As with traditional burgers, those made without meat don’t need a lot of ingredients or an elaborate process to be juicy and delicious. Whether based on legumes, vegetables, nuts or tofu, they can be flavoured in a variety of ways and take a number of forms. The same mixtures used for burgers can generate “cutlets”, “meat” loaf or “meat” balls.
Here’s your Tofu burger recipe:
Tofu Burger
Plant based burgers are more fun when prepared with flavour enhancing ingredients such as see weed products. This recipe creates the perfect tofu patties that can be made fresh or ahead of time on busy mid-week meals.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup arame or other dark sea green such as kombu or wakame
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 680 g firm tofu patted dry
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs or fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 bunch spring onions
- 2 tsp dark sesame oil salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 tbsp peanut or neutral oil such as grapeseed or corn
Instructions
- Pour boiling water over arame and soak for 2 minutes. Drain well.
- Put onions in food processor and pulse a few times until minced. Transfer to large bowl.
- Put arame and half the tofu into processor and pulse a couple of times until just crumbled. Add to bowl.
- Put remaining tofu into processor and let it run until tofu is smooth.
- Add to bowl with crumbs, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, a little salt and lots of pepper.
- Stir well to combine.
- Form into patties.
- Let rest a few minutes. (Burger mixture or shaped burgers can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to a day.
- Bring back to room temperature before cooking.)
- Put oil in large nonstick or well-seasoned heavy frying pan, turn heat to medium.
- When hot, slip burgers into pan with spatula.
- Cook, undisturbed, until browned and easily moved, about 5 minutes.
- Carefully flip and cook until done, 3-4 minutes more.
- Serve on buns with mustard, sauce, chutney or other toppings.
