Vegan schnitzel may sound like an oxymoron, but trust me, it’s possible and delicious. I will show you how to make crispy, tender, and juicy vegan schnitzel. Whether you’re a vegan looking for a satisfying and protein-rich meal, or a meat-eater who wants to try something new, this vegan schnitzel recipe is for you.
Why does this recipe work?
I have tried a lot of different vegan schnitzel. A lot of them are just bad, they are mushy and flavourless. But this one, this one is packed full of flavour and has a satisfying chew to it that is unmatched!
Packing flavour in at every step while making it means it’s not bland. Then making the seitan in the food processor make it super easy and gives it that meaty chew.
The total time is long, but most of it is not spent actively cooking. Most of it’s either the vegan schnitzel resting in the fridge or steaming where you may need to flip it once. It perfectly fits into a meal prep routine.
What is vegan schnitzel?
Well, schnitzel is a thin slice of meat that originates from Austria [1]. Obviously, this one is not actual meat, but that’s the style we’re going for. It should be super thin, then it’s breaded and fried.
They are normally served with fried potatoes and salad, and that’s how I normally have it. But you can use it for many different recipes. They pair perfectly with dishes like Katsu curry or summer salads.
Ingredient notes
Chickpeas: These are a great source of plant-based protein, fibre, iron, and folate [2]. Like with the main vegan chicken recipe, you can use cannellini, or butter beans if you prefer.
Miso: Miso is a fermented soybean paste that adds a rich umami flavour to the seitan schnitzel. It also provides some probiotics, antioxidants, and minerals [3]. Just make sure you use white a miso.
MSG: It stands for monosodium glutamate, which is a natural flavour enhancer that boosts the umami taste of foods. It is derived from seaweed, sugar cane, or corn, and is generally regarded as safe to eat [4]. I find that it adds an invaluable umami note that is hard to replicate. However, you can leave it out if you wish.
Nutritional yeast: It’s a deactivated yeast that has a cheesy and nutty flavour. It is also an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals [5]. Generally, it’s just pretty good for you!
Pea protein: It’s a plant-based protein powder that is made from yellow peas. It has a neutral flavour and a smooth texture, and it helps to bind the seitan dough and make it more tender and moist [8]. You can substitute it with other types of protein powder, such as soy, rice, or hemp, but make sure they are unflavoured and unsweetened.
Vital wheat gluten: This is the main ingredient for making seitan. It is the protein component of wheat flour that gives bread its elasticity and structure. It is also very high in protein, low in carbs, and low in fat [6].
Breadcrumbs: I found the best ones to use here are ones that I made myself. I normally have bread that had gone stale, so I take that rock solid sourdough bread that has been sitting around for weeks and pulverise it in the food processor. Failing that, I would just use some of the standard cheap breadcrumbs. I find that panko are a little too delicate, and not ideal for this recipe.
How to make vegan schnitzel
- Start by adding the beans, along with all their liquid, into a food processor and process until you have a smooth paste. You will probably need to scrape the sides down a couple of times.
- Now add in all the rest of the dry ingredients apart from the vital wheat gluten and pulse until combined.
- Add in the vital wheat gluten and pulse gently. It will be too dry, so add in the water 50g at a time. Depending on how absorbent your dry ingredients are, you may need a little less water, so don’t add it all until you know you need it.
- It should come together as a dough. Keep pulsing until it wraps itself around the blades of your food processor.
This part can be fairly hard-going on your food processor, so be careful!
- When you can see little fibrous strands forming in the dough and it’s getting stuck around the blades, it’s ready to be turned out onto the bench.
- Give it a bit of a kneed by hand to bring it all together.
- You should get about 10 to 12 schnitzels out of this batch. As this is the same recipe that I used to make my chicken shreds. Sometimes I will make a few schnitzels, then with the rest I’ll make into chicken shreds. I’ll leave that up to you. Either way, your schnitzel should be about 80g each.
- Take one of your portions and roll it out using a rolling pin. You may need a little flour to stop it sticking. I normally just use plain flour for this. Flatten it as much as possible and shape it into an oval. You may need to stretch and pull it into the right shape, but make sure it’s evenly flat.
- Now bread them. Get a bowl for the breadcrumbs, flour and flour and water mix. I like to make that flour and water mix about 75% plain flour and 25% gram flour. This helps to create a thicker batter that holds better.
- Dredge the schnitzel in the dry flour, then into the wet mix. Then into the breadcrumbs. Set aside and repeat for the rest. It can be a little tricky, as it will want to stretch.
You may need to use a spatula to help move it between the bowls.
- It’s not necessary, but I like to double bread them, so dredge them in the wet mix again, then again into the breadcrumbs.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium high heat and fry the schnitzel until golden brown on each side.
- Now, put them on a baking tray and bake the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes. When I’m making a few of them, I fry them all, put them on the baking tray. Then when they are all fried, I put them all in to bake together, so they come out at the same time.
- Serve with fried potatoes and a salad.
Tips for success!
Pat the seitan dry with paper towels before coating. This will help the flour stick better and prevent excess moisture from making the breading soggy.
Make sure you get the seitan schnitzel as thin as you possibly can. It will expand a little when cooked, so the thinner it starts, the better.
Frequently asked questions
What is seitan?
Seitan is a plant-based protein made from wheat gluten. It has a chewy texture and can be flavoured in many ways. You can either make your own seitan from vital wheat gluten like this recipe, or you can use the washed flour method.
How do I store and reheat leftover seitan schnitzel?
Leftover seitan schnitzel can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. To reheat, you can bake them in the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes or until crisp or pan-fry them over medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side. Avoid microwaving them as they will lose their crunchiness.
What can I serve with my seitan schnitzel?
Seitan schnitzel goes well with a variety of side dishes, such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green salad, sauerkraut, or vegan gravy. But I love the classic fried potatoes with onions and a little simple salad on the side.
Is seitan schnitzel gluten-free?
No, seitan schnitzel is not gluten-free as it is made from wheat gluten. Unfortunately, this recipe can’t really be made gluten-free. I am working on one, but I’m not happy with it yet. Hopefully, someday soon I’ll have a gluten-free vegan schnitzel for you.
Vegan schnitzel
Equipment
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
For schnitzel
- 1 Tin Chickpeas
- 300 g vital wheat gluten
- 50 g pea protein
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp miso
- 2 tsp Onion granules
- 2 tsp Garlic granules
- 2 tsp msg
- 50 g nutritional yeast
- 1 Piece Stock cube
- 200 ml water
For dredging mix
- 200 ml water
- 200 g Breadcrumbs
- 75 g flour
- 25 g gram flour
For frying each schnitzel
- 2.5 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Blend beans until smooth in a food processor.1 Tin Chickpeas
- Combine all dry ingredients except vital wheat gluten in the processor.50 g pea protein, 2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp miso, 2 tsp Onion granules, 2 tsp Garlic granules, 2 tsp msg, 50 g nutritional yeast, 1 Piece Stock cube
- Add vital wheat gluten and pulse gently.300 g vital wheat gluten
- Gradually add water, 50g at a time.200 ml water
- Pulse until dough forms fibrous strings.
- Turn out onto bench and kneed briefly.
- Each schnitzel needs to be about 80g. So portion out as many as you need.
- Roll out each portion into an oval shape using a rolling pin. Use flour to prevent sticking.
- Prepare three bowls for breading: one with breadcrumbs, one with flour, and one with a mix of plain flour and gram flour (75:25 ratio) mixed with water.200 ml water, 200 g Breadcrumbs, 75 g flour, 25 g gram flour
- Dredge each schnitzel in flour, then the flour-water mix, and finally the breadcrumbs. Use a spatula to help move it between bowls.
- For extra breading, repeat the previous step.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Fry schnitzels in a pan over medium-high heat until golden brown on each side.
- Transfer fried schnitzels to a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven. If making multiple schnitzels, fry all before baking, so they finish at the same time.