Henderson's Ultimate Plant-Based Steak

Henderson's Ultimate Plant-Based Steak

This one is genuinely one of our proudest recipes. A proper plant-based steak that has the chew, the crust, the depth of flavour you actually want from a steak night. We keep coming back to it because it delivers every single time, and watching people try it for the first time and just completely lose it is one of our favourite things. It's got that satisfying bite on the outside, tender all the way through, and it holds up brilliantly in a pan with a good sear. If you've ever doubted that plants can do the job, this is the recipe that'll change your mind for good.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Food processor
  • Rolling pin
  • Griddle pan
  • Large pan for simmering

Ingredients

  • 180g vital wheat gluten
  • 75g pre-cooked puy lentils
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp Henderson's Relish
  • ½ tsp smoked salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 90ml water
  • Dash of olive oil
  • 1 banana shallot
  • 200ml plant-based cream
  • 2 tbsp Henderson's Relish
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • Small bunch of tarragon
  • salt to taste
  • olive oil
  • Cooked chips
  • 80g watercress

Method

1

Blend the ingredients together for the steak

  • Add all the ingredients for the steak, apart from the water and oil, to the food processor and pulse to combine
  • Add the water and blend again, scraping down the sides as needed
2

Knead the steak

  • Tip the mixture onto a clean work surface and knead for 2 minutes
  • Bring the mixture together before rolling it into a rough oblong shape
  • Cut into 4 even slices
  • Flatten each slice with your hands so they are roughly 1cm thick and steak-shaped (you can also use a rolling pin here)
3

Simmer the steaks

  • Lower the steaks into a pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 25 minutes
  • After 25 minutes, take the steaks out of the pan, drain and leave to cool for 5 minutes
4

Make the sauce

  • Finely chop the tarragon
  • Peel and finely dice the shallots
  • Place a pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
  • Once warm, add the diced shallots and a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until the shallots turn soft
  • Once the shallots are soft, mix through the plant-based cream, Henderson’s Relish and wholegrain mustard
  • Season with salt and pepper and stir until the cream starts to thicken
  • Turn the sauce down to a simmer and add chopped tarragon
  • Leave on a low heat until you are ready to serve
5

Fry the steaks and serve

  • When you’re ready to cook the steaks place a griddle pan over a medium-high heat
  • Add a splash of olive oil and warm
  • Once warm, add the steaks and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, basting the steaks with the oil in the pan as they cook
  • Chop the tomatoes in half and griddle them alongsideRemove when both sides are well browned but the steak is still tender
  • Leave to rest for a couple of minutes
  • Serve the steaks on serving plates alongside the chips
  • Drizzle the sauce over the steaks and garnish with some dressed watercress

Tips & Variations

  • Get the sear right: Make sure your pan is properly hot before the steak goes in. A lukewarm pan will steam it rather than sear it, and you'll miss out on that gorgeous crust. A cast iron pan works brilliantly here if you've got one.
  • Rest it before you slice: Just like a regular steak, give it a couple of minutes to rest after cooking. It makes a real difference to the texture and keeps all those juices inside where they belong.
  • Season generously: Don't be shy with the seasoning, both in the mix and when it hits the pan. This is a bold recipe and it needs bold flavours to match. Henry always adds a bit of extra smoked paprika to the outside before searing and honestly, we'd recommend it.

Why This Works

The trick here is in the kneading. It sounds a bit odd but working the mixture develops the gluten structure in the vital wheat gluten, which is exactly what gives you that meaty, chewy texture rather than something crumbly or soft. Don't skip it and don't rush it, two solid minutes makes a real difference. The second thing is getting a proper hot pan for that final sear, because that caramelised crust is where all the flavour really lives.