Name: Seitan pepper fajita rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 300 g plain prepared seitan, sliced; 150 g dry long-grain white rice; 300 g bell peppers, sliced; 150 g onion, sliced; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tbsp lime juice; ¼ tsp fine salt; 350 ml water

Prepared seitan keeps this pepper and rice meal quick because it only needs heating after the vegetables have softened. The peppers and onion get the skillet first, with time to develop browned edges. Lime goes in after the heat is turned off, and the rice catches the seasoned juices underneath.

Check the seitan before starting

Choose plain prepared seitan rather than a product with a sauce already attached. Slice it into strips that can be lifted with the peppers. Different brands can be dense, tender or quite chewy, so the purpose of its short time in this recipe is to heat it without drying it out.

Read both the ingredient list and the Nutrition Facts panel. Seitan is made from wheat gluten, and some formulas also contain soy. The original recipe accounts for wheat and soy; a differently flavored package may introduce other ingredients that need checking.

The FDA recommends comparing sodium using the serving size on the label. Prepared seitan can arrive well seasoned, so taste the cooked mixture before considering extra salt beyond the card. Changing brands also changes the recipe’s nutrition estimate.

Let the vegetables contact the skillet

Cut the peppers and onion into strips of roughly similar thickness. Very thin onion pieces can darken before thick pepper slices soften. Heat the skillet before adding the vegetables, spread them out and leave them in contact with the pan between stirs.

A crowded pan may need more time for moisture to cook away. If using the frozen pepper and onion alternative, let its loose water evaporate before adding the seitan. This keeps the final step from becoming a long simmer that softens the vegetables further.

Add the spices with the seitan and measured small amount of water. Stir to spread the seasoning over the strips and loosen browned flavor from the pan. Once the seitan is hot throughout, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in lime juice.

Finish the rice while the skillet cooks

Use long-grain white rice for the stated water amount and timing. Keep it covered during the gentle simmer and the rest, then fluff before dividing between two bowls. The rest gives you a little time to finish the skillet without leaving cooked rice exposed on the counter.

For leftovers, portion both components into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Follow the three-day limit in the card and reheat thoroughly. A little water can loosen refrigerated rice. Extra-firm tofu is the suggested seitan alternative, but give it additional browning time and expect a different texture and nutrition profile.

Ingredient	US · USD	Canada · CAD
plain prepared seitan, sliced	$7.92	$10.56
dry long-grain white rice	$0.28	$0.37
bell peppers, sliced	$2.17	$1.84
onion, sliced	$0.35	$0.31
olive oil	$0.18	$0.16
ground cumin	$0.04	$0.11
smoked paprika	$0.08	$0.11
lime juice	$0.09	$0.17
fine salt	$0.00	$0.00
water	$0.00	$0.00
Recipe total	$11.10	$13.63
Per serving	$5.55	$6.81

Seitan pepper fajita rice

Check the seitan before starting

Let the vegetables contact the skillet

Finish the rice while the skillet cooks