
If you want to prepare something delicious, and very very high in protein, seitan or vital wheat gluten will be your best allies. For these Vegan BBQ Ribs we are going to use vital wheat gluten, which is the wheat’s protein.

If you are not intolerant or allergic to gluten, there is no reason why you should not or cannot consume gluten. Lately it has gotten a very bad reputation since gluten-free became a trend and the reality is that unless you are celiac, wheat and/or gluten is as good as any other grain.
So, rest assured that consuming gluten is not going to harm or wreak havoc unless you’re allergic or have an intolerance to it.

Now, with the above being clear, these vegan BBQ ribs are completely customizable. If there are some seasonings that you like a lot or that you like more than others, feel free to change the proportions, as long as they are not drastic changes so that the texture is not affected.
Following the recipe to the letter, the flavor is quite delicious and balanced, but if you want to add a different type of sauce instead of the bbq sauce that we will put on top of the seitan, you can do it without a problem.
What can I serve these Vegan BBQ Ribs with?
To have a balanced meal, you can serve a portion of vegan bbq ribs with mashed potatoes and salad, or a baked potato and steamed vegetables, or even with some pasta (click here to see our recipe for Vegan Baked Red Pepper Pasta).

Now, let’s prepare these delicious Vegan BBQ Ribs ♥

Vegan BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
Wet
- ¾ cup of hot water add a little bit more if needed
- 1 tbsp vegetable broth powder or 1 cube
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp BBQ sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke can omit
Dry
- 180 g vital wheat gluten
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp curry powder
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Pinch of black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
Sauce on top
- ⅓ cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 355°F.
- In a bowl, add hot water and dissolve the vegetable broth powder. Add soy sauce, oil, BBQ sauce (1 tbsp) and liquid smoke (the latter can be omitted without problem, it is just to give it a smoky flavor). Mix the ingredients and reserve.
- In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients: vital wheat gluten and seasonings.
- Add the wet mix to the gluten and combine with a wooden spoon.
- Before you finish integrating the wet with the dry, use your hands and knead for a couple of minutes, just until you get a homogeneous dough. The consistency should be a little “lumpy”, not so uniform or smooth.
- Transfer the dough to a oven-proof pan with parchment paper (so that it does not stick to the pan) or a glass container, and spread it little by little pressing with your hands. It should look like a thick steak.
- Add the BBQ sauce (1/3 cup) on top of the dough and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and slice the seitan into diagonal strips. Serve hot.
Check our latest recipes ♡
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Vegan Baked Red Pepper Pasta
Hiii! It’s my birthday on Saturday and I really want to make this for the bbq I’m having but I also have other stuff to prep and going golfing in the morning on my bday (not relevant sorry) haha but the question I wanted to ask is can i prep the seitan with all the spices and wet mixture the day before so it’s ready to cook on Saturday?
Hi Natalie!! Awww Happy birthday in advance!! I would recommend you didn’t do it that way just because of how chewy gluten can get when it’s “activated” with moisture for too long. If it’s the first time you make this recipe, I’d suggest you follow the recipe to the t so you get a clear idea of how the texture is supposed to be 😉