Vegan Spanish Style Soy Curls are a deliciously spicy main dish for dinner. Serve them with Spanish Rice and sautéed vegetables. This protein-rich recipe can be baked in the oven or cooked in the air-fryer.
Butler Soy Curls
By now, you probably know about my love of Soy Curls. If not, let me catch you up: I love Soy Curls! If you haven’t tried them yet, you need to remedy that soon. Soy Curls are made from whole, non-gmo soybeans, and they’re minimally processed. They have a meaty texture that’s similar to seitan, which makes them they’re a good option for those who follow a gluten-free diet.
Where to Buy Soy Curls
Soy Curls aren't available in stores in my area, so I buy them in bulk from Amazon. They can also be purchased directly from Butler.
I recently splurged on a 10 pack, so I’ve been looking for new recipes for them. I love them in tacos, wraps, and stir-fries, but what else can a soy curl do?
Spanish Style Chicken
I was recently web-surfing, and I came across what looked like a Soy Curl recipe. (I’m not even sure where I saw it now.) I clicked through, but sadly it wasn’t a recipe for Soy Curls but rather for Spanish Style Chicken. I had never heard of Spanish Style Chicken, but after a quick check with my friend Google, I discovered that it’s a thing and it’s pretty popular.
In this dish, the meat is flavored with a spice rub and then fried. I’ve seen a few recipes that also include a sauce. That’s easy enough to veganize, right?
Spanish Style Soy Curls
After looking at a few different recipes, I created a vegan version using Soy Curls. In this recipe, rehydrated Soy Curls are coated in a mixture made of flour and spices and then cooked. I decided to bake these Spanish Style Soy Curls in the oven rather than fry them to make them healthier. I’ve also made them in the air fryer, and they cook up nicely.
Spanish Style Soy Curls are Super Easy to Make!
- First, you rehydrate the Soy Curls with a bouillon cube dissolved in boiling water. (I like to use Edward and Sons Not-Chick'n Bouillon.)
- Then, you drain the Soy Curls and toss them with flour and spices.
- Finally, you bake them! They can be baked in the oven or cooked in an air fryer.
If you are cooking these Spanish Style Soy Curls in the air fryer, you can use a little spritz of oil to keep them from sticking to the basket (or each other). Whether you’re cooking these in the oven or air fryer, you want to toss them around at the halfway point and cook them until they’re slightly crispy on the outside but still chewy inside.
Spanish Style Soy Curls are a great main dish for dinner. I like to serve them with Spanish Rice and sautéed vegetables. They’re also great in tacos, burritos, and wraps as well as tossed into salads.
Spanish Style Soy Curls
Ingredients
- 1 vegan bouillon cube or 1 tablespoon vegan bouillon
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 8-ounce package Soy Curls
- 1 cup whole wheat or all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Chipotle Lime Dressing for serving, optional
Instructions
- If you’re cooking your soy curls in an oven, pre-heat it to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the bouillon into the boiling water. Place the soy curls in a large heat-proof bowl and pour the bouillon mixture over it. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes, or until the soy curls have softened.
- Drain the water press the soy curls with a spatula or wooden spoon to remove any excess water.
- Mix the flour, paprika, cayenne, Aleppo, cumin, sea salt, and black pepper in large bowl. Add the soy curls to the bowl and toss to coat.
- If you’re baking these in the oven, spread the soy curls out on your baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing the soy curls at the half-way point. Cook until they’re slightly crispy on the outside but still chewy inside.
- If you’re using your air fryer, cook on 400° for 10-12 minutes, tossing them after 5 minutes. If your air fryer is small, you might need to do this in batches. You can use a little spray oil to keep them from sticking to the basket, if you like.
- Serve hot with a drizzle of Chipotle Lime Dressing.
Becky Striepe
These are amazing! I love how flavorful they are.
Dianne
Thank you!
Cadry
I'm always looking for new ways to cook Soy Curls. This sounds so good, and I love that you gave an air fryer option.
Dianne
Thank you!
Alisa Fleming
I think I do need to remedy that! I just looked at the one you buy and love that it's made from whole soybeans. I've shied away from things like TVP because they are usually made with the protein isolate. Good to see a whole soy, non-gmo option!
Dianne
Yeah, soy curls aren't processed, so they're a great protein option for vegans. And they're super tasty!
Kathy Hester
We love soy curls as well. They are great to use in many different ways. Wonderful recipe for these colder nights.
Dianne
Thank you, Kathy!