
Seitan Kitchen Gadgets Part 1: Food Processors
Do I Really Need Special Kitchen Equipment to Make Seitan?
Short answer: No. There is very little that you actually need as far as kitchen appliances are concerned, but lots of people recommend them to make the job easier. When it comes to kneading, some recipes call for only a little or none at all, while others call for long bouts in a food processor, stand mixer, or bread machine. Using your hands for kneading can be a very strenuous and time-consuming process if you are attempting to achieve a taffy-like texture for shredded meat-style results. Though some might argue that if you have enough time to wait, you can simply leave the dough out overnight covered by a damp cloth and let the gluten work its magic to achieve similar results.
So for those of you afraid to tempt the “fate of the wait” or who simply don’t have enough time to see how it works out, please check out this list of the most-recommended food processors for making seitan, compiled from reviews by cooks like you!
Best Food Processors for Seitan
Food processors tend show up at the top of the recommended kitchen gadget list for kneading seitan, especially those that include the convenient dough blade. They typically take between 5-15 minutes to achieve a taffy-like dough consistency, though most users have suggested processing in batches so you don’t wear out your appliance. Results also depend on your recipe, how much dough you are trying to process, and the the wattage of the machine. Some very budget-friendly models have made the cut on this list, but typically units with higher wattage and larger capacity come more highly-recommended, which makes perfect sense for dealing with the dense nature of most seitan doughs.
Budget-Friendly
BLACK+DECKER FP1600B 8-Cup Food Processor
This 450-watt power, 8-Cup food processor comes highly-recommended by seitan-lovers across the board, and has a 4-star rating from 2k+ for all its normal food processing functionality. Its parts are dishwasher-safe, and at $28.99 at the time of this post, it’s a great bang for your buck.
Best Overall
Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor
One of the most highly-recommended models on the list, this Breville food processor boasts a 16-cup capacity and a 1200W motor. Aside from kneading tough seitan dough, this workhorse can make nut butter, along with slicing, chopping, dicing and more. Shreddy seitan, here we come!
Great Mid-Range
Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor
At 720 watts and with a mid-range price point, this Cuisinart has been recommended for overall good performance. With the large 14-cup work bowl you’ve got lots of room for your seitan dough balls, plus it comes with an extra large feed tube and dishwasher safe parts.
Highly-Rated
Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor 70730
At 450W this Hamilton model comparable to the Black & Decker, but has an extra 2-cup capacity. And with more than 13k 4 1/2-star reviews on amazon.com, it seems like a safe and also budget-friendly bet.
Powerful and Versatile
Ninja Mega Kitchen System (BL770)
This blender/food processor has a 1500W motor, and comes with a 64oz processor bowl, a 72-ounce pitcher, plus 16 oz cups for smoothies. This mid-priced model is one of the most powerful and versatile units on the list, and the dough blade and setting will get your seitan shreddy in no time!
What Doesn’t it Do?
Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 48 oz.
Those that have them, love them, so this Vitamix had to make the list. More than a food processor, it purées hot soups and whips frozen desserts, creams nut butters and shreds seitan. At it’s higher price point it’s may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for something that does it all, this may be the one for you.