plus it's readily available at grocery mainstays like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Target.

    What does the vinegar do in seitan? ›

    Spices: If you decided to eat plain seitan, the product would taste bland with a strong gluten flavor. To cut this flavor, add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the recipe. To season seitan, get creative with spices!

    Why does seitan hurt my stomach? ›

    There's some evidence in medical research that wheat gluten may increase the permeability of your intestines, leading to what some health authorities call "leaky gut syndrome." If you find you experience bloating, gassiness, or other digestive symptoms after eating seitan, you may want to avoid it next time.

    Why do you wrap seitan in foil? ›

    It is the only way to get it nice and tightly wrapped and get a good steam in the oven. I suggest if you don't want the foil touching the food, to first wrap it in parchment paper then foil. The foil can be reused many times to avoid waste.

    Can I eat too much seitan? ›

    Some people may have gluten sensitivities or allergies, and seitan is not suitable for them. Additionally, consuming seitan in excessive amounts may lead to an imbalance in nutrient intake, as it is primarily a protein source and lacks other essential nutrients found in a well-rounded diet.

    What happens if you eat too much seitan? ›

    In those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, eating seitan can cause adverse side effects like swelling, abdominal pain, diarrhea and cramps. It's also not considered a complete protein and needs to be paired with a well-balanced diet to ensure you're getting the amino acids that you need.

    How much seitan per week? ›

    Anyway, it is advisable to consume it at maximum once or twice a week, in order not to fossilize on only one food, but to vary the diet as much as possible (alternating it with soy and tofu), and to avoid the onset of gluten intolerance.

    Can you build muscle with seitan? ›

    Its devilish name may seem apt to paleo types: seitan is gluten. But with as much protein per calorie as chicken breast, it's also a top source of muscle fuel.

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