Juicy BBQ Vegan Ribs (seitan ribs)

Seitan ribs on a wooden board with newspaper beneath topped with chopped cilantro.

5 from 7 votes

If you are looking for a plant-based summer main, look no further than these amazing BBQ vegan ribs! It is tender, packed with flavor, and has a succulent, meaty texture. Easy to prepare, these seitan ribs are also protein-packed and super satisfying.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

1 ½ cup vital wheat gluten 150g
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Wet ingredients

1 cup water
1 ¼ cup BBQ sauce divided (store-bought or homemade)
2 tablespoons tahini *
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by preheating oven to 200C/400F. Lightly grease a 7x11 or 8x8 inches baking pan with cooking oil.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
1 ½ cup vital wheat gluten , ¼ cup nutritional yeast , 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder , 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder , 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Then, add in all wet ingredients along with ¼ cup of BBQ sauce and mix until a dough forms. Knead dough for about 30 seconds to a minute.
1 cup water, 2 tablespoons tahini , 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce , 1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke
Transfer seitan dough to a 7x11 inches or 8x8 inches baking dish. Using your hands, press dough to evenly spread it into the pan. Slice dough into 12-16 pieces, depending on how wide you want the ribs to be.
Bake for 20 minutes, then spread ½ cup of BBQ sauce over the top and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
When the time is up, flip it and spread another ½ cup of sauce on the other side. Bake it again for 10-15 minutes until sticky.
Let seitan ribs cool down for at least 30 minutes. Optionally, char it in a grill pan or on the grill for 2-3 minutes on each side before serving.

Notes

* Tahini - Gives extra richness and helps tenderize the vegan ribs. You can replace it with equal amounts of almond butter or 1 tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil.

Helpful tips

Texture of seitan dough - The dough’s texture will be slightly moister compared to regular seitan dough. This is to compensate for the moisture loss that occurs during the baking process.
Avoid over-kneading – Over-kneading your seitan dough will cause it to become tough and super chewy. I find kneading it for 1-2 minutes is the sweet spot.

Storing - Leftover seitan ribs can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You can also portion them up and freeze them for up to a month.

Reheating - Allow frozen ribs to thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat the ribs on the stove or grill. You can also heat them in the microwave.

Nutrition