These protein-packed tofu burgers are so easy to make – just mix and cook! – and so versatile. Cook them on the stovetop in minutes or toss them on the grill with some BBQ or Teriyaki sauce!
A vegan burger that’s actually grillable? That’s versatile enough for YOU to choose whatever sauce or flavour profile you want? These tofu burgers are tender but never mushy, and so easy you can make them on a Tuesday even when you don’t really have the energy to cook. They’re THAT easy.
How, after all of these years, have I never made a veggie burger from TOFU? I’ve got kidney bean burgers. Chickpea burgers (including a killer umami burger in my book Plant Magic!) but…this is baby’s first tofu burger. And she’s a beaut.
No weird ingredients you’ll only use once. No precooking rice, or mushrooms or onions…just dump everything to the food processor and pulse to combine! Ground flax and tahini add flavour-boosting healthy fats, and act as binders. And lots of umami savouriness from the garlic powder and ketchup – yes, ketchup – and cumin.
Heads up, if you think there is a lot going on here…tofu is a REAL flavour sponge…you have to add a bunch of flavour enhancers to pump up the flavour. And these tofu burgers have a deep savouriness without actually having an overt “taste”…kind of like a well-seasoned chicken burger. If you want more of a beef flavour, you could add 1 teaspoon of my ride-or-die, Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Beef Stock Concentrate. Love a smoky vibe? Use smoked paprika.
My favourite sauce for these burgers with is my A+W inspired spicy mayo…I slather it on THICK. If mayo isn’t your thing, don’t worry, we can still be friends, but I highly recommend brushing them with a BBQ or Teriyaki sauce, hoisin, or even some extra Franks would be great for a Buffalo vibe!
Okay, let’s get into it…
How to make these scrumptious, grillable tofu burgers
A tofu burger in 20 minutes, with no pressing the tofu? Yes, it’s possible. And delicious. And healthy. This dietitian is always looking out for ya!
First, grab those ingredients: You’ll need a package of extra firm or super firm tofu. You’ll pat it dry well with a paper towel but no need to press. Plus a shallot, panko or regular bread crumbs, ground flax, ketchup (or franks!), garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cumin, salt, tahini and black pepper…plus whatever you want to serve with the burgers of course.
Gluten free? Use GF crumbs. Low FODMAP? I didn’t forget about you…GF crumbs, omit the shallot and garlic powder, double the cumin and baste with either a low FODMAP BBQ sauce or hoisin.
Step one: Pulse the shallot in the food processor until it’s finely chopped. Then evenly sprinkle over the bread crumbs, flax, ketchup, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper and tahini. Crumble the tofu over top of the whole shebang.
Step two: pulse until the mixture starts to ball up like a dough. If it’s feeling too sticky to press into patties, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes and like magic, it will be less sticky.
Step three: firmly press into 4 burger patties, about ½ inch high and 3-4 inches wide.
Step four: Cook in a nonstick pan with a drizzle of oil over medium for 5-7 minutes a side, until it’s browned on each side. If it’s browning too fast, turn down the heat a touch as you want the insides to cook too.
Step five: serve with your favourite toppings! I like a nice fluffy bun, my spicy paprika mayo, some pickled onions and greens. And on the side? Some corn on the cob and a salad, like my Mediterranean potato salad, my peach and arugula salad or my classic vegan coleslaw.
Want to pop these on the BBQ? Preheat to about 400F, oil the grates and cook until browned on each side…it will take a bit longer but worth it.
My other yummy vegan burger recipes
- Vegan Beet and Black Bean Burger
- Falafel Burger Patties with Canned Chickpeas
- Mashed Kidney Bean and Oat Burger Patties
- Buffalo White Bean and Cauliflower Burgers (soft + squishy!)
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Easy 20 Minute Tofu Burgers
These protein-packed tofu burgers are so easy to make – just mix and cook! – and so versatile. Cook them on the stovetop in minutes or toss them on the grill with some BBQ or Teriyaki sauce!
Servings 4 Patties
Equipment
-
Food Processor
Ingredients
Tofu Burgers
- 12 ounce package extra firm tofu
- 1 small shallot peeled and roughly chopped, omit for low FODMAP
- ½ cup panko crumbs GF if needed, or ¼ cup regular crumbs
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 2 tablespoons ketchup or Franks’ Red Hot
- 2 tablespoons tahini or almond butter would work
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder omit for low FODMAP
- ½ teaspoon paprika regular or smoked
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin double for low FODMAP
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- cracked black pepper use LOTS
Grab your favourite fixings! Pick your sauce! Use on the bun or slather on the burger itself
- spicy vegan mayo
- hoisin
- teriyaki
- BBQ sauce FODY makes a low fodmap version
Imperial – Metric
Instructions
-
If you’re using the BBQ, preheat it to about 400℉ – 450℉ (205 – 230℃).
-
Wrap a paper towel around the block of tofu and give it a gentle squeeze on all sides to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
-
Pop the shallot into the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Sprinkle over the bread crumbs, flax, ketchup, tahini, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Then crumble the tofu over the whole shebang.
-
Pulse until it starts to come together like a thick dough. If it’s too sticky to handle at this point, just wait 2-3 minutes and it will magically get less sticky!
-
Divide mixture into four portions. Firmly press mixture into patties, about ½ inch thick and 3-4 inches wide.
-
If cooking on the stovetop, add a drizzle of oil to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, cook burgers 5-7 minutes a side until a golden crust forms. Browning too fast? Turn the heat down a bit as you want the inside to cook well.
-
Using the BBQ? Oil the grates and cook until those lovely little grill marks form, which will take closer to 7-10 minutes a side. A bit longer, but worth it.
Notes
One of these burgers, minus the shallot and garlic powder, are low FODMAP…yes, even with regular ketchup! But FODY makes low FODMAP versions of teriyaki, BBQ and ketchup which would be great here.
All you need to do for gluten free is use GF crumbs, sauces and buns.
These are a great make ahead. You can prep the patties a day in advance and just store them in between parchment in the fridge. I haven’t tried freezing them but I suspect that will work well too.
Easy 20 Minute Tofu Burgers
These protein-packed tofu burgers are so easy to make – just mix and cook! – and so versatile. Cook them on the stovetop in minutes or toss them on the grill with some BBQ or Teriyaki sauce!
Servings 4 Patties
Equipment
-
Food Processor
Ingredients
Tofu Burgers
- 12 ounce package extra firm tofu
- 1 small shallot peeled and roughly chopped, omit for low FODMAP
- ½ cup panko crumbs GF if needed, or ¼ cup regular crumbs
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 2 tablespoons ketchup or Franks’ Red Hot
- 2 tablespoons tahini or almond butter would work
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder omit for low FODMAP
- ½ teaspoon paprika regular or smoked
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin double for low FODMAP
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- cracked black pepper use LOTS
Grab your favourite fixings! Pick your sauce! Use on the bun or slather on the burger itself
- spicy vegan mayo
- hoisin
- teriyaki
- BBQ sauce FODY makes a low fodmap version
Imperial – Metric
Instructions
-
If you’re using the BBQ, preheat it to about 400℉ – 450℉ (205 – 230℃).
-
Wrap a paper towel around the block of tofu and give it a gentle squeeze on all sides to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
-
Pop the shallot into the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Sprinkle over the bread crumbs, flax, ketchup, tahini, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Then crumble the tofu over the whole shebang.
-
Pulse until it starts to come together like a thick dough. If it’s too sticky to handle at this point, just wait 2-3 minutes and it will magically get less sticky!
-
Divide mixture into four portions. Firmly press mixture into patties, about ½ inch thick and 3-4 inches wide.
-
If cooking on the stovetop, add a drizzle of oil to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, cook burgers 5-7 minutes a side until a golden crust forms. Browning too fast? Turn the heat down a bit as you want the inside to cook well.
-
Using the BBQ? Oil the grates and cook until those lovely little grill marks form, which will take closer to 7-10 minutes a side. A bit longer, but worth it.
Notes
One of these burgers, minus the shallot and garlic powder, are low FODMAP…yes, even with regular ketchup! But FODY makes low FODMAP versions of teriyaki, BBQ and ketchup which would be great here.
All you need to do for gluten free is use GF crumbs, sauces and buns.
These are a great make ahead. You can prep the patties a day in advance and just store them in between parchment in the fridge. I haven’t tried freezing them but I suspect that will work well too.
Equipment
-
Food Processor
Ingredients
Tofu Burgers
- 12 ounce package extra firm tofu
- 1 small shallot peeled and roughly chopped, omit for low FODMAP
- ½ cup panko crumbs GF if needed, or ¼ cup regular crumbs
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 2 tablespoons ketchup or Franks’ Red Hot
- 2 tablespoons tahini or almond butter would work
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder omit for low FODMAP
- ½ teaspoon paprika regular or smoked
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin double for low FODMAP
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- cracked black pepper use LOTS
Grab your favourite fixings! Pick your sauce! Use on the bun or slather on the burger itself
- spicy vegan mayo
- hoisin
- teriyaki
- BBQ sauce FODY makes a low fodmap version
Instructions
-
If you’re using the BBQ, preheat it to about 400℉ – 450℉ (205 – 230℃).
-
Wrap a paper towel around the block of tofu and give it a gentle squeeze on all sides to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
-
Pop the shallot into the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Sprinkle over the bread crumbs, flax, ketchup, tahini, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Then crumble the tofu over the whole shebang.
-
Pulse until it starts to come together like a thick dough. If it’s too sticky to handle at this point, just wait 2-3 minutes and it will magically get less sticky!
-
Divide mixture into four portions. Firmly press mixture into patties, about ½ inch thick and 3-4 inches wide.
-
If cooking on the stovetop, add a drizzle of oil to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, cook burgers 5-7 minutes a side until a golden crust forms. Browning too fast? Turn the heat down a bit as you want the inside to cook well.
-
Using the BBQ? Oil the grates and cook until those lovely little grill marks form, which will take closer to 7-10 minutes a side. A bit longer, but worth it.
Notes
All you need to do for gluten free is use GF crumbs, sauces and buns.
These are a great make ahead. You can prep the patties a day in advance and just store them in between parchment in the fridge. I haven’t tried freezing them but I suspect that will work well too.
The post Easy 20 Minute Tofu Burgers appeared first on Desiree Nielsen.
