Seitan pot roast

Name: Seitan pot roast
Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 6 cups hot water; 3 tablespoons vegan bouillon; 3 cups vital wheat gluten; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 0.25 cup nutritional yeast; 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons white miso paste; 0.25 cup tamari; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon vegan butter; 0.5 large red onion, cut into wedges; 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks; 3 carrots, cut into large chunks; 4 whole garlic cloves; 10 small fingerling potatoes, halved; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon tamari; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; 1 a few sprigs fresh thyme and oregano; 1 a few fresh sage leaves; 1 large fresh bay leaf; 1 braising liquid from the pot; 1 tablespoon vegan butter; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pot roast is the kind of dish that keeps everyone at the table a little longer. The house fills with the cozy aroma of thyme and sage, the vegetables turn soft and golden, and dinner suddenly feels like an occasion. This seitan pot roast brings all of that comfort to the table.

A homemade seitan roast is seasoned with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, and miso, then braised in the oven with colorful fingerling potatoes, carrots, onions, and fresh herbs. The braising liquid turns into a rich, glossy gravy to spoon over every slice. It’s a hearty, impressive centerpiece for holidays or a slow Sunday dinner with family. Just set it in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.

Preparation Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

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Ingredients

SERVINGS:

Calories: 530 Protein: 55 g

Broth

6 cups hot water
3 tablespoons vegan bouillon

Seitan

3 cups vital wheat gluten
1 cup all-purpose flour
0.25 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons white miso paste
0.25 cup tamari
2 tablespoons olive oil

Braise

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon vegan butter
0.5 large red onion, cut into wedges
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into large chunks
4 whole garlic cloves
10 small fingerling potatoes, halved
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 a few sprigs fresh thyme and oregano
1 a few fresh sage leaves
1 large fresh bay leaf

Gravy

1 braising liquid from the pot
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons cornstarch
0.25 cup cold water

For serving

fresh thyme sprigs

Preparation

Prepare the broth: If using bouillon paste, stir it into the hot water until dissolved. Measure 2 cups of broth into a medium bowl for the seitan dough and set the rest aside for braising.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, flour, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk the miso into the 2 cups of broth until completely dissolved, then whisk in the tamari and olive oil.
Start the steamer: Set a steamer basket inside a large pot and add water to just below the basket. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Make the dough: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook for about 5 minutes, until elastic and springy. The dough won’t look perfectly smooth, and visible strands are normal. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Shape and wrap: Shape the dough into a log about 8 inches long. Wrap it tightly in parchment paper, then in foil, twisting the ends closed.
Steam: Place the wrapped seitan in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for 1 hour, until firm when pressed. Let rest for 10 minutes, then unwrap.
Brown the seitan: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil and vegan butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the seitan for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden all over. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté and deglaze: Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup of the reserved broth and the balsamic vinegar, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
Braise: Return the seitan to the center of the pot and arrange the potatoes around it. Add enough broth to come halfway up the seitan, then add the tamari, maple syrup, and herbs. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender, spooning some of the liquid over the roast every 15 minutes.
Plate the roast: Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter, remove the bay leaf, and tuck fresh thyme sprigs around the roast. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot.
Make the gravy: Bring the braising liquid to a simmer over medium heat and stir in the vegan butter and maple syrup. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth, then add it a little at a time, whisking constantly and simmering for a minute after each addition, until the gravy lightly coats a spoon. It will keep thickening as it cools. Pour into a gravy boat.
Serve: Slice the roast about ½ inch thick with a serrated knife and serve with the vegetables and warm gravy.

Slices of seitan pot roast with gravy, carrots, celery, and fingerling potatoes on a plate, with the rest of the sliced roast on a platter behind it.

Tips

Dissolve the miso completely: Undissolved miso can leave salty clumps in the dough, so whisk until it’s fully smooth.
Wrap it tightly: A snug wrap keeps the roast firm and compact while it steams. A loose wrap lets it puff up and turn spongy.
No steamer basket? Set a metal colander inside a large pot with a little boiling water and cover it with a lid.
Taste before salting: The broth, tamari, and miso are already salty, so taste the gravy before adding any salt. Low-sodium broth gives you more control.
Don’t over-thicken the gravy: It keeps thickening as it cools and can set almost like jelly. If it gets too thick, whisk in a splash of broth or water while reheating.
Slice with a serrated knife: Letting the roast rest while you make the gravy and using a serrated knife helps it slice cleanly instead of crumbling.
Use a Dutch oven if you have one: It goes from stovetop to oven, so you can brown, braise, and make the gravy all in one pot. No Dutch oven? Brown everything in a skillet, then transfer to a baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake.
Swap the vegetables: Parsnips, mushrooms, or pearl onions are all delicious. Cut them into large pieces so they cook in the same time as the potatoes.
Serve it up: Mashed potatoes, a green salad, roasted green beans, or crusty bread to soak up the gravy all make great sides.
Make ahead: Steam the seitan the day before, let it cool, and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator. On the day of your dinner, brown it, braise it with the vegetables, and make the gravy.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Use the leftovers: Slice the roast thinly and pile it on crusty bread with warm gravy for an easy, hearty sandwich.