• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Quiet Kitchen
  • About
    • Why Quiet?
    • Our Vegan Story
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Oil-free
    • Gluten-free
    • Breakfast
    • Soups
    • Entrees
    • Desserts
    • Vegan Cheeses
    • Sauces and Garnish
    • Snacks
    • Holidays
    • Appetizers
  • Vegan Resources
    • The Vegan Pantry
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Newsletter!
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Newsletter!
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Seitan Recipes

    Awesome Vegan Buffalo Seitan Wings

    Posted: Aug 24, 2021 by Lori Last Updated: Sep 18, 2021 · This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    image to save on Pinterest.
    pinterest image.

    These homemade vegan wings are saucy, tender, and "epically delicious" in the words of one taste-tester. This recipe is the perfect balance of easy and delicious - no batter, breading, or deep frying to fuss with - just amazing seitan wings paired with a classic vegan buffalo sauce! Oil-free option included.

    sauce-covered seitan wings on a platter with vegan ranch sauce, celery, and carrots.

    After creating Vegan Ribs with seitan and jackfruit this summer, it dawned on me that it's the perfect meaty combo for saucy and tender vegan wings. So I switched up the flavorings and set my mind to creating an EASY vegan wings recipe.

    I didn't want to mess with a batter or breading, and I definitely didn't want to mess with frying. I wanted minimal work without sacrificing flavor or texture.

    And guess what... even without those extra steps these homemade seitan wings are awesome! Spicy (but not too spicy), rich, tangy, and oh-so-tender.

    The basic seitan itself has a really nice, mild chicken flavor. In fact, I already have an idea now to take this seitan, bread it, and turn it into vegan chicken nuggets. So stay tuned for that recipe.

    But back to vegan wings... let me show you how it's done!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Substitutions
    • Flavor Variations
    • Equipment Needed
    • Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    hand holding a saucy wing with a bite taken out to show meaty texture.

    What You'll Need

    Here are a few notes on the key ingredients...

    labeled photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan wings.

    For the seitan wings:

    • Vital Wheat Gluten - apologies to the gluten-free folks. Gluten is a necessary ingredient for this recipe (though I do have plans to create a gluten-free seitan replacement soon). I use Anthony's brand vital wheat gluten.
    • Jackfruit - look for canned young jackfruit in brine NOT syrup. It's important for the overall texture of the seitan, so I can't recommend a substitution without additional recipe testing. If you happen to live near a Trader Joe's, I recommend their jackfruit.
    • Firm Tofu - look for this in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the produce; for this recipe we're using a basic firm or extra firm tofu packed in water, not super firm.
    • Nutritional Yeast - this adds savory flavor and tenderizes the seitan wings; I recommend this non-fortified one by Sari Foods. If you need to avoid nutritional yeast, add a couple of tablespoons of all-purpose flour in its place.
    • Seasonings - onion powder, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning also contribute to the overall savory chicken flavor. If you don't have poultry seasoning, a few dashes of sage and thyme will do the trick.

    For the vegan buffalo sauce:

    • Plant-Based Butter - the flavor of Miyoko's cultured butter is best, but any vegan butter you can get your hands on is fine. See below for a butter-free option, or simply omit it and use plain Frank's hot sauce to coat your wings.
    • Frank's Red Hot Original - this is the classic hot sauce used for buffalo wings; Frank's is made from cayenne peppers and is available online and in most U.S. grocery stores as well as 19 other countries (wow).
    • Cayenne Pepper - I like to add a few dashes for extra heat and flavor, but this is optional.
    • Garlic Powder - same as above.

    See recipe card below for quantities.

    Instructions

    There are a few steps involved in making this recipe, but none of them are difficult, I promise! Just review these step-by-step photos, and then when you're following the recipe below everything will be easy breezy.

    jackfruit on a towel, separated seeds to discard from the shredded parts.
    1. First, drain and rinse the jackfruit. Then place on a tea towel, and gather up the ends. Squeeze the jackfruit very well over the sink to remove as much brine as possible. Use your hands to remove the pieces that look like seeds (we'll discard those), and shred the rest of the jackfruit.
    2-photo collage showing blending wet and dry ingredients.
    1. In a blender or food processor blend the tofu and wet ingredients until smooth.
    2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the shredded jackfruit to the bowl, and toss to combine.
    2-photo collage demonstrating how to form the seitan dough.
    1. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl and stir to combine. Use your hands if needed. The seitan dough will be fairly dry.
    2. Place the dough ball on a cutting board, and cut into 4 pieces.
    a 2-photo collage showing how to cut the seitan and shape it into wings.
    1. Re-shape each piece of seitan into a rectangle, then cut each quarter into 5 pieces so that you end up with 20 similarly-sized wings. Use your hands to shape each one into varied shapes like wings or large nuggets.
    2. Add an inch of water to a steamer pot, cover and bring to a simmer. Lightly spray the steamer basket(s) with oil (optional). Arrange the wings in the basket. If they need to touch or overlap a bit that's okay, but ideally they should be in a single layer. Steam for 30 minutes, flipping at the halfway point.
    two photos showing how to sear the seitan wings then coat in buffalo sauce.
    1. Preheat a cast iron pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook your vegan wings for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
    2. Turn off the heat, and add the butter to the pan, if using. Now add Frank's hot sauce, cayenne, and a few dashes of garlic powder, if desired. Stir or whisk the buffalo sauce, then return the wings to the pan. Toss to coat in sauce.

    Tip: Many seitan recipes call for resting the seitan overnight for the best texture, but this recipe is fine with or without rest. So if you want to make vegan wings in advance for a party that's great, but you can also prepare them all at once, browning and adding the sauce right after they've been steamed.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve buffalo seitan wings with vegan ranch or blue cheese dressing, fresh celery and carrot sticks... and plenty of napkins!

    They're also great inside a wrap with lettuce and creamy dressing, or chopped and piled on top of a big salad.

    close up photo showing texture of steamed seitan wings covered in buffalo sauce.

    Side note: check out that wing above. Toward the right on the "drumstick bone," can you believe how much that looks like chicken skin? Other than forming that wing into a drumstick shape I didn't do anything special to the outside to create a skin appearance. Is seitan ridiculous or what?

    Substitutions

    Oil-Free - since the actual seitan wings contain no oil, it's pretty easy to make oil-free vegan wings. Here's how:

    • As a precaution the recipe calls for spraying the steamer basket lightly with oil, but even without it the seitan won't stick. So feel free to omit.
    • When searing the wings in a skillet, make sure it's fully preheated before adding the wings, and use a good quality, heavy bottomed pan, preferably cast iron.
    • To avoid using butter in the buffalo sauce, try this Oil-Free Buffalo Sauce recipe by This Healthy Kitchen. If I'm feeling lazy I've also been known to just use plain Frank's hot sauce.

    Flavor Variations

    • Extra Spicy - add extra cayenne pepper to the sauce and/or several dashes of your favorite extra spicy hot sauce.
    • BBQ - if you need a mild option, pair the wings with your favorite sweet and sticky barbecue sauce.
    • Other Flavors - don't limit yourself to classic vegan buffalo sauce because really, the sky is the limit! Think:
      • "honey" mustard
      • lemon pepper
      • sticky garlic
      • teriyaki
      • Korean gochuchang
      • Thai peanut
      • Nashville hot
      • sticky orange
      • smoky chipotle

    Equipment Needed

    • Food processor or blender - to blend the tofu and other wet ingredients.
    • Steamer - whether you use a large steamer pot or create your own makeshift steamer, you'll need a way to steam the seitan wings so that they stay nice and juicy. Check out this post for ideas on setting up a steamer without special equipment.
    • Cast iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan - this is used to briefly sear the wings after they've been steamed and then to heat the buffalo sauce.

    Storage

    Store leftover vegan wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They can be reheated or even enjoyed cold in wraps and on green salads.

    The wings also freeze well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat briefly in the microwave or in a covered pan on the stovetop.

    I hope you LOVE these vegan buffalo wings as much as we do. If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and give the recipe a star rating to let others know how they turned out! And check out the seitan category for more fun recipes.

    📖 Recipe

    buffalo seitan wings on a serving platter with celery in background.

    Vegan Buffalo Seitan Wings Recipe

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    These vegan wings are saucy, tender, and "epically delicious" in the words of one taste-tester. This recipe is the perfect balance of simple and delicious - no batter or breading to fuss with and no frying - just amazing seitan wings paired with a classic vegan buffalo sauce! They can even be made without oil.
    Yield: makes 20 wings; serving size 4 pieces
    Servings: 5 servings
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 40 mins
    Total Time: 55 mins

    Equipment

    • food processor
    • steamer pot
    • cast iron skillet

    Ingredients 

    • 1 (20 oz.) can young jackfruit in brine - If you can only find a smaller size can (14 oz.) that's fine, too.

    Wet ingredients:

    • 7 ounces firm tofu, drained - Do not press.
    • 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
    • ½ cup water

    Dry ingredients:

    • 150 grams vital wheat gluten (1 ¼ cups)
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast - If necessary, can replace with 2 Tbsp flour.
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning blend - Or a few dashes each of ground sage and thyme.
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • scant 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

    Finishing the wings:

    • 1 Tablespoon cooking oil, optional
    • 3 to 4 Tablespoons vegan butter, preferably Miyoko's - See Notes for oil-free option.
    • ½ cup Frank's Red Hot Original hot sauce
    • a few dashes cayenne pepper, optional, to taste
    • a few dashes garlic powder, optional, to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Prepare the jackfruit:

    • Drain the jackfruit and rinse under running water. Place on a clean, lint-free towel. Gather up the ends of the towel, hold it over the sink, and squeeze the jackfruit VERY well to remove as much brine as possible.
    • Use your hands to separate the seeds and tough pieces from the stringy parts of the jackfruit (refer to process photos in the post above as needed). The seeds and tough parts can be discarded. Once you have a pile of the meaty, stringy parts of the jackfruit, make sure it is all well shredded and separated. Set aside.

    Blend wet ingredients:

    • In a blender or food processor combine the wet ingredients. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Set aside.

    Make the wings:

    • In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the shredded jackfruit to the bowl, and toss well. Pour the blended tofu mixture into the mixing bowl, and stir to form a dough. Next use your hands to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated. It will be a fairly dry dough. NOTE: there's no need to intentionally knead the seitan; any kneading naturally occurs during the shaping of the wings is plenty.
    • Place the dough ball on a cutting board and pat into a square shape. Cut into 4 pieces, then cut each of those into 5 somewhat equal-size pieces (you'll end up with 20 wings). Use your hands to shape each piece of dough into varied shapes like wings or large nuggets.
    • Add about an inch of water to a pot with a steamer basket. Lightly spray the basket with oil (optional). Arrange the wings in a single layer. I use a 2-tiered steamer, and it's the perfect capacity for 20 wings. If using a smaller steamer, it's okay if the wings overlap a bit, or steam them in batches.
    • Steam the wings for 30 minutes, flipping at the halfway point, then remove from heat.
    • Preheat a large cast iron pan or other heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. If using oil, add the tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook the wings 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
    • Turn off the heat. Add the butter to the hot pan and allow to melt. Add Franks' hot sauce and the cayenne and garlic powder, if using. Stir to combine. Return the wings to the pan, and toss to coat with sauce. Serve with vegan ranch and fresh celery and carrot sticks.

    Notes

    Storage
    Store leftover vegan wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They can be reheated or even enjoyed cold in wraps and on salads.
    Seitan wings also freeze well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat briefly in the microwave or in a covered pan on the stovetop.
     
    Oil-Free - since the seitan wings themselves contain no oil, it's actually pretty easy to make oil-free wings. Here's how:
    • As a precaution the recipe calls for spraying the steamer basket lightly with oil, but even without it the seitan shouldn't stick. So feel free to omit.
    • When searing the wings in a skillet, make sure it's fully preheated before adding the wings, and use a good quality, heavy bottomed pan, preferably cast iron.
    • To make buffalo sauce without butter, try this Oil-Free Buffalo Sauce recipe by This Healthy Kitchen. If I'm feeling lazy I've also been known to just use plain Frank's hot sauce.
     

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Serving: 4wingsCalories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 29gFat: 10gFiber: 24g

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Did you try the recipe?I LOVE hearing from you! Comment below to let us know.

    You might also like:

    • Vegan Pepperoni
    • Seitan-Jackfruit Vegan Ribs
    • Vegan Turkey Roast (Shreddable Seitan With Skin)
    • Best Vegan Breakfast Sausage
    « Easy Vegan Lemon Pasta
    19 Vegan Soy Curl Recipes + FAQs »

    Share and save!

    • Share
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jen

      February 11, 2022 at 10:42 pm

      Can these be done in an air fryer?

      Reply
      • Lori

        February 12, 2022 at 10:08 am

        Hi Jen, I haven't tested that, but I think that after steaming they could probably be air fried briefly, to replace the step of cooking in the pan. But cooking them entirely in the air fryer would likely dry them out.

        Reply
    2. Caroline

      February 08, 2022 at 9:04 am

      I don’t see where the jackfruit is in the ingredients list.

      Reply
      • Lori

        February 08, 2022 at 9:06 am

        Hi Caroline, it's the very first ingredient listed.

        Reply
    3. Stephanie

      October 22, 2021 at 10:56 am

      This recipe looks amazing! Can it be made to be gluten free?

      Reply
      • Lori

        October 23, 2021 at 8:42 am

        Hi Stephanie, thank you! Sorry, but gluten is necessary for making seitan. It's the key ingredient and what gives it the meaty texture. You could try searching for cauliflower, tempeh, or tofu wings. Lots of GF options out there!

        Reply
    4. Holly

      October 19, 2021 at 8:41 am

      Do you think your recipe would work with beans instead of tofu? I can't eat soy and would like to try seitan with jackfruit. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lori

        October 19, 2021 at 9:17 am

        Hi Holly,
        Yes, white beans work well. As luck would have it I just tested this basic recipe a few days ago with 1 cup of beans instead of tofu (for an upcoming chicken burger recipe). Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Jim Allen

      September 11, 2021 at 4:39 am

      Gave these a try last night.. Yummers!!! Looking forward to making different flavors.. Great base texture to play with.. Thanks much.

      Reply

    Leave Feedback Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

    Learn more about me →

    Seasonal Favorites

    • Vegan Chicken Salad
    • Vegan Strawberry Cake
    • Oil-Free Vegan Aquafaba Mayo
    • Healthy BBQ Sauce (No Ketchup)
    • Vegan Pasta Salad (Oil-Free Option)
    • Awesome Vegan Buffalo Seitan Wings

    Popular Recipes

    • Tahini Salad Dressing 5 Ways
    • Vegan Oat Milk Ice Cream (No Coconut)
    • Vegan Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Easy & Oil Free)
    • Healthy Oat Flour Banana Brownies (Vegan)
    • Vegan Oat Flour Pancakes
    • Healthy Oat Mug Cake (Vegan)
    • EASY Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry
    • Vegan Protein Cookies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Accessibility

    Newsletter

    Sign Up for free recipes by email!

    Contact/Follow

    Facebook
    Pinterest
    Instagram
    Contact Us

    Copyright © 2022 My Quiet Kitchen