Apricot Glazed Seitan Rice Bowls are a plant-based dinner made with thinly sliced seitan tossed in a sweet apricot glaze with tamari and rice wine vinegar, served over sushi rice with carrots and green beans. Ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients for Apricot Glazed Seitan Rice Bowls
Here’s what you’ll need. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Quinoa Rice Blend or Sushi Rice – The speckled rice blend uses black quinoa for the specks, which are purely aesthetic. Traditional sushi rice works just as well. Find either in the Asian section of larger supermarkets or order online.
- Olive Oil – Used in two stages: first for the vegetables, then for the seitan. Divided so each component gets the right amount of heat and fat.
- Carrot – Slice thin so it cooks through in the quick sauté time.
- Green Beans – Fresh green beans hold up well to the high-heat sauté and add a satisfying texture to the finished bowl.
- Seitan – Prepared seitan, thinly sliced. The thin slices brown quickly and absorb the apricot glaze well.
- Tamari or Soy Sauce – Tamari is a slightly richer, less salty alternative to soy sauce. Either works in this recipe.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – Adds a mild acidity that balances the sweetness of the apricot preserves.
- Apricot Preserves – The main flavor of the glaze. Peach preserves can be substituted.
- Scallions and Sesame Seeds – Optional garnish that adds a finishing note to the bowl.
How to Make Apricot Glazed Seitan Rice Bowls
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 2 | Cuisine: American, Asian-Inspired
For the rice:
STEP ONE: Cook the rice. Into a small saucepan, add the rice and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
For the vegetables:
STEP TWO: Sauté the vegetables. Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced carrots and green beans. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, until vegetables are lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
For the seitan:
STEP THREE: Brown the seitan. Into the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced seitan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes until lightly browned.
STEP FOUR: Add the glaze. Add the tamari, rice wine vinegar, and apricot preserves. Toss to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked carrots and green beans and stir to combine.
To serve:
STEP FIVE: Assemble the bowls. Into serving bowls, add equal amounts of rice, then top with the seitan and vegetables. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Seitan is a protein made from wheat gluten. It has a chewy, meaty texture that holds up well to high-heat cooking and takes on the flavor of whatever sauce or marinade it is cooked in.
Yes. Extra-firm tofu, pressed and thinly sliced, can be used in place of seitan. It won’t have the same chewy texture but will absorb the glaze well.
No. Seitan is made from wheat gluten. To make a gluten-free version, substitute extra-firm tofu and use tamari in place of soy sauce.
Storage and Reheating
Store the rice and the seitan mixture separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the seitan and vegetables in a skillet over medium heat. Reheat the rice separately in the microwave.
More Seitan Recipes
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Apricot Glazed Seitan Rice Bowls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa rice blend or sushi rice
- 3 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1/4 cup carrot thin sliced
- 4 ounces fresh green beans by weight
- 8 ounces prepared seitan thin sliced
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
- 1 scallion sliced, optional for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional for garnish
Instructions
- Into a small saucepan, add the rice and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Sauté the vegetables. Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced carrots and green beans. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, until vegetables are lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Into the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced seitan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add the tamari, rice wine vinegar, and apricot preserves. Toss to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked carrots and green beans and stir to combine.
- Into serving bowls, add equal amounts of rice then top with the seitan and vegetables. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from Purple Carrot. This post was updated June 8, 2026.
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