comment icon 82 more comments 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
4.7 from 29 reviews
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
