Description
These delicious BBQ Vegan Ribs are made from seitan and smothered in a homemade smoky tamarind barbecue sauce. Perfectly tender with a charred finish, they are an ideal plant-based alternative for any BBQ occasion or comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Seitan Ribs
- 4 tbsp peanut butter (or tahini)
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 cup hot vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten plus 2 tbsp
Easy Tamarind Barbecue Sauce
- 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup chili sauce
- 2 tsp minced ginger root
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the seitan ribs.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter (or tahini), liquid smoke, smoked paprika, tomato paste, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and chickpea flour. Stir well to integrate the flavors.
- Add Hot Broth: Pour in the hot vegetable broth and stir until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
- Incorporate Vital Wheat Gluten: Add 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten into the mixture. Stir vigorously until a dough ball forms.
- Knead Dough: Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 minutes to develop gluten and elasticity.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Line a 9×11 inch pan with aluminum foil, allowing enough to fold over and encase the ribs completely. Lightly oil the foil to prevent sticking.
- Shape the Ribs: Press the kneaded seitan dough onto the foil into a rectangular shape that fits the pan, or make thicker ribs and fill only two-thirds of the pan based on your preference.
- Score the Ribs: Using a knife, score the dough halfway through, creating perforations to make separating ribs easy after baking.
- Bake Covered: Fold the foil to tightly cover the ribs and bake for 30 minutes to cook the seitan evenly.
- Apply BBQ Sauce: Remove foil and brush the top side of the ribs generously with the tamarind barbecue sauce. Carefully flip the ribs, as they will be hot, and coat the other side with sauce as well.
- Bake Uncovered: Return the ribs to the oven and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes until they develop a slightly charred, flavorful crust.
- Optional Grilling: For an extra smoky flavor, finish the ribs on a grill. Cook them for about 6 minutes on each side to achieve perfect charring.
- Serve: Slice along the scored lines and enjoy your smoky, tender vegan ribs with extra barbecue sauce if desired.
- Make the BBQ Sauce: Place all sauce ingredients—tamarind concentrate, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, minced ginger, garlic, mirin, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar—into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Taste and Adjust Sauce: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning to your preference before using it to brush onto the ribs.
Notes
- You can substitute peanut butter with tahini for a different nutty flavor in the seitan ribs.
- The scoring step is essential to make separating the ribs easier after baking.
- If desired, finish ribs on a grill for authentic BBQ flavor and char.
- Use aluminum foil generously to create a tight packet that steams the seitan ribs perfectly during the initial baking phase.
- The tamarind barbecue sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Adjust chili sauce amount to control the spiciness of the barbecue sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, American-inspired BBQ
Keywords: vegan ribs, seitan ribs, bbq ribs, smoky bbq sauce, tamarind barbecue sauce, plant-based bbq, vegan main dish
