Homemade seitan (“wheat meat”) is wrapped around a savory stuffing in this elegant vegan main dish.
This is A Tale of Two Seitans.
For Thanksgiving this year, I decided to make something a little fancier than the baked tofu my husband, daughter, and I usually enjoy while our omnivorous extended family is eating turkey. The day before the big feast, I took one of my old favorite stuffings, wrapped wheat gluten around it, sealed it in foil, and baked it like “Veggeroni.”
Right out of the oven, the savory flavor of the stuffed seitan was divine. Though the texture was verging on dry, I had to chase away family members circling like ravenous wolves so that I could wrap it up for the trip to my parents’ house.
The next day, I reheated the foil-wrapped seitan in the oven alongside my green bean casserole and my mother’s cornbread dressing. And that’s where I made my mistake. I should have steamed it or microwaved it because it came out of the oven much drier than before. Doused with mushroom gravy, it was still good, but it could have been better.
Seitan Roulade First Attempt
I posted a photo of the first seitan roulade on my Facebook page and planned to share the recipe when I got back from my Thanksgiving trip. But because I wasn’t completely satisfied with how the stuffed seitan “performed” for the big meal, I decided to see if I could come up with a moister, more tender seitan that would hold up to reheating.
That’s how this second seitan roulade came to be.
In this version, I “oven-steamed” the seitan first in a little broth before uncovering and baking it. Success! The stuffed seitan was so tender that we didn’t need any gravy.
The only downside is that because it wasn’t confined by foil, the roast expanded as it cooked and lost its “rolled” design. It’s also less sturdy than the foil-baked version, so if we were planning to travel with it, we’d need to pack it much more carefully.
Overall, I prefer the final version, but if you want the roulade look, follow the variation in the recipe below. Whichever way you make it, just be careful how you reheat it. Or better yet, eat it while it’s still piping hot out of the oven.
“Savory.” That’s the best word to describe this meat-free roast, redolent with the flavors of thyme and sage and enlivened with the sweet-sour tang of dried cranberries. You won’t have any leftovers!
Seitan Stuffed with Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, and Mushrooms
Ingredients
Stuffing
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 4 ounces mushrooms sliced or chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
- generous grinding of pepper
- 3 ounces whole wheat bread (about 2 slices), cut into small cubes
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds, for nut-free
- 1 teaspoon whole chia seeds or ground flax seed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water (more as needed)
Seitan
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten (10 ounces)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/3 cup quinoa flakes or quick oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon chia seed or ground flaxseeds
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup great northern beans cooked
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1 tablespoon tahini (preferred) or nut butter
Baking Broth
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil (optional)
Assembly
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Suggested Tools
Instructions
Make the stuffing:
- Sauté the onion and celery in a non-stick skillet until onion is becoming translucent. Add the mushrooms, thyme, sage, and a generous grating of black pepper and cover. Cook until mushrooms exude their juices, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients along with enough water to moisten the stuffing but not make it soaking wet. Remove from heat and keep covered.
Make the seitan:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (vital wheat gluten through chia seeds). Place the 1 1/2 cups of broth, white beans, soy sauce, and garlic in blender and process until liquefied. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the bean mixture, and stir until gluten is completely moistened. Drizzle the tahini over the top and knead it into the dough. Keep kneading until dough holds together in a ball. Set aside while you make the broth.
Make the broth:
- Heat all ingredients until hot but not boiling. A microwave works well for this.
Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil an oval or rectangular baking dish, 11-13 inches long and 6-8 inches wide. (Your seitan will expand to fit it, so try not to use a very wide dish.)
- Line your work surface with plastic wrap, parchment paper, or waxed paper. Place the dough in the center, cover it with plastic wrap, and roll out the seitan, making sure that it is the same thickness in all places, until it's about 9x13 (an inch or so either way doesn't matter, but make sure it's not longer than your pan). Spread the stuffing evenly, leaving a 1-inch margin on all sides.
- Lift up the plastic wrap on one of the long edges and roll the seitan up like a jelly roll. (Alternatively, arrange the stuffing in a horizontal line across the middle of the seitan and bring one long edge up and over it to the other side.) Pinch the ends sealed first and then pinch well to seal the long seam. Take care to make sure that the edges are completely sealed and no gaps or stuffing shows.
- Lift the seitan roll carefully and place seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish. Pour the baking broth over it, add rosemary, and cover tightly. If the dish doesn't have a cover, use aluminum foil to cover tightly. (Did I mention "tightly?" Tightly! I enclosed even the bottom of the dish in foil.)
- Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, baste with broth, recover tightly, and bake for another 25 minutes. Baste again and return to oven uncovered for about 30 minutes. Baste 2 or 3 times as it's cooking. Seitan is done when top seems firm and brown and the broth has evaporated. You can test it by cutting a small slit in the middle; if it is doughy rather than firm, return to the oven.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer carefully to a cutting board or serving platter and cut into 1/2-inch slices.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Toby
It looks delicious! In my house we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. We don’t do much for New Years.
Valerie
My hubby and I are neo- pagans and we celebrate the Winter Solstice with our ADF Druid Grove, Shining Lakes Grove in Ann Arbor MI, we also celebrate the Roman Saturnalia with a big party on one of the seven days and small family celebrations the remaining six days and our families’ celebrate Christmas. My mom celebrates in the Polish traditional fashion on Christmas eve with a fabulous multi-course meal of saurkraut with peas, borcht with wild mushrooms,tiny noodles,fish, usually she makes it almondine, and Christmas cookies for dessert.On Christmas Day we usually go to my husband’s families’ for dinner.
For the big Saturnalia Feast party the meal is recreations of ancient Roman vegetarian dishes like a garlic paste called moretum, pea soup,braided bread,a spread with leeks,celery and Roman herbs,topped off with Roman mulled wine and dates stuffed with almonds, drizzled with honey baked to a candy like consistency.Some years stuffed grape leaves and pickled sheep’s milk feta also grace the table.
This year for one of the smaller days of Saturnalia I was planning to experiment with a stuffed gluten free mock seitan with a stuffing recipe similar to the one that you posted here. Having to eat gluten free I can’t eat Tofurky or Gardein or anything by Field Roast so I am experimenting with making my own versions of some of these things.
For the five remaining days of Saturnalia we will probably have simple dishes like spaghetti with pumpkin sage sauce and mock sausage crumbles, chickpea cutlets in a simple wine sauce with agave glazed mushrooms and lentils with leeks. I also wanted to try Portabella Wellington wrapped in a crispy rice paper shell.
And of course for ritual I usually take a hearty casserole like butternut squash and lentil pot pie or tofu shepherd’s pie. And this year the in-laws are having a potluck so I am bringing a veggie rice pilaf with mixed brown and wild rices,fresh cranberries, sweet apples, chestnuts, carrots, celery and onion seasoned with parsley , sage, rosemary and thyme.
If it sounds like I am cooking solid from Dec. 17-23 you are quite right! This is my busiest time of year cooking family favorites for all of the festivities.So a new vegan Holiday cookbook would give me some new recipe ideas for this whirlwind time of year. Please enter me in the contest to win Nava Atlas’ Vegan Holiday Kitchen.
Katie O.
Hi Susan V! I would love a chance to win one of your new cookbooks, it looks so beautiful! I told my husband how great this cookbook looks, but he told me that he won’t be buying me anymore cookbooks as presents. I was so sad, I love cookbooks, and I love receiving them as gifts. For Thanksgiving I made the double layer pumpkin cheesecake, and it was amazing. For Christmas, I will make either the meatless loaf of this new recipe which I am sure all your readers have been waiting for. I don’t do much for New Years at my house, but I plan on making more of your recipes since I will have a schedule free from school soon. As the only vegetarian in my family and at church, I am always excited to make something beautiful and tasty for gatherings. Thank you for your hard work sharing all the wonderful recipes and offering us a chance to win a book!
Sarah T
Hi Susan,
I’d love to win the book. I’m a big fan of both you and Nava Atlas. I’ll be celebrating Christmas in Hawaii this year with my family. I usually make a vegan wellington or a lentil roulade from a Vegetarian Times recipe I saved years ago. But this year it will depend on what I can find in the stores in Hawaii.
Courtney
We celebrate Christmas with my family and I look forward to making this seitan dish for Christmas dinner. Looks so good!
Terry Lambert
Your recipes have been an inspiration to me for years since I read Dr. Fuhrman’s “Eat To Live”! Following a vegan food plan is hard enough, but your lower fat recipes help make it easier to cook delicious meals. I also try to have lower carb choices as well and focus on low starch/high nutrient vegetables. I would love to have a chance on Nava’s book and be able to see your great photos.
alyzarin
I’d love the book. I usually make a tofu roll with stuffing in the middle for the holidays.
Dindy
I would absolutely love to have a copy of the cookbook. Your photography is always lovely and the samples of recipes by Nava that you have posted have been terrific. This year (for the first time) we are celebrating Christmas at our son and daughter-in-law’s house and she makes wonderful seitan, so I know she’ll love adding this recipe to the plan. I tried a seitan roulade for Thanksgiving, but the baked reheat dried it out too much – I like your solution for that problem. Thanks for your posts, you make my low-fat vegan cooking so much more interesting and tasty!
Amber Shea @Almost Vegan
Thanks for the giveaway! My family and I celebrate a (rather secular) Christmas, and our Xmas Eve dinner always consists of (believe it or not) lasagna, green salad, sweet corn, and garlic bread.
LisaV
This looks too good to wait for next Thanksgiving so I’m going to try it next weekend! Can’t wait!
Nancy Kahane
I love your recipes and musings! Nothing is ever too complex for an average home cook, and the flavors are fabulous and creative.
I’d love a chance to get the cookbook! We live in NJ, so we qualify.
We are Jewish, and will be celebrating Chanukah with as many of our sons as can make it home. I’m going to be experimenting with alternate root vegetable latkes this year, since one of my boys has gone nightshade-free. Rutabagas, here we come! My husband is battling cancer, so hight-nutrient, wholesome food is a must.
Sandra Behn
I would like a chance to win the cookbook. I don’t celebrate any of the holiday, but the rest of our families do.
I am thinking about making the seitan stuffed with walnuts & cranberries if we don’t go to visit our family.
Amy
I really want to try my hand at seitan – I’ve tried in the past but was so not-pleased with the results, that I haven’t been back for a second attempt. I’d love a chance to win a copy of the book – the more ideas the merrier for the holidays! I am planning to make a pudding cake and your impossible pumpkin pie at some point before the year is up, most likely for Christmas, or when friends are visiting, or family comes in to town. I’ll also make some squash-based mac-n-cheeze – I had an enthusiastic pumpkin plant this season!
Joan
Sure, I’d love a shot at the holiday cookbook! I’ll probably be home alone over Christmas (and that’s okay) and excited to make this loaf and then freeze the leftover slices. It doesn’t have to be a “holiday” to make savory loafs and I’m always looking for a good one. (Already checked to see if I have the right-sized pan, I do. :D)
On another note, I appreciate your thumbs up of your Breville toaster oven. After you mentioned on your blog that you bake almost everything in it, I ordered one right away. I love it, and I too, now bake EVERYTHING in it and my whole wheat bread turns out beautifully. (I even use it to proof the dough.) So, forever thanks for that recommendation.
Lastly, thanks for taking the limiting of fat seriously. Most vegan cookbook authors do not.
Susan Voisin
I’m so glad you like the oven! I baked both versions of this dish in it, and I can’t think of anything I’ve tried to cook that doesn’t fit in it. I haven’t tried to bake bread, so I’m happy to hear it does that, too.
Hope you enjoy the seitan!
Kory Sessions
I would love a chance to win the book!
This is my family’s first vegan Christmas. We’ve been vegan for the past five months, and I must say I find the holidays a bit hard since I’m used to cooking and baking with eggs and cheese. I’m excited to try the seitan . Our holiday table will use it as the center piece along with a vegan “cheese” ball, mushroom gravy, potatoes and big salad with your chickpea dressing. I’m still uncertain which of your dessert recipes I’ll use, but I still have some time to decide.
Leslie Amerman
Hi Susan;
I would love to win the book! I don’t celebrate any winter holidays but I did get together with family at the end of November. These family members are carnivores who are fascinated by what my husband and I eat (they think all we have is steamed broccoli and brown rice). You had just posted Nava’s Shepherd’s Pie on fatfreevegan.com. I made the recipe and took it with me. I have to say that everyone absolutely loved it! My husband loved it as well and he had never had Shepherd’s Pie before (not even the meat version).
I would love to make more recipes from the book (if I only had it!). If the pie is an indication of the flavors in the book whoever gets the books will have a veritable culinary feast in store. I am sure that converts will be made if these folks entertain.
Thank you for keeping up with your web sites and for sharing so many delicious recipes. You are amazing and a culinary genius!
Sincerely,
Leslie Amerman
Lizzie
This looks totally delicious, and I would LOVE to win a copy of the new book! I actually made the mushroom Shepard’s Pie that you posted on the blog for my parent’s the day after Thanksgiving. My husband and I just celebrated Christmas with our friends this past weekend, and I cooked up maple-mustard tofu and garlic roasted brussels sprouts, among many other things!
sandra
Ah-thank you for a great recipe. I would love to make this for the holidays. I oid 2 days past my due date though so I don’t know if ill be up fr much by the .n
Mia J
Oh wow, this looks unbelievably delicious. And I would love love love a copy of that book! I’ve already planned on making a number of your holiday dishes, like your meatless loaf, which I can’t wait to try, as well as your green bean casserole. Thanks again for such outstanding recipes, you really help a budding vegan college student out!
Tricia Neilssen
I would like to win your new book. I am new to the vegan world and all the cook books I can get will help. I am headed to a brothers home that is not vegan so I am taking all I can with me including my Vita mixer. I am going to pre make some stuff so I am good to go. I like the reciepe you have on this page I think I might use it for me for Christmas. See how many will be jealous, and want some.
Thanks for your web site it has been of great help in me finding new things to fix. I am very interesed is receipe’s with no added oil…I need less fat so I can get rid of fat. Thanks again Tricia
Simona
I cannot wait to try it! I am planning on having lasagna and meat-less loaf for Christmas, but this seitan could win a place on our table 🙂 I would love to win a copy of your book!
Happy Holiday 🙂
Teresa O'Connor
I’d love to win a copy of “your” ( and Nava’s) book. I’m going to try Alanna’s Green Bean Casserole for my holiday dinner as well as some mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy…delicious!
Gwen Z
I’d been trying to decide what to serve for Christmas dinner. This stuffed seitan looks and sounds absolutely wonderful, so I’m going to have it for our dinner. I’ve made the Ginger-Orange Glazed Carrots and really like them, so I’ll have that, too. The grandkids have to have green beans and my husband and son have to have mashed potatoes and gravy, so we’ll have that, too. A relish dish and dessert (haven’t decided for sure on that one yet!) will round out our meal. And, yes, I would like a chance at the book, please!
Thanks for all the work you do in creating and testing recipes and in keeping up this wonderful site. It has made my transition to vegan a delightful experience!
Natalie
Wonderful seitan roast to make, delicious to eat!! Thanks much. I really look forward to the book as I’m a fan of Nava. Happy Holidays!
Leslie Paquette
I’d love to win a copy of the cookbook!! I’m always looking for new recipes. One of my favorites of yours is the Meatless Meatloaf. I actually made it into meatballs last time so it would be easier to freeze and portion out. I’m still enjoying it 🙂
jami
I love you and Nava! I have wanted to brave making homemade seitan…you have inspired me! This looks lovely. Excited about ya’lls new book, too!!!
RS
I’d love a shot at the cookbook! I officially don’t celebrate any of the holidays, but in reality, celebrate the season with good spirits and cheer. And on the menu, I’m off to start on some vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies right now!
Jill Princehouse
I first made the Shepard’s Pie you shared from the cookbook on your website. Yum-m-m!
Next I made a variation of Nava Atlas’ stuffed squash for our Thanksgiving. It was a delight and beautiful to behold-butternut squash with cranberry wild rice stuffing topped with your fresh cranberry sauce!
This also looks great and it will become “our vegan dinner” at our carnivorous daughter’s house on Christmas.
Question: can I cook it a day or 2 before, then bring to room temperature and re-heat just before dinner? If so, should I pre-cook it part way, e.g., through the foil-covered parts, then re-heat without cover just before dinner? I’m thinking your wonderful fresh cranberry sauce would be good and pretty atop this roulade. Correct or not?
Joan
Was wondering how it worked making this ahead of time. I want to make for Christmas but would like to make ahead of time and reheat, or should I partially bake first?
Melissa
I’d like to be entered to win the book. My mother-in-law hosts a large gathering at Christmas and we’ll be visiting from out of state so I won’t be able to make anything. I may have to pick something up just to make sure my husband and I have something to eat.
Amelia B.
I’ve been a (silent) reader for a while now, but the opportunity of winning the new cookbook is too much to resist! I’ll be heading over to Boston to celebrate Christmas with my family as I’m done with finals next week.
My Mom’s a meat-eater, Dad’s vegetarian, brother’s pescatarian, and sister’s lactose and gluten intolerant, so it’s always fun to try and rustle stuff up!
Usually, we just make our own things, which is why it’s so much fun on holidays to eat together: I’m going to try and make a quinoa and coconut-lentil dish with red cabbage and bok choy for dinner and sweet potato home-fries with buckwheat pancakes (red and green of course!) for brunch. It probably won’t go according to plan, but hey, it’s Christmas!
Cadry
That seitan looks so delicious and fancy! It looks like a meal worthy of being anticipated!
I’d love to be entered to win Vegan Holiday Kitchen. After a cooking extravaganza for Thanksgiving, I’m planning on keeping my Christmas meal on the simple side. Maybe chili and cornbread?
laloofah
Wow, I can almost smell the aroma wafting deliciously from your photos, and despite the fact it’s not even 6 am here, I want some! 🙂
In past years, I’d have shied away from any dressing recipe with cranberries in it, since from childhood I’ve never liked mixing sweet with savory. (Yeah, I know, I’m a funny duck!) But last year we shared Thanksgiving with vegan friends and their dressing had cranberries and walnuts and when I (reluctantly) tried it, I became an instant fan. Which just goes to show! Needless to say, I’ve added this recipe to my recipe box.
You and Nava are tops in my book, so I’d love to win your collaborative book! We usually celebrate Thanksgiving, along with Solstice, Christmas (as best my overworked, exhausted UPS man husband can manage it!) and the New Year (quietly, far from the madding crowds).
Lisa
I’d love a chance to get a copy of the book (such gorgeous pictures!)! We celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah in my house, so I’ll be eating latkes AND a full Christmas meal – trying to get my family to try some baked sweet potato latkes this year instead of the deep fried kind! At Thanksgiving your pumpkin cheesecake was such a wild success that I think I’ll have to make the soy nog version for this holiday!
Korine
Thank you for these fabulous recipes, and I’d love to win a copy of the book!! I’ve slowly been drifting more and more toward veganism after being a vegetarian for 11 years, especially now that I have a son.
Many of my favorite recipes are on this site, including veggeroni, ribz, and the green bean casserole. And I bet this roulade will be on my list too in a few weeks!
Pam
Christmas, although we also rock Festivus from time to time around here 🙂
Gosh, our menu is always a debate. We’re pretty fond of a tasty spicy pasta (with red and green peppers!) and garlic bread. I also looooooove a good cashew loaf. Of course, neither are super healthy, but they are super tasty!
Pam
Ni! Forgot to mention that I’d like to be in the running for the book <3
Original comment:
Christmas, although we also rock Festivus from time to time around here
Gosh, our menu is always a debate. We’re pretty fond of a tasty spicy pasta (with red and green peppers!) and garlic bread. I also looooooove a good cashew loaf. Of course, neither are super healthy, but they are super tasty!
Love FFV, and it's always on my rec list for new vegans/veg!
Ann Marie
This cookbook is on my wishlist!
We are having a loaf very similar to what you made for Christmas this year. Our first year of eating plant based for the holidays and looking forward to it!
Caryn
I’d love to have a copy of the book. We usually have black bean chili, cornbread, a big salad, and your miracle pumpkin pie for Christmas and Thanksgiving. I’d like to expand that menu to something a little more creative! We also celebrate the solstice, Saturnalia, and any other holiday we can think of.
Jill McCarthy
We love Nava’s Hearty Lentil Shepard’s Pie so
much–we’d love a copy of her book!
Traditionally, we celebrate Christmas with many meals with our family. Will do the same this year with a Field Roast and tasty vegetable sides. These days, I also make a mean egg-free latke with homemade applebutter–so we may celebrate a night of Hannukah as well!
Thanks for considering!
Stephanie
We like to celebrate Christmas and tbis year our big feast will be on Christmas Eve. I think I’m going to be serving a Tofurkey Roast and roasted root vegetables. I plan on trying my hand at a mushroom gravy.
Jennifer Clement
I would love to win your cookbook! My holiday menu includes mashed sweet potatoes with chipotle spiced pecan topping, Cornbread dressing, Field Grain Roast Meat’s Celebration Loaf medallions in puff pastry and a mince”meat” pie! 😀