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Hemp Tofu Burger with an optional Herbed White Bean Spread – No mushy veggie burgers allowed! This burger is very firm and will not fall apart when you take a bite. It’s wonderful on it’s own, but the flavor is mild enough that you can load it up with whatever toppings you see fit.
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I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had someone tell me that they could never eat a plant based diet because they hate tofu. You could easily be 100% plant based and never touch tofu in your entire life. I maybe eat tofu once or twice a month. The majority of my diet comes from beans, lentils, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
However, I do love tofu. When cut into bitesize pieces and baked (like this Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu or Baked Tofu Tacos) or pan fried until crispy, it’s hard to stop eating!
There are many other ways that tofu is delicious as well (try this Tofu Scramble!), but today I’ve got a recipe for even those of you who think you don’t like tofu.
The tofu is disguised in this firm and “meaty” burger and you won’t get that spongy tofu texture that turns off so many.
It’s the perfect veggie burger for adding all the delicious toppings of your choice. Here I used a flavorful Herbed White Bean Spread (because tofu and hemp just wasn’t hippie enough for me!)
Ingredient notes
The main ingredient in these tofu burgers is, obviously, tofu!
In addition to aromatics like onion and garlic, these meatless burgers contain red bell peppers, tomato paste, and tamari (a gluten free condiment similar to soy sauce) for extra flavor and richness.
For texture, I add cornmeal and hemp seeds. Curious about hemp seeds? See this post about Protein Muffins.
Finally, for binding, brown rice flour work perfectly. If you don’t need a gluten free option, all-purpose wheat flour would also work.
How to press tofu
You’ll want to press your tofu first to get out as much moisture as possible. You can use a tofu press for this, but I find it just as easy to place it on a clean dishtowel (or paper towels) on a plate and then place another dishtowel (or paper towels) on top and then cover with another plate. Weigh the top plate down with something…I use bags of dried beans from the pantry…and let is sit for about 30 minutes.
My son loaded up his vegan burger with ketchup, mustard and pickle – just like a traditional burger. He has also declared this Tofu Burger his new favorite burger! Admittedly, I did’t tell him there was tofu in it until 3 days later. But that just proves that even if you don’t like tofu, you will like this burger!
Herbed White Bean Spread
I loved the Herbed White Bean Spread with this burger. It really brightened up the flavors. I used cannellini beans, which make the sauce super creamy…and the herbs and citrus ensure it doesn’t taste “beany.”
If you are looking for a veggie burger that holds up to all the toppings you can throw at it and doesn’t fall apart when you bite it, this Tofu Burger is for you!
More vegan burgers
- Chickpea Veggie Burger
- Falafel Burger
- BBQ Kidney Bean Kale Burger
- Spinach Artichoke White Bean Burgers
- Taco Burger
- Black Bean Salsa Burgers
- Asian Lentil Burger
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Hemp Tofu Burger
Ingredients
Tofu Hemp Burger
- 8 ounces firm or extra firm tofu ½ block
- ½ sweet onion diced
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
- 2 tablespoons gluten free tamari or soy sauce
- ½ cup cornmeal or breadcrumbs – gluten free if necessary
- ¼ cup brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving (optional, use what you like):
- burger buns gluten free, if desired
- Herbed White Bean Spread recipe below
- red onion slices
- pickles
- avocado
Herbed White Bean Spread (makes about 1 cup)
- 1 cup white beans
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 1 handful fresh cilantro
- 2 scallions
- 2 garlic cloves
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt/pepper to taste
- water to thin if necessary
Instructions
- Press the tofu for 30 minutes.*
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- While tofu is pressing, make the Herbed White Bean Spread, if using. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree. Add water 1 tbsp at a time, if needed, to thin. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
- When the tofu is done, crumble it with your hands into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Use your hands (clean hands!) to mix it all together…I found this worked better than a spoon and it allows you to further mash up the tofu.
- The mixture will seem delicate, but it should stick together when pressed.
- Form into patties (I made mine about the size of my palm) and and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the burgers for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping half way through.
- For serving: Place one burger onto a bun and top with the Herbed White Bean Spread and any other toppings of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
mohit bajoria
Hi this sounds so good! was wondering if i could do this with silken instead of firm tofu. Would it affect the consistency of the burger
Jenn Sebestyen
I do not recommend using silken tofu. It will be too soft and won’t hold up well.