Seitan Burger
Nutritional yeast, dried breadcrumbs and burger buns come together in this vegan — 75 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Soy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper until evenly combined.
- In a separate jug, stir together the cold vegetable stock, soy sauce and tomato paste until smooth, then pour into the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough firmly in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes to develop the gluten strands, then let it rest for 5 minutes so it relaxes and becomes easier to shape.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and press each into a patty about 1.5 cm thick and slightly wider than your buns, since the seitan will shrink a little as it cooks.
- Set up a steamer, wrap each patty loosely in foil, and steam over simmering water for 30 minutes until firm and springy; this sets the texture so they are not rubbery.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and pan-fry the steamed patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crisp at the edges.
- Toast the buns, then build each burger with the seitan patty and your favourite toppings, and serve immediately while hot.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Saucepan · Whisk · Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Soy Sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) · coconut aminos
Tips & common questions
How long does Seitan Burger take to make?
About 75 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Seitan Burger vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Seitan Burger is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Korean seitan burger.jpg by bob walker, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.