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    Home » Recipes » Main Courses

    Vegan Buffalo "Chicken" Sandwich with Homemade Seitan

    Published: ”Apr · Modified: ”Apr by Blair Persyn, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Satisfy your cravings with this delicious and high protein vegan buffalo chicken sandwich with homemade seitan.

    Like Lauren Toyota once said, I too have been saved by seitan.

    I dove head-first into the homemade seitan world and have made different varieties every single week for nearly a year. I've become obsessed.

    Jump to:
    • What Is A Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwich?
    • What Is Seitan?
    • Is Buffalo Sauce Vegan?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • FAQ
    • Recipe
    • Related

    What Is A Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwich?

    A vegan buffalo chicken sandwich is a meatless sandwich that uses a vegan chicken substitute and a buffalo sauce to mimic the taste of a traditional buffalo chicken sandwich.

    Common toppings may include lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and ranch dressing (I use Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch).

    While many people may want to use a packaged vegan meat alternative, I like to take things to the next level and make them from scratch. So today, we are making vegan buffalo chicken sandwiches with homemade seitan.

    holding a buffalo chicken sandwich

    What Is Seitan?

    Seitan is a vegan meat alternative that is made from vital wheat gluten. In other words, it's the protein from wheat in a flour-like form. It has a very neutral flavor and will take on whatever flavors you add to it!

    Most grocery stores carry vital wheat gluten, but if yours doesn't, there are so many places to order it online. I use Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten Flour.

    You basically make a dough with the vital wheat gluten, liquid, and seasonings and cook it either in the oven or on the stove simmering in liquid. For this recipe, we are using the oven.

    Seitan is one of the best vegan protein sources. The main ingredient, vital wheat gluten, has 23g of protein per ¼ cup. Yes, please.

    Is Buffalo Sauce Vegan?

    Buffalo sauce is typically made with butter. But making it vegan is as simple as using vegan butter! My favorite is Miyokos Cultured Vegan Butter. Or to make it even more simple, you could just use a pre-made buffalo sauce from the store.

    A common question is whether or not store-bought buffalo sauce is vegan. While not all brands will be, Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wings sauce has been confirmed to be vegan by the company. Although the ingredients include "natural butter type flavor," they don't use any animal-derivatives. Instead, the flavor is made chemically to resemble the flavor of butter. If you're a buffalo sauce fanatic like me, it also goes great with my Air-Fried Tofu Nuggets.

    There are other specifically vegan-branded buffalo sauces on the market now as well. So for this recipe, choose whichever you like best!

    bites out of a vegan buffalo chicken sandwich

    Ingredients

    Let's get cookin'! For this vegan buffalo chicken sandwich, you'll need the following ingredients.

    ingredients for vegan buffalo chicken sandwich

    I forgot the nutritional yeast in the picture, but just pretend it's there.

    • Vital Wheat Gluten
    • Nutritional Yeast
    • Seasonings
    • Vegetable Broth
    • Buffalo Sauce
    • Buns & Sandwich Toppings

    That's it! See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Let's get into the nitty gritty. Here's how to make this vegan buffalo chicken sandwich.

    bowl of dry ingredients and bowl of wet ingredients for seitan

    In a large bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the vegetable broth and olive oil.

    seitan dough in a bowl

    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine gently with a wooden spoon until a wet dough forms. Knead a couple of times.

    seitan dough flattened out into patties

    Divide dough into four roughly equal pieces and flatten out into a patty shape.

    seitan wrapped in foil ready for the oven

    Wrap each piece in foil and place onto baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

    brushing buffalo sauce onto seitan

    Allow to cool for a few minutes then unwrap the seitan and brush both sides with the buffalo sauce until well coated.

    assembling vegan buffalo chicken sandwich

    To assemble the sandwich, toast buns and spread on vegan ranch. Add lettuce, buffalo seitan patty, tomato, and pickles.

    If you're looking for some more easy vegan recipes like this one, check out my Pesto Lasagna Rolls or my 3-Bean Chili.

    If you're here for the high protein but aren't feeling like prepping a whole meal, I've got you. These are the best high protein vegan snacks.

    Variations

    Want a richer flavor? Or maybe you have some dietary needs that require some recipe changes? No problem.

    • Richer Flavor - add 2 tablespoon tomato paste and 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce to the wet mixture before adding to the dry mixture. Note that it will give the patty a bit of a darker and red-tinted appearance but it's delicious. 
    • Higher Fiber - choose whole wheat buns and serve with a side of fruit or veggies
    • Lower Sodium - choose a low sodium vegetable broth, omit salt, omit pickles, and/or use less buffalo sauce (it has about 460mg per tbsp)
    close up of vegan buffalo chicken sandwich

    Storage

    I keep the patties in their own container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for a month or more. Simply reheat in a pan on the stove or if you're lazy (like me) just pop in the microwave for 60-90 seconds, flipping halfway. Start with 60 seconds first and assess if it needs longer so that the seitan doesn't dry out too much.

    Then build the sandwich like usual! Make sure you wait to build the sandwich and toast the bread until you're ready to eat (I wouldn't recommend storing fully made sandwiches in the fridge).

    Top tip

    Knead a few times but don't over-knead the seitan dough or the finished seitan may get too tough.

    FAQ

    Is This Sandwich Spicy?

    It can be, depending on the specific buffalo sauce and how much you use. The vegan ranch helps to neutralize some of the spiciness.

    Is Seitan Gluten-Free?

    Unfortunately, it is not possible to make seitan gluten-free because gluten is the main ingredient. However, you could simply find a gluten-free meat substitute at the store and use it instead of making the seitan homemade. You would also need to choose a gluten-free bun.

    Does This Seitan Need to Cure in the Fridge Overnight?

    Sometimes I do this and sometimes I don't. I haven't personally noticed a huge difference either way but do what you like!

    Recipe

    feature image of buffalo chicken sandwich with beverage and pickle

    Vegan Buffalo "Chicken" Sandwich with Homemade Seitan

    Delicious and spicy seitan "chicken" patty on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and vegan ranch
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 427 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large bowl
    • 1 whisk
    • 1 medium bowl
    • 1 wooden spoon
    • Foil
    • 1 baking sheet
    • toaster or pan on the stove with oil to toast buns

    Ingredients
      

    Seitan "Chicken"

    • 1 cup vital wheat gluten
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup vegetable broth (I like to use vegan bouillon paste and reconstitute it to vegetable broth)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ¼ cup vegan buffalo sauce (I used Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce)

    Sandwich

    • 4 hamburger buns
    • vegan ranch (I prefer Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch)
    • pickles
    • tomato slices
    • lettuce

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350℉.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt.
    • In a separate bowl, combine the vegetable broth and olive oil.
    • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine gently with a wooden spoon (or other utensil on hand) until a wet dough forms. Knead a couple of times with your hands but don't over knead or the seitan may get too tough. Then divide dough into four roughly equal pieces and flatten out into a patty shape.
    • Wrap each piece in foil and place onto baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
    • Allow to cool for a few minutes then unwrap the seitan and brush both sides with the buffalo sauce until well coated.
    • To assemble the sandwich, toast buns and spread on vegan ranch. Add lettuce, buffalo seitan patty, tomato, and pickles. You can also spread even more of the buffalo sauce onto the sandwich for more flavor if desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • For an even richer flavor, add 2 tablespoon tomato paste and 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce to the wet mixture before adding to the dry mixture. Note that it will give the patty a bit of a darker and red-tinted appearance but it's delicious. 
    • You'll want to knead the seitan "dough" a few times but be sure to not go overboard or it may make your seitan too tough. 
    • Wrapping the seitan patties in foil helps them cook more evenly and keeps them more moist so don't skip this step!
    • For more fiber, choose whole wheat buns and serve with a side of fruit or veggies.
    • For lower sodium, choose a low sodium vegetable broth, omit salt, omit pickles, and/or use less buffalo sauce (it has about 460mg per tbsp)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 427kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 31gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1610mgPotassium: 474mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 560IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 3.6mg
    Keyword dairy-free, high protein, low-carb, vegan
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    More Main Courses

    • Air Fried Tofu Nuggets (Vegan Popcorn 'Chicken')
    • vegan 3-bean chili in a bowl
      The Best Vegan 3-Bean Chili (One-Pot!)
    • Vegan Buddha Bowl with Tahini Sauce
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    About Blair Persyn, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC

    Blair is a vegan registered dietitian nutritionist with years of experience helping clients manage chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Initially due to pickiness, Blair became vegetarian as a child then went fully vegan over 7 years ago after learning more about the health and ethical aspects of a whole food plant-based diet.

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    Hi, I'm Blair! I'm a vegan/plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist. I'm here to help you sort out nutrition fact from fiction in a world of so much misinformation. I love trying out and creating new vegan recipes that are healthy, easy, delicious, and affordable.

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