How To Make Instant Pot Seitan

I didn’t give seitan much thought when I first ate it in South Korea. In fact I don’t even think it was called “seitan,” maybe it was just referred to as wheat gluten. Then it turned up again in many forms at the Portland vegan food and beer festival that I attended.

Most recently I shared a bowl of seitan popcorn with Laura at The Street Eatery in Calgary. (If you go, try the tamarind marinated cauliflower streak – It is amazing.)

In some veg circles, seitan (pronounced SAY-tan) is known as “wheat meat.” Many people use it as a plant-based substitute for meat in their dishes. Although in recent years I’ve only seen it pop up on menus, it has been around for centuries. The Japanese have been using it as a staple in their meals for many, many years. Not to mention, Buddhists have been using it as a meat substitute in their vegetarian diets for the longest time.

So what is seitan?

Seitan is made from wheat gluten. So if you have celiac disease or avoid gluten – it is not for you. Basically all you need to make it is water and wheat gluten. Of course you can go all fancy and adds lots of flavourings to spice it up. On its own it’s pretty bland.

A few months ago I made seitan in a pot on my stove. It felt like a lot of work – watching the wheat gluten boil over. I vowed never to make it again. Then I started seeing instructions on how to make it in the instant pot. I still had half a bag of the wheat gluten left so I gave it another try.

It turned out pretty good – and less work too. I didn’t do anything too elaborate with it. I cut it up and used it in a stir fry with some leftovers that I had in the fridge.

There’s so much you can do with seitan – steam it, bake it, fry it. Depending on how it is prepared, seitan can mimic the texture/flavours of animal protein.

Nutrition-wise seitan is jam packed full of protein – if that is your thing. Also it has no cholesterol and is low in fat. Perfect for those people who miss the texture of meat. I’ve been plant-based for so long that I do not miss/want/crave meat alternatives. While seitan is not something I would eat all the time, like trying out the different creations when I dine at the vegan-friendly restaurants in Calgary.

Sure I will make it at home again. (Everything is better when you make it yourself.) It’s always fun to try something new in the kitchen.

Instant Pot Seitan: This is a great meat alternative. Look for seitan in your local speciality or Asian grocery store. Enjoy.