This easy vegan ribs recipe is perfect for a vegetarian barbecue. Serve with a side of our Southern-Style Creamy Potato Salad or Crispy Baked Oil-Free French Fries, and our Easy Vinegar Cucumber Salad.
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This meaty, chewy, and delicious plant based rib recipe is part of our first cookbook, Great Vegan BBQ Without a Grill.
Our vegan ribs are made with vital wheat gluten, AKA, seitan.
This protein packed ingredient is a protein powerhouse because the wheat flour is hydrated and then all of the starch is rinsed away, leaving only the gluten.
When it's mixed with liquid it forms a stretchy dough that mimics the texture of meat. Genius!!
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Ingredients
This recipe uses several ingredients to ensure that the texture and flavor of the bbq vegan ribs is as authentic as possible.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card.
Vital Wheat Gluten - This is a must. There are no substitutes for this ingredient.
Mushrooms - You can use cremini or white mushroom caps. They improve the texture and add a wonderful umami flavor.
No Beef Broth - This is the best broth to use to get a beefy flavor. If you can't find it, the next best thing is mushroom broth. If you can't find that, vegetable broth will do.
Liquid Smoke - For a delicious smoky flavor, this is a must. We also add smoked paprika to the ribs, so if you don't want to use liquid smoke, you can add extra paprika.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce - This is another ingredient that adds a rich flavor to the ribs. We don't recommend leaving it out.
Tomato Paste - Tomato adds the necessary acid to this recipe. You can substitute with ketchup.
Peanut Butter - Adds fat and flavor. You can substitute with tahini or almond or cashew butter.
Garlic and Onion Powder - Helps with the savory flavor you want from ribs.
Beet - Creates a beautiful red color. It isn't a must for flavor.
BBQ Sauce - You can make our homemade vegan bbq sauce or your favorite store bought sauce.
How to Make Seitan Ribs
Here is a visual step-by-step to help you make the best vegan ribs.
One - Cook the mushrooms until they're nicely browned.
Two - Put the vital wheat gluten in a large mixing bowl.
Three – Puree the mushrooms and the remaining ingredients in a food processor until you can't see any solids, then pour it into the dry ingredients.
Four– Stir the liquid into the wheat gluten until it it sticks together and is completely combined.
Five – Knead the seitan for one minute and then press it and form it into a long rectangle like the one shown above.
Six - Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until slightly crusty on the outside.
Seven - Slather bbq sauce on both sides and grill of sear in a pan until the sauce is hot.
Can You Make it Ahead of Time?
Yes! These are even better the next day because the flavors have a chance to develop.
Just wrap them in parchment or foil and heat them up in the oven.
How to Store and Freeze
Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Wrap in parchment or foil and reheat in a 350ËšF (176ËšC) oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Pro Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Vital wheat gluten is sticky. We recommend using a glass or metal bowl and a plastic spoon or spatula to stir it. The dough will stick to wooden spoons and bowls, so avoid those.
Feel free to add shredded jackfruit before mixing the batter. This will add more meat like texture, however it isn't necessary.
Absolutely! They only need a minute or two on each side because they're fully cooked in the oven.
Unfortunately not. We have had gluten-free vegan ribs that are made with tempeh, but we were not big fans of the flavor.
More Vegan Meat Recipes You'll Love
Vegan BBQ Ribs
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Oven
- 1 Baking pan
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoon 20 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 cups quartered white mushroom caps
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten (we use Bob’s Red Mill Brand)
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup no-beef broth
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon peanut butter or any nut butter, including tahini
- 2 tablespoon hickory flavored liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (we use Annie’s brand)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon beet or beet juice (this is for color and is optional)
For the BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup ml ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon Bee Free Honee (available at Whole Foods or Amazon)
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ground sea salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Ribs
- Preheat oven to 350°F () and grease a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan.
- In a medium skillet, heat 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes.
- Put the vital wheat gluten in a large glass mixing bowl.
- In a food processor or high powered blender, add the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 cup broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 tablespoons liquid smoke, 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon beet until pureed, approximately 1 minute. Pour the mushroom mixture into the wheat gluten and stir until it turns into a light and stretchy dough. If the dough seems too wet, add a bit more vital wheat gluten until it becomes really stretchy. Spread it evenly in the greased pan and bake for 30 minutes.
For the Barbecue Sauce
- Mix the ½ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 tablespoons bee free honee, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Slather the sauce on both sides of the ribs.
- Heat a grill pan or skillet on medium-high heat and brush with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Grill the ribz for approximately 3 to 4 minutes or until you see grill marks. Slice into strips and enjoy!
Barbara says
I made this today for the second time, just ridiculously tasty. I'm definitely getting more adept at working with wheat gluten, which is about as clingy as a 2-year-old: stainless steel bowl, instead of glass; plastic spoon instead of wood, and trying not to use my hands to stir that delectable mix.
Linda & Alex says
Hi Barbara, that's so nice to hear. Thank you! Great tips, we need to purchase plastic mixing spoons.
Michael says
These are amazing! I’m new to eating vegan and I found your website a couple weeks ago. I’ve made your Italian barley soup/stew twice and love it! The rosemary and lemon juice put just the right touch on it. I saw this recipe for bbq ribs earlier this morning and made it for dinner this evening and I was blown away at how good this is. Until now I hadn’t thought much of trying to replace actual meat dishes. Great job with this recipe!!
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hey Michael,
Thank you so much! We're so glad you loved the recipe : ) It's definitely one of our favorites. Have an awesome day!
Alex & Linda
Patti says
I just got the Great Vegan BBQ without a grill book and this was the first recipe I made. They were delicious! I actually made them like the recipe said then cut them into pieces and put them in a salad with the ranch dressing from the book. I can’t wait to make more of the recipes because I know they’ll be amazing!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Patti! Thank you so much for the kind comment. We're thrilled that you liked the ribz, they get great reviews from our readers. 🙂 Please let us know what else you try from the cookbook, we love hearing all about it.
Linda and Alex
Greg Meyer says
These are AWESOME!
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
These look wonderful, can't wait to try them as hubby has been looking for a good vegan rib recipe. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! Let us know what he thinks.
Strength and Sunshine says
Ah, what a fun idea for some great bbq!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you!
Nicole says
This is so exciting! So happy for you guys. Big congratulations! And these look like some pretty dynamite ribs 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Nicole! Your support means the world to us. 🙂
Francesca says
Congratulations and bravo for all the hard work! Now seeing those "ribs" I'm sure my ex-meat-lover-now-Vegan-AF French husband would totally fall in love with them, I have to try and make these as soon as possible 😉
Linda Meyer says
Lol! Yay!! That's one of the reasons that we worked so hard on the "meat" recipes. We really wanted to entice those who are on the fence and those who used to love meat and occasionally miss an old childhood favorite. Thank you so much, Francesca!
alisamarie says
I'm still in awe at how much those look like meaty ribs! And all of the flavors - I can't wait to try this cookbook!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Alisa! We're excited to read your review. 🙂
nicoleanndawson says
Congrats on the book! I've been drooling over all the pages and can't tell you how excited I am to make all of these recipes for my family too. I'm the only vegan in the house, so finding vegan recipes my meat-loving hubby approves of is always important, especially since I only make vegan at home.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Nicole! We've served them to many non-vegans and they were a hit. We hope your husband loves them as much as we do.
Kate says
Yum! My mouth is actually salivating after seeing that photo. This looks sooooo good! Can't wait to get my hands on your cookbook!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Kate! Mission accomplished. 😉 We hope you love the cookbook and we can't wait to hear what you think about it.
pastabased says
I would love to try out this cookbook. Congratulations! The bbq ribs look delicious!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you!! We hope you buy the book and try all of the recipes. 🙂
Jenn S. says
I'm so excited about your book, Linda and Alex!! I was drooling over the photos when I received my copy. I can't wait to get cooking!! Congratulations again!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Jenn! You're always so supportive and it means so much to us. We can't wait to read your review!
Dianne says
I just received your book a few days ago and it looks incredible! Congratulations!! These "ribs" look amazing. Anything they can eat, we can eat vegan!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Dianne! Our photographer did an amazing job. And yes, it's so true, vegans never have to feel deprived.