Whether you are a full time vegan or a part timer, learning how to cook with seitan can help you make quick and tasty meals that are rich in protein and avoid animal products. I love cooking with seitan, because the texture is dense and can handle hot cooking oils, herbs and spices.
Like most chicken substitutes, all you really need is a bit of flavoring. Seitan cooks well with sauces and oils. So add a lemon or a lime, throw in some garlic salt or sesame seeds and you can turn any chicken dish into a compassionate, cholesterol free, dream meal.
While I have many seitan recipes up my sleeve, I am going to focus on making a pasta salad. This can be done using the most simple ingredients. For this easy to prepare yet delicious salad you will need the following ingredients.
- 3/4 a head of iceburg lettuce or lettuce of your choice
- Banza bean pasta or other vegan pasta in a fusilli shape.
- One box of Seitan
- 1 lemon cut in half
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 13 basil leaves
- 2 mint leaves
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- Vegan Cheese 1/2 Cup
- 10 Grape Tomatoes
- 5 Organic Button Mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil
- Vegan Ranch Dressing
- 3 organic carrots peeled
First boil 8 cups of boiling water for the pasta
While the water comes to a boil, finely chop the 3/4 head of iceburg lettuce. Chop the carrots and mushrooms and add the lettuce, carrots, mushrooms and the tomatoes to a large salad bowl.
Finely chop rosemary, basil and mint herbs.
Pull or cut apart the seitan and place it in two teaspoons of olive oil. Cook on medium heat sprinkling the herbs on the seitan until slightly browned. Should only take three to five minutes.
Squeeze half a lemon on the seitan while cooking and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Take the cooked pasta and allow to cool before adding it to the salad bowl.
Add the cooled seitan to the salad bowl. Use the rest of the lemon by squeezing it over the salad.
Add vegan cheddar cheese and vegan ranch dressing.
Toss and serve.
You can add other ingredients to this dish such as, black sliced olives, croutons, or other salad toppings.
Serves two to four people. Enjoy!