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Tofu Hemp Burger (No Beans! Gluten Free)

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Tofu Hemp Burger with an 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.  

Open faced Tofu Hemp Burger on top with lettuce, herbed white bean spread, and sliced red onion.

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 downright addictive.

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!)

Open faced veggie burger with lettuce and red onion. Extra sliced onion on the side.

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.

Veggie Burger with bun, green leaf lettuce, and a thick slice of red onion.

It’s Kid Friendly!

My son loaded up his burger with ketchup, mustard and pickle – just like a traditional burger. He has also declared this Tofu Hemp 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!

For the record, his favorite burger before the creation of the Tofu Hemp Burgers was my Black Bean Salsa Burgers. He always called those the “normal burger” because I make so many veggie burger varieties and he doesn’t necessarily care for them all. 🙂

Tofu Hemp Burger on a wheat bun with a cilantro white bean sauce on top.

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.”

Two veggie burgers loaded with green leaf lettuce, red onion slices, and green herb white bean sauce.

If you are looking for a beanless 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 Hemp Burger is for you!

Hand holding a veggie burger topped with red onion slices, lettuce, and herbed bean spread.

Tofu Hemp Burger

I hope you love this Tofu Hemp Burger recipe as much as we do. If you try it, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback and star rating. You can also find me on social media. Be sure to tag @veggie_inspired and #veggieinspired so I’m sure to see it. Enjoy!

5 from 9 votes
Print
Tofu Hemp Burger
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Tofu Hemp Burger with an 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.  
Course: Burger/Patties, Entree
Cuisine: dairy free, gluten free, nut free, oil free, vegan
Servings: 8
Calories: 164 kcal
Author: Jenn S.
Ingredients
Tofu Hemp Burger
  • 8 oz firm or extra firm tofu (1/2 block)
  • 1/2 sweet onion (diced)
  • 1/2 cup hemp seeds
  • 1 red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
  • 2 tbsp gluten free tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal (or breadcrumbs - gluten free if necessary)
  • 1/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp 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 (I used cannellini 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
  1. Press the tofu for 30 minutes.*
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. 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.
  4. When the tofu is done, crumble it with your hands into a large mixing bowl.
  5. 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.
  6. The mixture will seem delicate, but it should stick together when pressed.
  7. Form into patties (I made mine about the size of my palm) and and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  8. Bake the burgers for 20-25 minutes, flipping half way through.

  9. For serving: Place one burger onto a bun and top with the Herbed White Bean Spread and any other toppings of choice. 

Recipe Notes

*To press tofu: 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.

Nutrition facts calculated for burgers only, not including buns or toppings.

 

 

Nutrition Facts
Tofu Hemp Burger
Amount Per Serving
Calories 164 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 297mg 12%
Potassium 90mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 2g
Protein 9g 18%
Vitamin A 11%
Vitamin C 35%
Calcium 5%
Iron 9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


More Delicious Veggie Burgers to Love:

Spinach Artichoke White Bean Burgers

Spinach Artichoke White Bean Burgers

Taco Burger

Taco Burger

Kidney Bean and Kale BBQ Burger

Close up shot of a hand holding a veggie burger on a wheat bun with spinach leaves, a tomato slice, and bbq sauce.

 

 

Comments

    • Flaxmeal doesn’t have as much texture as cornmeal, so it might change the texture of the final burger, but I think it would still turn out okay. Let me know if you try it.

      Reply

  2. Oh yum, this sounds delicious! We love veggie burgers around here, but I haven’t made one with tofu yet. I just happen to have a lovely block sitting in the fridge waiting to be used – tonights dinner is sorted 🙂

    Reply

  3. This is a hearty and healthy high protein burger. Love tofu especially when its flavorful like in these burgers!

    Reply

  4. I’m actually going to buy hem seeds specially to make these burgers, they look so good. Pinned! I love the sound of an actually firm veggie burger. LOL this _is_ totally hippie, in a very awesome way. 🙂

    Reply

    • Sometimes we gotta live up to our stereotype, right?! LOL!! I hope you love them! Please let me know how they turn out!

      Reply

    • Thanks, Rebecca! I don’t eat a ton of tofu either, but every once in awhile it’s soooo good!! I hope you love them!

      Reply

  6. I love the sound of these. It’s unusual for a veggie burger to be firm like these which is great. All too often you take a big bite on one side and half of it squirts out of the other in regular veggie burgers! I end up in such a mess.
    Your spread sounds delicious too and would be great as a sandwich or wrap filling too.

    Reply

    • Yes, I hate when a burger is squishy! I could think of many ways use the herbed bean spread. I did use it on a veggie sandwich the next day and it was delicious! Would be great as a dip too! Thanks, Mel!

      Reply

  8. Don’t you just love the honesty of kids? There are times I make something that I love but 1 of them will just not like it at all. Nice to know, I’m not alone. However, I think mine would all love this burger. It looks wonderful, especially with the bean puree.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Nicole! Kids definitely tell it like it is…that’s for sure! 🙂 To be fair, I have made plenty of veggie burgers that I haven’t really liked either. Ha! Only the great ones make the blog! 🙂

      Reply

  10. Love tofu…this veggie burger looks really good. I add chickpea flour or oats but never added rice flour yet

    Reply

    • Thanks, Dixya! Yeah, I think some people think tofu is the only plant based protein source. So far from it!! But, it IS a great addition to any diet…if done right! 🙂

      Reply

  12. Its amazing to me that after all my cooking, I have never made a tofu burger! Beans, yes, Seitan, yes, but no tofu! What do you like about using tofu in burgers? Texture…moistness…?

    Reply

    • It’s the firmness! It really holds together better than any bean burger (and I have some bean burgers that hold together really well, so that’s saying something!). And, since tofu is basically flavorless, you can season it up however you want and really takes that flavoring well! If you try it, let me know! Thanks, Natalie!

      Reply

  16. I love homemade veggie burgers so much! I am so intrigued how this would taste since I’ve never tried hemp and my experience with tofu hasn’t been that great, but it looks insanely delicious and based on all the flavors going on, I imagine it tastes super delicious!

    Reply

    • You’ve never had hemp seeds?? I love them so much! I usually just sprinkle them on toast with nut butter, but they are super versatile. And I do really love tofu too…as long as it’s prepared well and flavored well! Thanks, Brandi!

      Reply

  17. I’m not one to ever pass up a good burger! I am not a soy hater, I think in moderation it’s fine. And like other things you need to flavor it, isn’t that the beauty of it though? It takes on any flavor? I actually tried hemp tofu at Expo last year and I was not a fan. However I only eat firm tofu because I’m a huge texture person, and the hemp was really soft and mushy. Anyway, the burger sound awesome!

    Reply

    • I have never had hemp tofu…haven’t even seen it anywhere near me. How did they prepare it?? This burger is super firm, so no worries there! 🙂 Thanks, Sophia!

      Reply

    • No guacamole, that’s my Herbed White Bean Spread! But, guacamole would be a fabulous addition too! Thanks, Hedi!

      Reply

    • Thanks, Jessica! I’m glad I’m not the only one into tofu burgers! Let me know if you try it!

      Reply

  21. Great idea, haven’t tried making tofu burgers before, but I’ve just acquired a tofu press so will definitely give this a try now! Sounds so yummy, and super-healthy – thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  22. I’ve made plenty of bean burgers, but never tried making one with tofu. Nice idea. Also really like your use of hemp seeds – never thought of that either.

    Reply

    • This one holds together much better than a bean burger – even though I have a few bean burgers that hold together really well too! 🙂 Thanks!

      Reply

  25. We are fans of dry fried tofu here. It’s so chewy and flavorful that way. I love the idea of grinding it up to make burgers. Bean burgers are great, but it’s fun to try different versions. And the bean spread? That looks awesome! I’d put that on all kinds of things.

    Reply

  27. I am also not the biggest tofu fan, but if you prepare it correctly it can be good. Your burger looks delicious and I need to pin this recipe 🙂

    Reply

  28. The texture of these burgers looks awesome! It’s so funny how everyone thinks vegans live on tofu, I’ve never eaten much of it either. It’s a great ingredient though, super versatile both in sweet and savory things! And your son certainly knows how to top a burger, those are my favorite toppings too 🙂

    Reply

    • Super versatile! And it really takes on the flavor of whatever seasonings you use. Like Lucie and I were saying below – NO ONE likes it straight out of the package! 🙂

      Reply

  29. I guess most people have no idea what they’re hating when they talk about hating tofu – I mean, hardly anyone likes it when they try an unflavored piece of plain tofu. Just like hardly anyone would like an unseasoned piece of steamed chicken breast. But once you learn to work with it, it becomes such an amazing and versatile ingredient!!! It’s a blank canvas waiting to be turned into something great. Which is exactly what you have done in this amazing recipe! I love tofu in burgers and the hemp seeds must be such a delicious component. Can’t wait to try this 🙂

    Reply

    • I’ve never tried hemp tofu…have yet to find it locally. I’m sure they have it at Whole Foods, but that’s about 40 minutes from me. The hemp tofu would take this to the next level of hippie! Love it!

      Reply

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My name is Jenn. This is my blog where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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