Spicy Tofu Burger Recipe
This spicy tofu burger is a vegetarian burger that even carnivores will love! Trust me, I tried it on my dad - the ultimate meat lover! Top with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and pickles, or your favorite burger fixins!
Growing up, my dad was a very meat and potatoes kind of guy. Thankfully, not a picky meat and potatoes guy! Both him and my mom were always excited to try new foods and cuisines, and I can’t think of anything they wouldn’t eat. But the catch was that it had to involve meat, otherwise it “wasn’t a meal.” You can imagine his joy when I decided in middle school that I was going to be a vegetarian.
While that only lasted a year or so, I am still someone who enjoys eating more plant-centric meals, both out of taste preference and environmental concerns. But when I first became a dietitian, and started to have quite a bit of health anxiety about myself and my family, that desire to eat more plant-centered became slightly obsessive. I started worrying about my meat-loving dads health, and made it my mission to find vegetarian meals he would enjoy.
This spicy tofu burger recipe is one of the few winners I discovered! And let me say, my dad makes the BEST grilled beef burger. Seriously, they are massive - like 1/4 lb for each patty, grilled to a perfect medium and dripping with that melty, plastic-wrapped American cheese that’s only really good on burgers.
And while this spicy tofu burger recipe is not that, nor is it trying to be, it’s still delicious and was a total hit when I made it for my parents! The tofu has a great texture, and gets a slightly charred exterior when you cook it in a cast iron skillet, and the tofu burger patty has tons of umami flavor from the mushrooms, nuts and seeds, and a dash of worcestershire and soy sauce.
How to Make This Spicy Tofu Burger Recipe
What I love about this spicy tofu burger recipe is that it comes together in the food processor, so there is minimal dirty dishes. To make the patties, first you’ll press a loaf of extra-firm tofu to remove some of the liquid. You could use a tofu press, or do what I do, and wrap tofu in a clean dish towel and place on a plate under a heavy skillet to weigh it down for 15-30ish minutes.
Next, you’ll add the tofu to the food processor with the eggs, breadcrumbs, cashews, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, condiments and spices and blend until it's well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
From there, divide the tofu burger blend into 4-6 balls. I like to cook them in a cast iron skillet to give them a good char. Just heat olive oil in the skillet, add the patties and press down to flatten slightly. Cook about 5-7 minutes per side until it’s cooked through. If the outside Is starting to cook and you're not sure how cooked through it is, feel free to microwave for a minute or so after pan frying to make sure!
What Type of Tofu Should I Use in This Spicy Tofu Burger Recipe?
When you go shopping for tofu, you’ll see many different types, like silken, soft, medium, firm, extra firm, and super firm. Basically, the difference between them is how much water is pressed out. The more water is pressed out, the firmer it gets. In this spicy tofu burger recipe I used extra firm, but you could certainly use firm or super firm tofu. If using firm, you might just want to press it a little bit longer, and conversely if you are using super firm it might take a little less time. You just want the tofu to feel a bit dry and crumbly before blending.
How to Top This Spicy Tofu Burger
While I went classic with the fixin’s for this spicy tofu burger, but there’s tons of other ways to top it:
Add a slice of cheese and vegan bacon for a vegetarian bacon cheeseburger
Top with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms, plus a slice of swiss cheese
Dollop with a scoop of guacamole and hot sauce
Pickled red onions, smashed avocado and microgreens
Blue cheese slaw and avocado
This spicy tofu burger recipe, images and text have been updated to give you the best possible content.
Spicy Tofu Burger
Serves 4-6
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.
Ingredients
Tofu burgers:
16 ounces extra-firm tofu
2 large eggs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 - 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For serving:
Toasted hamburger buns
Pickles
Sliced tomato
Sliced onion
Lettuce leaves
Mayo (flavored or regular)
Mustard
Instructions
First, drain and press the tofu. Cut the tofu and cut into 4 slices lengthwise. Wrap with a clean kitchen towel, set on a plate, and top with a heavy skillet to weigh it down a bit. Let it sit about 15-30 minutes. This will help remove some of the liquid from the tofu.
To make the burgers, place the pressed tofu in a food processor along with the eggs, panko, cashews, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, mustard, soy sauce, Worcestershire, spices and salt. Blend until everything comes together and is well combined, scraping down sides as needed. Divide into 4 portions and form each into a ball.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the tofu patties, pressing down with the back of a spatula. Cook until well browned and heated through, about 5-7 minutes on each side.
Serve on a toasted whole grain bun with your choice of toppings.
If you like this spicy tofu burger recipe, you might also like:
Eggplant and Zucchini Veggie Burger
Everything Bagel Salmon Burger
Spicy Cauliflower Peanut Veggie Burger
