My vegan "chicken" marsala is made with hearty seitan chunks and mushrooms simmered in a creamy, garlicky marsala sauce. Serve it over pasta for an easy meal that feels really fancy. This one is perfect for everything from busy weeknights to special occasions!
I worked in restaurants for years when I was younger, and while I had no idea at the time, I spent those years creating a stockpile of recipe ideas to veganize later in life, after starting this website. There are dishes I never would have dreamed of making any version of back then. Crab cakes? No thanks! But vegan crab cakes? They turned out fantastic. French dip sandwiches? Not for me, even when I did eat meat. Vegan French dip made with mushrooms, though? Heck yes!
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Chicken marsala was actually one dish I was itching to make meatless. The garlicky sauce always smelled really good! I used to think, "I'm going to make this with all mushrooms and no chicken." Today, I'm sharing something even better: this vegan chicken marsala has all the delicious flavors of the original, but with vegan "chicken" made from seitan.
Full disclosure: I never tasted the actual chicken marsala I used to serve. Chicken was already off the menu at that point. But this plant-based version turned out really, really delicious, and my husband assured me that I totally nailed the dish.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Pasta. Any type of dried pasta you like is fine! I like penne for this recipe, but any shape will work.
- Olive oil. Another high heat oil can be used if you'd like.
- Cremini mushrooms. If you'd like to experiment with other types of fresh mushrooms, go for it! Button, shiitake, portobello, and oyster mushrooms, while not exactly traditional, would be delicious.
- Seitan. You're welcome to use store-bought or homemade seitan. If you're making it yourself, try my seitan recipe, preferably using the chicken flavor.
- Shallot.
- Garlic.
- Flour. I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose wheat flour, but I think similar varieties like whole wheat or all-purpose gluten-free flour would also work.
- Marsala. Make sure you're using dry marsala — we don't want this one to turn out sweet! You'll also want to run your brand through Barnivore, since not all marsala varieties are vegan.
- Dried thyme. Got fresh thyme on hand? Triple the amount and use it!
- Vegetable broth.
- Coconut cream. This is sold in cans, near the coconut milk at the store. Make sure you don't buy cream of coconut, which is a completely different product. Full-fat coconut milk can be subbed in a pinch.
- Salt and pepper.
- Fresh parsley.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Start your pasta water. Put a large pot of salted water on the stove and start heating it up. You'll start on the marsala while you bring the water to a boil.
Step 2: Cook the mushrooms. Next, heat your olive oil in a large skillet or pot, then add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook them for a few minutes on each side, until they've browned.
Step 3: Cook the seitan. Add diced seitan to the skillet or pot, and cook it with the mushrooms for a few minutes. It'll just start to brown around the edges.
Step 4: Cook the shallots. Add diced shallot and cook it with the mushrooms and seitan for a few minutes, until it starts to soften.
Step 5: Cook the garlic and flour. Add both to the skillet, then stir the mixture up to coat everything in flour. Cook while stirring for about a minute.
Step 6: Reduce the marsala. Add the marsala and thyme, then simmer for a few minutes to reduce the liquid by about half.
Step 7: Cook the pasta. Your pasta water should be boiling by now. Add the pasta and boil it for the time indicated on the package, then drain it. Move on to the next steps while the pasta cooks.
Step 8: Simmer. Stir in the broth and let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes, to reduce a bit more and meld the flavors.
Steps 9 and 10: Finish the sauce. Add the coconut cream and simmer the sauce for about another minute. Take it off of heat, then add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 11: Serve. Your vegan chicken marsala is ready! Pile the pasta onto plates, then top each portion with your marsala sauce. Dig in!
Variations
- Pasta alternatives. This dish is super versatile and can be served over polenta, rice, potatoes, or even on it's own with some crusty bread for scooping.
- Seitan swaps. Not a fan of seitan? Skip it and double the mushrooms, or replace it with some pan-fried tofu, tempeh, or even just a can of chickpeas.
- Add greens. Throw in a few handfuls of spinach, baby kale, or another delicate green during the last few minutes of cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can, with a few changes. Replace the seitan with tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, or soy curls, use all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of wheat flour, and serve it over gluten-free pasta.
You can, but the flavor will be different. Replace the marsala with extra vegetable broth and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
I couldn't taste the coconut at all, but if you're sensitive to the flavor, try replacing it with a vegan heavy cream alternative.
Store the marsala mixtuer and pasta separately, if possible. Each will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dried pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (8 ounce/227 gram) package seitan, diced (about ½-inch chunks)
- ½ cup diced shallot, about 1 medium shallot
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dry vegan marsala wine
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅔ cup vegetable broth
- ¼ cup coconut cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. Heat it to a boil, but don't add the pasta yet.
- While the water heats up, coat the bottom of a large skillet or wide-bottomed pot with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, flipping them about halfway through, until they're tender and browned.
- Add the seitan to the skillet. Cook the seitan with the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until the pieces just begin to brown, stirring occasionally.
- Add the shallot. Continue to cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallots begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and flour. Stir to coat the mushrooms and seitan evenly with the flour, and cook the mixture for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
- Add the marsala wine and thyme. Stir well, then bring the mixture to a low simmer. Let it cook for about 4 minutes, until the liquid reduces by about half.
- While the marsala mixture simmers, add the pasta to your salted boiling water. Cook it according to the package directions and drain it into a colander when done.
- Once the marsala mixture has reduced, stir in the broth. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, until reduced slightly.
- Stir in the coconut cream and simmer everything for about a minute longer.
- Remove the skillet from heat, then season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide the pasta among plates, then top each portion with the vegan chicken marsala. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on ingredients, brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
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