Better than Take-out Kung Pao Seitan (Oil-free & Vegan)

Written by on in Dinner, Meal Prep, Recipes, Vegetables
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Hey babes,

As I mentioned recently, I love the flavors of various Asian cuisines, and Chinese is no exception. Like most middle-Americans, my initial introduction was due to the influence of take-out and buffets, but thankfully the internet is massive, and not everything has to be stuffed full of sugar, oil, and MSG to satisfy the masses.

One popular Chinese recipe you’ll see in almost ever American-Chinese restaurant is kung pao chicken. I love some spicy food, but I’m going to take the pass on the chicken. Especially when I have the perfect alternative in my freezer that has a ton of protein and none of the fat, cholesterol, or potential carcinogens, hormones, or microbes: seitan. Since I’m using a recipe I’ve written about before, I’ll spare you the details of all the benefits, but this is still a great, meaty alternative made of almost pure wheat gluten. If you’re suffering from a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, you can easily swap out for soy curls or tempeh, but I’ll leave that to your preference.

Once you’ve thawed it (assuming you also like to keep your seitan in the freezer), chop it up and throw it into a bowl with your marinade. Make sure you mitigate your sodium by using low-sodium soy sauce, and if you want it extra spicy maybe toss in some extra crushed red pepper or even some chili garlic sauce. I was making this with my kids in mind, so I couldn’t get too extreme with the fire. They’ll snub me for a teaspoon of sriracha.

Now normally, I would have a ton of peppers and a full zucchini sliced up in this, but if you also have a picky family, leave them out. I rehydrated some peppers to use, but decided to omit them in case it came out too hot for the kids. Aside from that, it’s just a mix of very simple ingredients that can be cooked in less than 15 minutes.

I’ll respect your intelligence and not break everything down step by step just to repeat myself in the recipe card. You look like bright people. I think I can trust that you can understand a few simple steps. Give this one a try, especially if you’re looking for an easy, healthy alternative to the take-out options. And let me know what you’d change!

Kung Pao Seitan (Oil-free & Vegan)
Print

Kung Pao Seitan (Oil-free & Vegan)

Recipe by MonicaDifficulty: Easy
Servings

3

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

9

minutes

Ingredients

  • Stir fry Mix

  • 9 oz seitan

  • 3/4-1 large red bell pepper, diced

  • 1 zucchini, diced (optional)

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 green onions, sliced

  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

  • 3-4 bird’s eye chilis

  • 2 Tbsp chopped peanuts or cashews

  • 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds

  • Seitan marinade

  • 2 tsp soy sauce

  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar

  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

  • 1 tsp cornstarch

  • Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp rice cooking wine

  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar

  • 2 Tbsp water

  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions

  • Dice up seitan into chunks and add to marinade. Set aside while you chop up the vegetables.
  • Mix the sauce and set aside.
  • Heat a skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add bell pepper (and zucchini if you’re using it) and stir for a few minutes.
  • Add garlic, ginger, and chilis and stir for a minute.
  • Add seitan and sauce. Stir until bubbling or thickened. This will NOT take long so keep an eye on it.
  • Pull from heat. Add nuts, seeds, and green onions.
  • Serve over brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, etc.

Notes

  • Add or reduce chilis based on your taste. Szechuan peppercorns also make a great addition once ground.
  • Feel free to omit the zucchini or get creative and swap it for a cup of bok choy or broccoli.