The Ultimate Guide to Perfectly Cooked and Seasoned Vegan Seitan Shawarma

If you're looking for a delicious Arabic-inspired meal that's quick and easy to make, look no further! In just 20 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking, you can create a mouth-watering vegan seitan shawarma dish that serves 4-8 people. Imagine juicy strips of seitan wrapped in soft Arabic bread, topped with fresh veggies, onions, tahini sauce, and pickles. It's a killer combination that's just right for any time of day, whether you're looking for a hearty lunch or a satisfying dinner. Fire up your stove, grab your ingredients, and get ready to savor the flavors of this incredibly delicious Arabic dish!

So, if you think going vegan means giving up your favorite comfort foods, think again! Join us as we explore the exciting and unexpected world of vegan cuisine.

Meet the Vegan Seitan Shawarma

Photo by One Arab Vegan

As ingredients, you will need:

Dry ingredients:

• 1½ cups vital wheat gluten flour

• ¼ cup chickpea flour

• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tbsp shawarma seasoning (or make your own by following this recipe)

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp cumin powder

Liquid ingredients:

• 1½ cups vegetable broth (at room temperature) - you can use a vegetable stock cube and water

• 1½ tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari or Braggs liquid aminos

• 3 cloves of minced garlic

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste (at least ½ a tbsp of salt recommended, adjust to your preference)

• 1 tbsp cooking oil of choice

Other ingredients:

• Aluminum foil and steamer basket

To assemble your sandwich, you will need

• Arabic bread or Saj, depending on availability

• Hummus or a yogurt tahini dressing (like the one in this recipe)

• Garlic mayo or homemade vegan garlic sauce

• Freshly sliced tomatoes and onions

• Roughly chopped fresh parsley 

• Thinly sliced pickles of your choice

Now let the fun begin

1. In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the vegetable stock, olive oil, soy sauce, and garlic.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten flour, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, shawarma seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix well.

3. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough comes away from the bowl.

4. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes to develop the gluten until the texture of the dough transforms.

5. Cover the mixing bowl with a dish towel and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Knead the dough on a cutting board and cut it into four equal parts. Shape each piece into a rectangle.

6. Wrap each piece in a 6-inch-long piece of foil, leaving some space for the seitan to expand while cooking.

7. Place the wrapped seitan in a steamer basket and steam on medium heat for about 20 minutes.

8. Allow the seitan loaves to cool before unwrapping and slicing them into strips using a serrated knife. Each loaf is about two servings, so only slice as much as you need for your sandwiches.

9. In a pan, fry the seitan strips in the cooking oil for about 3-5 minutes until they have some color on them. Set them aside for assembly.

To assemble the sandwiches:

1. Layer the Arabic bread with sauce (garlic mayo or homemade vegan garlic sauce) or hummus.

2. Add the seitan strips and a few slices of each topping (freshly sliced tomatoes and onions, roughly chopped fresh parsley, and thinly sliced pickles of your choice).

3. Drizzle more sauce over the top and wrap the sandwich by folding the bottom in and then the sides. You can also wrap the sandwich in foil or sandwich paper for easier eating later.

Sahten.