Spicy Tofu Burgers! YES. Crumbled tofu pressed together with lemongrass, sriracha, and fresh herbs, all browned up into a delicious flavor-bomb burger.
Ow owwwwwww! She looks good!
This might be my bigger summer surprise recipe yet: the fact that tofu, crumbled and pressed together with lemongrass, sriracha, mint, cilantro, and basil, and browned up into a delicious, flavor-bomb burger served on a toasted brioche bun with spicy mayo and some delicately sliced fresh veggies can, in fact, be ONE OF MY FAVORITE BURGERS that I’ve ever made.
And that’s saying a lot because I love a lot of burgers (wild rice burgers! cauliflower burgers! salmon burgers!).
But specifically in this case, when I say burger I actually mean VEGAN burger, because remember that the base of this beast is a block of humble tofu. I know. I’m as shocked as you are.
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Some things to know about a tofu burger, in case this is a new concept for you like it was for me.
- I like to cook them using a stovetop and oven combo.
- They will get gorgeously browned and crispy on the outside via stovetop.
- They will firm up a bit via oven.
- The insides are softer than a regular burger – especially if your tofu still has a lot of water in it. So DRAIN THAT TOFU! And drain it well.
- If you find yourself in a position where you’re like, you know what, I don’t have time to drain my tofu and I’m just going to go with it? I feel you. You’ll still get a totally delicious burger but it will just be texturally a bit softer.
Add whatever you do or don’t like to this beautiful canvas – I added peppers (roasted ’em with the burgers in the oven) and fresh cucumbers and carrots and herbs, because the flavor profile here is Vietnamese-inspired. Heavy on the sriracha, herbs, lemongrass.
But you do you! Whatever suits your fancy will be just fine. This is a time for you to build your own tofu burger masterpiece.
This recipe is inspired by the Vietnamese-Style Tofu Burger recipe in the Plants Only Kitchen cookbook by Gaz Oakley. People often send us their cookbooks but this is one that I bought myself, and it is one of my favorite cookbooks *ever*! So fun, playful, and creative. If you like vegan food, Gaz is an excellent follow on Instagram and the cookbook is well worth the purchase. This version of the tofu burgers uses easier-for-me-to-find ingredient swaps and has a slightly shorter ingredient list.
Common Questions About These Tofu Burgers
In general, these burgers are softer than a regular burger, especially on the insides. Step 1 in the recipe is important so the burgers don’t get overly mushy. That being said, they will taste great even if you don’t have time for it – I have made versions where I just open the package and squeeze as much water as I can out, and honestly I’ve loved every bite. Just know that the burger texture will be slightly heavier and wetter if you skip that first step.
For a gluten free version, use a gluten free flour – Gaz actually recommends buckwheat flour in his cookbook.
I felt like with 1 tablespoon of sriracha in the whole thing, it was still pretty mild and worked okay for our toddler. Once you get into the 2 or 3 tablespoons of sriracha zone, it’s going to be more of a medium / + level spice.
Description
Spicy Tofu Burgers! YES. Crumbled tofu pressed together with lemongrass, sriracha, and fresh herbs, all browned up into a delicious flavor-bomb burger.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: spicy tofu burger, tofu burger, vegan burger