Vegan Seitan Roast (Instant Pot or Baked)
An impressive yet easy homemade seitan roast! This generously sized vegan roast is perfect anytime, from Thanksgiving dinner to weekly meal prep (leftovers make awesome sandwiches)! With Instant Pot pressure cooker instructions.Soy-free, nutritional yeast-free, with a nut-free option.Note: Equipment needed depends on the cooking method you choose. Read through the instructions first to make sure you're prepared.Yield: makes one 2 lb. roast; serves 7 to 10, depending on the occasion and appetites!Inspired by and adapted over the years from Isa's seitan roast on the PPK.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups vital wheat gluten
- ¾ cup Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (Or sub pintos or other white bean.)
- ⅓ cup raw walnut halves (For nut-free, sub 2 Tbsp olive oil.)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary (Not powdered. )
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 3½ cups vegetable broth, divided (1½ cups are for the roast, the rest is for cooking.)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1½ teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil (I like to use refined/deodorized coconut oil for this step, but any neutral oil will do.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
- 1
Plan: If cooking in an Instant Pot, make sure it's large enough to hold the roast, which is approx 9 inches long. I use this 6 quart model. If cooking in the oven, locate a high-sided baking dish that can hold the roast plus about an inch of broth, and that can be tightly covered with foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- 2
Place vital wheat gluten in a large mixing bowl, and set aside. In a blender combine the beans, walnuts, garlic, onion powder, poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, 1 ½ cups broth (354 ml), vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and liquid smoke. Blend on high speed until smooth.
- 3
Pour wet ingredients into vital wheat gluten, and stir until a dough forms. Move dough to a flat surface and knead by hand for 4 to 5 minutes. The dough will continue to firm up as you knead, and you'll see the gluten strands forming. *Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to do the kneading. Let it run on low (speed 2) for 3 to 4 minutes.
- 4
On a flat work surface use your hands to shape the dough into a log approximately 9 inches long x 3 ½ inches wide. Note, this will barely fit in a 6 Qt. Instant Pot; for the IP you can make it a bit shorter and wider if needed.
- 5
In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the herb rub. Coat the outside of the roast with oil, then apply the rub. Let the seitan rest for a few minutes.
- 6
Cut a piece of cheesecloth large enough to wrap around the roast several times and with enough overhang on the ends to be securely folded underneath (the entire roast should be contained). Refer to photos above if needed. Wrap the roast, then tightly fold the ends underneath. Optional: wrap with 3 to 5 pieces of twine to create a "tied roast" appearance.
- 7
Instant Pot instructions: place trivet inside the insert, and add just enough of the remaining broth to reach the bottom of the trivet. Place wrapped roast on trivet, close and secure the lid. Cook on high pressure for 65 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure. Carefully remove Instant Pot lid. Let roast cool for a few minutes, then lift out by trivet handles and place on counter to cool. Oven instructions: place wrapped roast in baking dish and add remaining 2 cups of broth. Flip the roast a couple of times so that the cheesecloth gets saturated with broth. Cover dish tightly with foil, crimping the edges. You want to contain as much of the steam as possible to keep the roast moist. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, flipping the roast at the 1 hour mark.
- 8
To test for doneness, use tongs to press the center of the roast. It should feel very firm. It's okay if it feels slightly less firm than the ends, but if the center feels at all squishy, cook for another 5 minutes in the Instant Pot or 10 minutes in the oven. Remove the cheesecloth once cool enough to handle.
- 9
The roast can be served after cooling for about an hour, but the texture is best the next day. To store, remove the cheesecloth and allow roast to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight storage container, and refrigerate overnight.