What's the texture like?

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.

Can I make this gluten-free?

For a gluten free version, use a gluten free flour - Gaz actually recommends buckwheat flour in his cookbook.

How spicy are these burgers?

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.

Spicy Tofu Burgers Recipe

Description

Spicy Tofu Burgers! YES. Crumbled tofu pressed together with lemongrass, sriracha, and fresh herbs, all browned up into a delicious flavor-bomb burger.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Burgers

1 block extra firm tofu
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1–2 tablespoons sriracha (for medium or hot, add more sriracha)
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 shallot, very finely minced
1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Burger Toppings:

buns (toasted, please)
sriracha
mayo
carrots
cucumbers
bell peppers
more herbs

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Instructions

Press the water out of your tofu using a tofu press or just laying a heavy pan on top of it for 20-30 minutes.
Mash the tofu using your hands or a spoon until it’s crumbly. Mix in the remaining burger ingredients. Form into 4 patties.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fry the burgers in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil first to get the outsides nice and browned. Then transfer to the oven and bake for 20-or-so minutes, until the burgers are firm to the touch on the outside. (You can throw some peppers or onions in the pan with the burgers if you want to cook them up at the same time.)
Serve on toasted buns with sriracha, mayo, and fresh veggies and herbs (bonus points if you make quick pickled veggies because YUMMM).

Equipment

Tofu Press

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Cast Iron Skillet, 6.5 in

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Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Keywords: spicy tofu burger, tofu burger, vegan burger