Tofu and Seitan Skillet with Easy Gravy

Here’s a high-protein dish combining tofu and seitan in one easy skillet. Tasty and filling, use it to boost your veggie-filled dinner plate.

While traveling abroad once upon a time, I came across a convenient vegan product called “mixed grill”—thin strips of tofu and seitan packaged together. Once back home, I took this inspiration to create a simple, high protein skillet dish using both proteins.

I’m surprised that this combo still doesn’t exist in one neat package, so here we’ll create our own pairing right in one skillet. That said, you can vary this dish by swapping out the seitan for vegan sausage or another kind of plant-based meat alternative.

Complete the meal: Serve simply with baked or microwaved potatoes or sweet potatoes, or hot cooked grains (rice, couscous, or bulgur). A colorful salad, slaw, or raw veggie-and-dip platter round out the meal.

A note about seitan

If you’re not familiar with it, seitan is made of pure wheat gluten — the protein of the wheat — so it’s not for those with any sort of sensitivity or allergy. But for everyone else, seitan offers an appealing protein alternative. If you can make your own, so much the better.

Here’s our recipe for Easy Homemade Seitan. It’s not hard to make your own! You’ll need use about half for this recipe. Store leftover seitan in a bit of its cooking liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. It also freezes well. 

Second best is finding a source for fresh seitan made by a local seitan-making outfit (now there’s a growth industry!). Sometimes you’ll find fresh seitan in food co-ops.

Otherwise, widely marketed packaged seitan is commonly found in natural foods stores and increasingly, in supermarkets, shelved near tofu and other plant-based proteins.

Explore more …

• Guide to Seitan featuring lots more hearty seitan recipes.
• 50+ Easy Tofu Recipes for Every Meal

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Yield: 4 to 6

Tofu and Seitan Skillet with Easy Gravy

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Here’s a high-protein dish combining tofu and seitan in one easy skillet. Tasty and filling, use this to boost your veggie-filled dinner plate.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 14-ounce extra-firm tofu
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil
• 16 ounces seitan
• 2 scallions, sliced, white and green parts divided
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro

Easy Gravy

• 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
• 1 cup vegetable broth (or 1 cup water with a dissolved vegetable bouillon cube)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Cut the tofu into 6 slabs crosswise. Blot well on paper towels or clean tea towels, then cut into dice. If you have a tofu press, press the tofu ahead of time to make it even firmer.
2. Drain the seitan and blot well. Cut into chunks or strips if not already in bite-sized pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a wide skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the tofu and seitan. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring often, until much of it is golden. Be patient; this takes a bit — at least 10 minutes.
4. Add the white parts of the scallion. Sauté for another minute or two, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and cover.
5. For the gravy: In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot or cornstarch with a small amount of water, just enough to dissolve. Stir well. then add the broth, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and basil. Stir together completely.
6. Return the tofu and seitan mixture to the heat. Add the green parts of the scallion, then pour in the gravy. Cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly, until thickened. Serve at once.

If you like this this high-protein seitan dish, you might also enjoy …

“Beefy” Vegan Seitan Stew with Potatoes & Carrots

See more easy vegan main dishes and casseroles & skillets.