These BBQ Seitan Ribs are a smoky, high-protein vegan main featuring homemade seitan beef coated in BBQ sauce and grilled to perfection. Serve it at summer cookouts or anytime you're craving bold flavor.
Protein packed VEGAN ribs?! Yes please!
These seitan ribs start with my homemade seitan recipe, using a few spices to create a savory meat-inspired flavor.
No boiling involved! My seitan recipe is baked in the oven.
Then, coat the patty in bbq sauce and grill or broil for a charred flavor.
Finish by cutting the patty into rib shapes that you can pick up and eat with your hands or slide easily into sandwiches.
The most epic vegan bbq main dish, these BBQ Seitan Ribs will be a hit this summer!
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What is seitan?
Seitan is a meat substitute made from vital wheat gluten. Various seitan recipes can be made from vital wheat gluten by varying the spices and cooking method.
Vital wheat gluten basically a flour like substance that is primarily protein. This is what makes the ribs so high in protein!
Why you'll love this BBQ Seitan
- Vegan & High Protein - made with seitan for a hearty plant-based protein
- Bold & Smoky - BBQ sauce and grill marks bring serious summer flavor
- Perfect for grilling - a satisfying alternative to meat for any barbecue
- Meal-prep friendly - make a batch ahead for quick sandwiches or bowls
- Savory beef-like flavor - these "ribs" use spices and BBQ sauce to create a flavor very similar to 'real' ribs
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Vital Wheat Gluten: the ingredient that packs all the protein! Vital wheat gluten is available in the baking aisle near other types of flour.
- Nutritional Yeast: nutritional yeast is a spice that has a cheesy flavor. The beef don't taste cheesy but the nutritional yeast helps create a deeper flavor
- Spices: onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder
- Water: water helps create the right texture
- Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Liquid Aminos: feel free to use any of these - all function to add salt. I've found this works better for flavor than using table salt
- Ketchup: look for a no-added sugar ketchup
- Liquid Smoke: this is my secret ingredient in many meat recipes that I turn vegan. Liquid smoke adds a smoky flavor and helps deepen the overall flavor of the chicken. Find liquid smoke in the grocery store near the condiments
- BBQ Sauce: any store-bought BBQ sauce will work here!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients except the bbq sauce. Start with a fork and then use your hands to form one large ball.
Step 3. Form the seitan into a thin patty, about ½" tall. Place the patty on the parchment lined pan and bake for 30 minutes, until an internal temperature of 195°F is reached.When the seitan has about 10 minutes left in the oven, heat the grill or griddle pan if using.
Step 4. Remove the seitan from the oven and coat generously in the bbq sauce.
Step 5. Grill the seitan for 3-5 minutes per side, until grill marks form.If you don't have a grill or griddle, return the seitan to the oven and broil for 3-5 minutes per side.
Step 6. Remove from the grill and slice into rib shaped slices. Serve.
Vegan bbq sides to serve with ribs
Veggies: coleslaw, corn on the cob, green beans, sweet potato fries, broccoli salad, collard greens
Carbohydrates: mac & cheese, baked beans, potato salad, cornbread, mashed potatoes
Drinks: mixed berry mocktails, strawberry cream soda, red sangria mocktails
FAQ & Expert Tips
Yes! Just follow the grilling portion of the instructions below.
Yes! I used a griddle pan. You can also pan-fry or broil in the oven.
No. Seitan is made from vital wheat gluten, which is not gluten free. For a gluten-free BBQ option, try my BBQ tempeh.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for these vegan ribs. Thank you for summer barbecues and time with friends and family. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
BBQ Seitan Ribs
Ingredients
- 240 Grams Vital Wheat Gluten about 2 cups
- 30 Grams Nutritional Yeast about ½ cup
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Cup Water
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Liquid Aminos
- 1 Tablespoon Ketchup
- ½ Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 Cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients except the bbq sauce. Start with a fork and then use your hands to form one large ball.
- Form the seitan into a thin patty, about ½" tall. Place the patty on the parchment lined pan and bake for 30 minutes, until an internal temperature of 195°F is reached.When the seitan has about 10 minutes left in the oven, heat the grill or griddle pan if using.
- Remove the seitan from the oven and coat generously in the bbq sauce.
- Grill the seitan for 3-5 minutes per side, until grill marks form.If you don't have a grill or griddle, return the seitan to the oven and broil for 3-5 minutes per side.
- Remove from the grill and slice into rib shaped slices. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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