Grillable Tofu Burgers

Seasoned with a good amount of cumin, cayenne and mustard, these are hearty, filling, easy to make, dump-everything-in-the-food processor grillable tofu burgers.

Grillable Tofu Burgers

Wayne calls this the “1996 Veggie Burger.” It’s basically an old-school hippie burger. I love them for a few reasons. First, they’re grill-able. Second, they’re made from ingredients I understand - organic tofu, seeds, nuts, eggs, spices, and breadcrumbs. And third, they’re endlessly adaptable by switching up the spices & your burger toppings.
A Grillable Tofu Burger Recipe

The Recipe

On the cooking front, I've been cleaning out some drawers. Primarily going through old magazine clippings (which is part of the reason I've been featuring more magazine inspired recipes than usual). I've been finding lots of gems, and these tofu burgers jumped out at me. I've adapted them from a reader contributed recipe that ran in the October 2004 issue of Sunset Magazine. The recipe was sent to Sunset by Jeremy Wolf of San Francisco, and I enjoyed them so much! They were impossibly easy to make, relying on the "throw everything in the food processor" technique, and called for a quirky mix of ingredients ranging from tofu, seeds, and nuts, to mustard, cumin, and mushrooms. In the years since, I've done a lot of variations, and I'll talk through a few of them below.

I will say, I suspect you'll be tempted to tweak the seasonings, and you should! But here's my advice. Don't skimp on the cumin or mustard, you need some assertive flavors to kick in - keep in mind you're dealing with ground tofu and eggs as a burger base. Whatever you do think bold!

Ingredients in Food Processor for Tofu Burgers

Tofu Burgers - How To Cook Them

One of the great things about these is you can cook them a number of ways. You can use a skillet, you can grill them, or you can bake them. The main thing you need to do is blend the mixture to a smooth-ish consistency. Then firmly shape and press the mixture into firm patties. I call for the firmest tofu you can find (extra-firm), but each tofu brand has a different quantity of water in it. If your mixture is too wet, simply blend in more breadcrumbs 1/4 cup at a time, and go from there. The mixture also firms up as it sits, so keep that in mind. You can let it rest for 10 minutes or so before shaping if you have the time.
A Grillable Tofu Burger Recipe

Tofu Burger Variations

A number of people have attempted to make these without the egg. I haven’t tested that version yet, but here’s are a few notes from the comments. From Lisa,”For the vegan, I reserved part of the batch before adding eggs, and put in a tablespoon of almond butter as a binder, plus a little extra breadcrumbs.” Jacqui says,”...although I was out of eggs, so I used 2 T of chia seeds mixed with 6 T of water as a replacement. Worked great!”

For a gluten-free option Lisa commented with this brilliance, “I make something similar to these and use masa harina instead of breadcrumbs for a gluten-free option… it definitely gives it a “southwestern” twist, and is SO delicious.”

Cooking Tips

If you’re nervous about the patties falling through grill grates, Judith says,”…my husband was in charge of the grill, started out on aluminum foil, we thought they might fall through the grates, he ended up putting them right on the grates (they firmed up while cooking on the foil for a bit) and they were wonderful!”

A couple other favorite summertime sandwiches include this chickpea salad sandwich and this veggie burger from Super Natural Cooking. And I like to bring these when we're out camping. Here's where you can see all my favorite camping recipes. Enjoy!!

More Tofu Recipes

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Grillable Tofu Burgers

4.62 from 26 votes

Be sure to seek out the firmest tofu made from organic soybeans you can find. If your mixture is too wet after blending (tofu brands have a range of water in them) add more breadcrumbs 1/4 cup at a time. Toppings pictured include basil, tomatoes, avocado, & sriracha-ketchup-mayo slather. You can also do a lettuce wrap in place of buns.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry, then sliced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55 g fine dried bread crumbs, plus more if needed
  • 1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55 g cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup / 2 oz /55g sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55g sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon shoyu, tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • extras: whatever buns & condiments you like!
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture comes together and is free of most chunks, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice if needed. If it seems a bit thin to you, add more bread crumbs a handful at a time until everything comes together.
  2. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and use your hands to (really) press and form into round but flat-ish patties. If you want larger burgers, shape into 4-5 patties. Allow to sit for ten minutes or so. You can also refrigerate at this point.
  3. If grilling, gently rub each patty with a bit of olive oil, and place on a medium hot grill. Grill, covered, usually 5-7 minutes on the first side, and 4-5 on the flip. Be sure the centers are cooked. If cooking on a stovetop, pour the olive oil into your largest skillet over medium-high heat, and arrange as many patties as you can without crowding. Cover, and cook turning once, until deeply browned on both sides. Roughly ten minutes. You want to make sure the middle of the patties cook through. If the pan is too hot you'll burn the outsides before the middle cooks up, so be mindful of that.
  4. Serve with your favorite burger fixings!
Notes

Adapted them from a reader contributed recipe that ran in the October 2004 issue of Sunset Magazine.

Serves
8
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
 
If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it - tag it #101cookbooks on Instagram!

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Recipe Rating




Comments

These were really good and satisfying. My partner liked them too -- so thanks for helping me convince him we don't need to buy those frozen, ultra-processed things at the supermarket anymore. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.

Barbara

    Thanks Barbara!

    Heidi Swanson

These looks great! Are they freezer friendly precooked?

Sasha Elias

    Hi Sasha - I think that is going to impact the texture. Not sure if it'll be in a good or bad way, but let me know if you give it a try!

    Heidi Swanson

I made these super yummy burgers for my family last night. We are vegan so I used lfax eggs and it was not entirely successful holding things together. They were still delicious, but a little crumbly. Next time I'll try chia or a combo of chia and flax and will report back. I've also heard silken tofu might be good too. Stay tuned. . .

Leah

    Thanks for the egg-free report Leah! The eggs definitely act as a binder, and you need that here. Maybe something like Just Eggs could be an option as well.

    Heidi Swanson

The texture is off on these burgers - too mushy.

LZ

I made this for my vegan 12 year old lunchbox, they were so awesome! My biggest peeve with vegan burgers has been the way they fall apart since I insist on shallow frying them like pancakes... This one held its shape! I added 2 green chillies to kick up the spice a notch. Thank you so much for this!

kanakapriya

    Happy to hear it! Love the green chile addition! - h

    Heidi Swanson

I prepared a double recipe of these using flax eggs and packed them for a music festival camping trip. I grilled them up as sliders for our group's potluck supper one night. I served them on potato rolls with vegan ranch and fresh greens from my garden. They were a HUGE HIT. Now I make this recipe on the regular, sometimes tweaking the seasonings a bit; always with great results. Thank you for the awesome recipe!

Nicole

    Yay! Love hearing this Nicole. I'll have to give the vegan version a try. Thanks for the comment.

    Heidi Swanson

Grillabity in a homemade burger is something that I always fail at. The end up sprinkled all over the bottom of the grill. :( It makes me wonder what actually is in the processed ones!? I'm excited to try these! Are you able to offer any alternatives to the mushrooms? They are a deal breaker to my husband, but I think they may be a textural element here and I'm not sure what to replace them with.

Anna

    Hi Anna - I think you should be ok just leaving them out. Let me know how it goes.

    Heidi Swanson

Fantastic recipe! I have tried to make veggie burgers from two (2) other recipes before this one. This recipe was a lot easier, faster, and tasted much better. You can hardly tell the difference between this tofu burger and a regular hamburger. I added more bread crumbs to get just the right texture as the recipe suggests. We'll be adding this to our repertoire of family meals in the future. Thank you!

Paul

    So happy you enjoyed them Paul! Thanks for the comment.

    Heidi Swanson

Are the cashews for flavor or binding? We have nut allergies in our house, and it's a bummer that nuts, nut butters, and nut milks are so popular right now.

Alexis W.

    Hi Alexis, go ahead and double up on the sunflower seeds. Should be a-ok!

    Heidi Swanson

I LOVE these burgers! They remind me of Fantastic Foods' dearly departed tofu burger mix, and are just as quick to whip up. I've found that pressing the tofu for ~30 minutes and using 1 egg creates a nicely workable texture. I also like to sometimes add sesame seeds and/or nutritional yeast.

amy

    Thanks Amy!

    Heidi Swanson

You are so wonderful. I love everything that you do - thank you so much for your contributions to my cooking and eating!

Liz Sosne

    Thank you Liz!

    Heidi Swanson

The best plant based burger I’ve had. Texture was great. “Dough” was easy to work with and held together just as well as ground beef. Burger flavor is good for making whatever kind of burger you want whether mushroom swiss or cheddar bbq.

Jessica

    Thanks Jessica!

    Heidi Swanson

Hi, I am so excited to make these, I was just wondering if you think these would be suitable to freeze? Thank you so much.

Bridget

    Hmm - I'm not sure Bridget. Freezing definitely impacts the texture of tofu. If you give it a shot please report back!

    Heidi Swanson

Another fantastic recipe to add to my weekly rotation!

Maurizio Leo

I made this for dinner tonight and it was so good! Thanks for sharing.

Mehndi

    Thanks Mehndi!

    Heidi Swanson

I really enjoyed these- I don't usually like the "meaty" sort of veggie burgers but these were delicious and fulfilling without being too filling- if that makes sense. I was able to follow the recipe as written, which was nice for me since I usually need to make substitutions to accommodate my no onion/no garlic diet. We grilled these last night topped with sharp cheddar and I don't even want to think about if it is odd or not to eat cheese on a tofu burger- and served on sweet potato buns with juicy fresh jersey tomato. For lunch we will go tex mex with chili lime crema and sliced charred poblano as toppings.

Nicole

    Omg - yes to the chili lime crema and charred poblano! Sounds amazing.

    Heidi Swanson

I am always looking for new burger recipes and this looks fantastic! i cannot wait to try them very soon. thank you for sending recommendations on egg-free version.

dixya @food, pleasure, and health

This recipe looks great. Has anyone else found tofu kind of hard to cook with? When I go out to vegan restaurants, I enjoy it in scrambles and in burgers, but it's not always easy to handle - even when it's firm. I have many clients (as a nutrition consultant) who have a soy allergy, so I suggest black bean burgers, which I think would work well with this recipe too!

Rea Frey

I made these last night for a barbecue with neighbors (some vegan, some vegie, some carnivore). Everyone loved them! For the vegan, I reserved part of the batch before adding eggs, and put in a tablespoon of almond butter as a binder, plus a little extra breadcrumbs. Also, I didn't have sunflower seeds, so omitted them entirely. Didn't seem to make much difference. Both mixtures (with and w/out eggs) were pretty runny, so I cooked them in a pan. Next time, will try chilling first. Great recipe!

Lisa

This was my first go 'round with any type of veggie/tofu burger ever and I have to say the results were pretty yummy. This is definitely not a 'hamburger' but it was a tasty alternative--and served on a toasted white Portuguese bun with goat's cheese, arugula and ketchup (I couldn't help myself!) it made a great dinner. A couple of notes: I only had a package of pressed tofu on hand and got a bit nervous part way through that the mixture was maybe too dry so I added an additional egg. In retrospect I probably should have just let the mixture puree a bit more before I panicked but things turned out Ok. I didn't have any cayenne so I ended up adding a teaspoon of Mexican chili powder plus a 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander and one clove of garlic in addition to the cumin Heidi recommended. I also toasted my cashews and sunflower seeds before adding. I did get eight good sized patties out of this recipe and I'm hoping they freeze well--I wrapped them up individually before stashing in a freezer bag for a quick weeknight supper later on this week. We'll see how it goes! Another great recipe. Trust in Heidi and all will be fine :)

@lynneux

I halved the recipe and made these last weekend, with enough left for my husbands tea the following night, because as you mentioned tofu does weird things when it is frozen! We both thought they were great! A lot of veggie burgers can be really dry, but these were just right. I baked them in the oven at about 180 for 15 minutes each side and they held together! Thanks for a great recipe. I will be making them tonight (with the other half of the tofu block) but will try them with different seasonings.

Mandy

To respond to Noelle's question about how to eliminate the egg, I find that adding coarsely-mashed beans or sweet potatoes works really well as a binder. It sounds like this recipe would be tasty with black or pinto beans. A potato masher works well for this. I like the coarsely-mashed texture because it lends some textural contrast. The burgers will be a bit more delicate than the egg version, so use care when flipping them. Using a slender fish spatula will help.

Laurie Gauguin

oops also -- they were a little wet when forming the patties, but i placed them on a plate and put in the fridge while i waited for guests to arrive and they firmed up considerably.

jen

made these tonight. toasted the cashews, used a blend of half sharp hungarian paprika and cayenne. ended up using panko and upping the total contents to probably 3/4c. a warning - these make small patties, unless you smoosh them flat. that was the only way i could get a full 8 burgers out of the recipe (not a complaint, more of an FYI).

jen

Hi everyone. . . I just made this burger for my boyfriend, Frank who has been Vegan for over 40 years (ever since he was 8 and he decided that he didn't want to eat any relatives of his parakeet Perkey). Frank's response was: "WOW, this is the best soy burger I have ever had", followed quickly by "and who is Heidi?" HA. Anyway - it doesn't just look amazing. It actually is. And here's the kicker - I forgot to add the ENER-G egg replacer that I normally use in recipes, and it still held together like magic. So actually it can be vegan by omitting the egg element. . .

Elizabeth

I made these for dinner tonight, and wish I'd read the comments about fresh bread crumbs... they definitely were a little runny when raw. While the finished product wasn't really a looker, man was it delicious! Served on whole wheat toast with guacamole, lettuce and tomato... delicious!

NikaD

I made these last night. I just realized I forgot to add the breadcrumbs...they were still great...held together perfectly in the pan. They are way better than the prepackaged veggie burgers. Full of wholesome ingredients and super easy to make. I made some fried onions to go with them. For me - veggie burgers are all about the toppings!

Jaime

Made these last night - the same day I found them on my email, as my son was coming to dinner. Very easy to make and shape - they held together brilliantly, and tasted great, although I was out of cummin seeds! The recipe also made a good size batch - enough to give away and to store.

Margaret

these just rocked my world, i threw some Chipotle in and served them in wraps with vegies, fresh spinach and a beetroot chutney. Right now i am a very happy man

Andy G

I'm always looking for new tofu recipes. Printed this one and can't wait to try it!

Julie

these look so good- i usually use sweet (or regular starchy) potato mixed with tofu for my veggie burgers, but i'm looking forward to trying a version with eggs instead...maybe with a few pinches of hijiki thrown in there too. thanks for the recipe, can't wait to make them.

Ana

I made these for a little dinner picnic, and they were a great success. The next day, I had one of the leftovers for a work lunch. It was perfect. I pretoasted the bun and brought the fixin's, and microwaved the burger. My colleagues were jealous. I plan to make this frequently

Joanna

I made these, doubtfully, last night and fed them (nervously) to my dedicated carnivore of a husband. After two bites, he said "SENSATIONAL!". This recipe is a keeper. Thanks so much.

Emily

I've only just begun eating more tofu this year and compiling vegetarian and vegan recipes; I noticed in a vegan cookbook from the library that some of the recipes used 'Ener-G egg replacer', if this is helpful for those seeking an alternative to eggs. Heidi, your book has been my 'bible' for cooking this year. It's been the inspiration for a shift to healthier eating and a joy to read. Love the website too~~Thank you!

Kathy

These were fantastic! I only had a 1/2 pound of tofu, so I subbed in some black beans. And I added a touch of lime juice and used panko bread crumbs (what I had on hand). Topped them with some tamarind chutney, sriracha sauce, sliced mango, shredded cabbage and red onion. Delicious!!!

Kirsten

I made these over the weekend and they were to-die-for delicious! While we had intended to grill them, the patties were much too runny for that. I substituted grilled bread in lieu of crumbs because I didn't have any on hand and I added additional mushrooms to firm it up.

Kimberly

I've made your other veggie burger recipe for a couple years now, and love it. I expect this one will be just as good!

fotographiafoodie

I love finding new veggie burger recipes!! They're great and what I lived off of in college. Will definitely try this one-- thanks!

Karen

Heidi, I never knew a picture of the ingredients for tofu burgers could look so incredible--especially with that brilliant egg in the center--farm fresh of course! ( No supermarket egg looks that beautiful!) Thank-you for the delicious sounding recipe and the enticing looking pictures--could almost eat them off the web page! Can't wait to taste it!

Kristin

I made these, minus the cayenne (I was trying to get my kids to eat these, and they wouldn't with cayenne). I wasn't a fan of the taste. They did look like meat patties. Oddly, my 10 year old and 5 year old liked them (all three of us are vegetarians, and my husband, who is not a vegetarian, sent me to this site and has bought one of your cookbooks). I used fresh breadcrumbs (I was making stuffed tomatoes and just happened to have fresh breadcrumbs), not dried, and I think that this made my pattiies too wet. I was still able to cook them after adding another 1/4 cup of fresh breadcrumbs, but I didn't make patties. I just scooped out the batter (kind of like pancakes). I also used walnuts instead of cashews (just a taste preference). I don't think that I will make these again.

GB

The burgers were delicious and had a great texture. I cooked them right on the gas grill and, while there was some waste (falling into the grates), which I attribute to trial and error of a new recipe, they worked pretty well. Next time ( yes, they will definitely become part of our rotation) I might let them set for longer in the fridge and/or add a little on the bread crumbs. Also, I might cook on medium-high for close to 10 minutes on the first side, then 5 minutes on the other. Thank you for another wonderful recipe.

Amy

I had a great tofu burger over the weekend but this recipe sounds delicious!

Caitlin @ Amuse-bouche

Made a vegan version of these-- replaced egg with 3T flax meal in 4T water-- and they were very tasty but texture was a little strange. Not sure if it was the egg substitution, but I did find them goopy despite pressing water out of extra firm tofu and using very dry bread crumbs. After a nice long cooking time they ended up making a good dinner, but probably not something I'd make again. Wanted to say, though, that this is the first recipe that I've made off of your site that I didn't immediately put into regular rotation. We have particularly loved the palak daal, the orange tempeh, Nikki's cookies and the fabulous zucchini bread (where the flax sub works beautifully). Thanks for the wonderful recipes!!

Kris

Oh My Goodness! A friend just pointed me to one of your recipes, and then I looked around your website some...WOW! can't believe how every single one of your recipes look delicious and beautiful!! Keep up the good work! I'll be coming back!

Alex (Spoonful of Sugar Free)

These were great, would have grilled well if we hadn't run out of gas, and even my daughter ate half of one (this says a lot!!) - she also liked snacking on all the ingredients before they went into the processor! and she had fun flattening the patties (which were quite play-doughy in texture). Delish with avocado and cheese. Thanks for the recipe!

Holly

What about some grated soy cheese as a binder instead of eggs, for a vegan version...

Efi

I tried it, and they are great!!!! Many thanks for this delicious recipe!

Nancy

We've been thinking about getting a food processor, and this recipe inspired us to go out and get one. The burgers turned out really great! Very impressed. We ate them with feta cheese, red onion, lettuce and tomatoes in burger buns.

Susanne

Given the way that almond milk thickens things up in baking, I'm thinking that replacing some of the nuts with almonds might help firm up the burgers a bit. I also recommend the flax seed concoction as an egg replacer. We use a combo of almond milk and flax in pancakes, and you'd never guess they didn't have eggs.

AKS

I can't wait to try these. I am a vegetarian and my husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy so I am always looking for vegetarian versions of meaty meals.

Elle

These look utterly delicious. Worth investing in a food processor for.

Michelle

Tofu burgers ( patties ) were great. Fryed up nicely in olive oil. I would suggest to cool and then reheat on the grill if you wish to grill with other stuff. I do the same with my black bean burger recipe! Next time I will season with parsley, garlic and some cilantro. Also canned drained mushrooms are also a nice sub if one can't get fresh. Overall this is a great recipe!

Butterfly

As I typically am only cooking for myself, how do you recommend storing the rest of the patties before they are cooked? Are they safe wrapped in wax paper and ziplocked in the freezer? I love the idea of making these meatballs, as a previous commenter suggested! thanks for the advice!

Vanessa

I made these last night to the delight of my vegetarian daughter, and even my meat-eating husband loved them (although I have to admit, he loves everything I make from this site:) I'm thinking this would be a great main dish for those of us at Thanksgiving who don't eat turkey - maybe baked as a loaf, or even just a platter of burgers. Thanks, Heidi, for all of your terrific recipes and gorgeous photos.

Liz

The pic of the ingredients in the blender makes me think of the Japanese soup that comes to the table in a little iron pot with a flame underneath, boiling such that it cooks in front of you. Lovely shot :)

Cara Mae

I have to be honest - I've always found tofu just a little scary! But this looks so tasty and delicious, I might just have to give it a try. Of course, I wouldn't dream of telling the teens what I'm serving them!!

Amanda

Amazing. Printing the recipe!! Made your carrot cake + carrot oatmeal cookies + baked pasta casserole this weekend, all were a huge hit! Thank you so much for your amazing recipes, they're divine!

Nicole

Thanks for the great recipe and suggestions for keeping the burgers together. I've made a great tasting mushroom burger for a while, but always had trouble with it being too fragile for the grill - looks like some seeds and tofu might just be the answer... Summer in Austin is a great time to try out this recipe! I'll be roasting some fresh sweet peppers from the farmer's market to toss on top.

Laine @ food.lainehardy.com

Used smoked chipotle instead of straight cayenne -- tasted great. Thanks for such an easy and reliable tofu-burger recipe. And nothing even stuck to our plain stainless-pan!

Evan

Looks delish--I think I'll use the grill basket if I try these on the grill, just to be sure they hold together. I wonder if they would freeze well? Seems like a nice recipe to double and freeze half.

The Rowdy Chowgirl

Made these this weekend and they were delicious! I made a double batch and actually baked them on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. They firmed up really well and I actually reheated them on the grill and they were perfect! They were a hit at my bbq - thanks for the recipe!

Danielle

These look absolutely delish! We can't get tofu down this way, any suggestions on what else we might use? We've been making lentil burgers lately, but I would love to try a different method!

heather

I tried these last night with a few substitutions based on what I had in the house: flax seed instead of bread crumbs, walnuts instead of cashews, and sesame seeds instead of sunflower seed. I imagine they would be a bit firmer with the original recipe, but these still held together well enough to grill. I have frozen them, and I will report back after I try them from the freezer. They were yummy!

Julie

A fantastic -- and, I'm happy to say -- grill-worthy recipe! I made and grilled these guys last night; I coated the outsides of the patties in additional bread crumbs, then let the patties sit in the fridge for an additional hour or so to allow them to firm up a bit more. The result was absolutely perfect, and by far my most successful homemade veggie burger experience. The grill gave them a nice, char-y, crispy outside and the inside remained firm and moist. Well done, Heidi.

Sheila

Just made these and ate them. We used Ezekial buns and have full little tummies!

kr

for the vegan folks, i find that for uses such as this, gram flour (also known as chickpea or garbanzo flour) is an excellent binder in lieu of eggs. i'd just add a couple spoonfuls to the mixture to firm it up. gram flour is available at indian grocers (and is generally cheaper than at a regular supermarket!). on that note, however, i don't use gram flour as an egg replacer in baking, as it can cause a noticeable change in taste and texture that is typically undetectable in things like veg burgers. you could also experiment with vital wheat gluten, but i haven't had the best results using vwg in veggie burgers.

sara

Tried these last night, I used raw cashews and didn't read the directions thoroughly (oops) and added the oil to the mix. I wonder if that helped them to not stick? I also used whole wheat panko bread crumbs, but weighed everything rather than use measuring cups. My husband was in charge of the grill, started out on aluminum foil, we thought they might fall through the grates, he ended up putting them right on the grates (they firmed up while cooking on the foil for a bit) and they were wonderful!!!

Judith Soth

I just made these for dinner and they were so good! Served with a side of corn on the cob, perfect! Although I was out of eggs, so I used 2 T of chia seeds mixed with 6 T of water as a replacement. Worked great! Although, I went back to your instructions and noticed you mentioned only to process until the big chunks are gone... mine was completely smooth! They still turned out great, but there's no way you'd be able to grill them!

Jacqui

A great idea for a summer barbeque! Now that the weather is finally sunny in Seattle, this will be a great veggie burger to make for the family. Thanks for sharing!

Heather Christo

These sound delicious! I'm always looking for ways to keep my meals meat light while satisfying my meat-loving husband. These I think would definitely do the trick! When it tastes good and is substantial in his tummy, my husband is ready to give up meat and never look back. So thanks!

Julie (Bananas for Bourbon)

Heidi - I made these today. They were killer. We topped them with a slice of tomato and avocado. My wife also made a batch of fried okra which never hurts as an accompaniment.

Patrick

I just made some bean and millet burgers last night...tasted fabulous, but more the consistency of soupy, unset polenta than of a firm burger. So, I admire your burger-making capabilities. These look wonderful and just the right texture. Maybe next time I'll use a recipe to start!

Amanda at Enchanted Fig

These look amazing, Heidi...I'm having a dinner party this evening outside and my guests are going to love these incredible tofu burgers...thank you for sharing. Enjoy your weekend.

The Healthy Apple

This looks awesome! Has anyone tried it yet to enlighten me about the texture? I'm definitely curious...

Anna

I wonder if you could these egglesss and thai spiced, like with a red curry base in lieu of the cumin... and a pepper medley instead of the nuts?

Anonymous

being a vegan, i get excited to see recipes for tofu burgers; but i was disappointed to see eggs in the recipe. Please Heidi, make more vegan friendly recipes, everyone can enjoy vegan recipes, but vegans can't always enjoy all the vegetarian recipes that contain dairy and eggs.. I will try to put flax seeds in this one and see how it goes. Thank you though for all that you do. The photos are inspiring and love your style! HS: Thanks Nancy, just for easy reference, there is a section here with all the past recipes that are vegan, well over 100 of them. And if you come across a vegan burger recipe that you find exceptional, please let me know.

nancy

These look delicious. Where we live, we can gather our own wild rice. Has anyone ever made a wild rice burger they loved?

ann

I made these tonight and they're fantastic! I broke the patties apart and put them in crisp lettuce shells topped with a pickled, Thai-inspired slaw.

Kat

Is it ok to eliminate the eggs to make this a vegan burger recipe? Or do I need to substitute the eggs with something else?

jim ayson

The only thing I miss by being a vegetarian is a good burger, but this one seems to do the job as a good and TASTY alternative to the usual beef burger.

Mie Kristensen

Oh, for the vegans, I use water and it binds pretty well. Some wheat flour improves that, and olive oil too. Not as great as if you used eggs, but if you're vegan, I'm sure you can make that compromise :-)

Lakshmi

Hi Heidi, for sure i will try this this one, it's vegetarian but full of goodness from the other ingredients. Thanks for posting such wholesome recipes.

Deb

Yes, you can grill them. There will be some stray crumbs, but otherwise they hold. HS: Thanks Lakshmi!

Lakshmi

I've had some bad experiences with tofu and never thought that I'd be willing to try it again, but these might convert me.

elissa Finlayson

I'm so confused about tofu. I love the stuff but getting mixed messages about how healthy or unhealthy it really is. Ay yi yi. This recipe looks delish though. HS: Just for reference, so you get a sense of where tofu fits into my overall diet (not to say my diet is perfect) but I eat tofu a couple times a week, always made from organic soybeans - non-GMO soybeans. And I avoid any processed soy products, soy and soy components are in all sorts of processed foods. I like cooking with it, appreciate its culinary legacy, and it is a great source of protein, but like most things, I try to balance it with a diverse diets of other ingredients as well. Nutritionfacts.org is a good resource for science-based nutrition advice.

Misty

This is such a beautiful recipe. I have created veggie burgers with vegetables, beans and mushrooms. I have made meatballs with tempeh- but have never thought to add tofu in to the mix.

Meghan (Making Love In The Kitchen)

Hey Heidi the amounts in grams is hugely appreciated. I'm cooking all the way from Australia and although I was starting to get the hang of ounces and pounds it makes it that little bit easier. Also wanted to say that your recipes have changed mine and my husbands nutrition and health in a major way. The benefits of wholefoods and real meals is amazing. Thanks!

Lisa

these were absolutely outstanding; thank you for sharing and I want to comment on how nice it is for you to give us all measurement choices as I use American and so many print metric recipes and I stopped looking at those as no conversion chart seems to be accurate for all things... am awaiting your newest book...

rose

These look fantastic! And easy. Glad to hear I'm not the only one whose magazine clippings get forgotten once in a while. I've been doing a lot of clean-our recently too and came across a crepe recipe I meant to try last year. I'm determined to give it a try before summer's end.

jess

mmm cashews and sunflower seeds! can't wait to try these.

Ali - YumVeggieBurger

I'm often wary of tofu trying to be anything "meaty", but I like the idea of pairing it with things like nuts, sunflower seeds and spices like cumin. Maybe this recipe will win me over! :)

Georgia Pellegrini

1. You have my mother's Cuisinart :) 2. I think flax "eggs" could work as a binder in this recipe.

Holland

Wow, this looks incredible! I love the idea of adding sliced avocado to it. Can't wait to make these. :) Thank you!

Jenny Sansouci

I make something similar to these and use masa harina instead of breadcrumbs for a gluten-free option... it definitely gives it a "southwestern" twist, and is SO delicious. Sliced avocado, perfecto.

Lisa Barnes

I've been making tofu burgers for a while now and I have found that one useful trick that is rarely mentioned is to weight the tofu block overnight in order to compress as much liquid out as possible. Once you are ready to mix your other ingredients, just crumble the tofu by hand or in a processor. You can easily adjust the amount of liquid by adding more soy sauce or water or even veg stock if you have it. That is a lot easier and tastier than adding extra flour or some other thickener to get that "ground beef" consistency. I'll be trying your recipe in the next few days since it looks pretty tasty.

Gregg

I'm liking these, Heidi. Liking them a lot. I stopped buying veggie burgers in the store for all their processed weirdness (although I do like Sunshine brand), so I'll have to try these...only so many homemade black bean burgers a girl can stomach. Have a great weekend!

Megan Gordon

ooh - I've never made tofu burgers! I've made black bean, chickpea, and the regular versions of meat burgers, but clearly i'm missing out on this one!

heather @ chiknpastry

WOW, i was so ready for these burgers. I was just complaining to a friend i had nothing in the house that didn't take at least 30-40 min to get ready, opened your post and YOUSA! They were done by the time I finished my tea, I do drink tea out of a 20 oz Scottish beer mug so i had some time :) They were totally delicious, thank you so much for saving me yet again!

Susan

Already has my mouth watering...never made a tofu burger, and the easy food processor method makes it a must try.

sarahb

Those do look convincingly like burgers! Sounds like a great, easy recipe. Thanks :-)

Michelle @ Find Your Balance

Such a simple recipe. I usually just buy frozen veggie burgers, but this one looks worth a try. Luckily, I finally purchased a food processor recently! Thanks for the post!

madge @ vegetariancasserolequeen

Heidi these look fantastic. Any way of avoiding the egg as a binder? What might you recommend? HS: Hi Noelle, I've listed some vegan suggestions up above in the main post.

Noelle @ GreenLemonade

Hm, I can't believe I still haven't made (or eaten) tofu burgers in my entire life! This recipe looks simple enough for even a burger makin' novice like me to throw together. Thanks!

Rachel @ Working Out Wellness

i don't think there's a humanly possible way of making tofu burgers simpler than this! great! they look delicious! i'll have to try!

Adriana from Baking Powders

Awesome recipe. The boyfriend is going to love this as he is doesn't eat meat but likes hearty food! I might try baking them in oven.

Nathalie

Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe Heidi! I will try it this weekend : )

Tini

YUM! now this looks like a burger I would be excited about!

Simply Life

These sound delicious! I can't wait to try them. For those looking for an alternative to the eggs, I have a substitute that I use in my black bean/mushroom burger recipe that works quite well. I am thinking it will work with this too. For the equivalent of one egg: Mix 2 tablespoons of whole or ground chia seeds with 3-4 tablespoons water. Let sit until it forms into an eggy--gel like consistency. The whole seeds will add a bit more texture.

Megan

I have used over cooked pasta to serve as the binder for veggie burgers and it has worked well. It might be an option in place of the eggs.

Renee

P.S. - Per the fat-free question, you'll need something with fat in it to season the grill or skillet, but a few sprays of PAM should do the trick an be negligible enough. BTW tofu burgers normally work fine on a well-seasoned grill; you just need to be careful flipping them.

Caroline

Timberly: I've made vegan tofu burgers by pureeing half the tofu (so it's hummus consistency) and using it as a binder in lieu of the eggs. I think I got the idea from a Mark Bittman recipe.

Caroline

I am always on the lookout for different veggie burgers. I am definitely going to try this, I love it!

HoneyB

This might seem like a silly question, but my parents are new fat-free vegans (health reasons) and I'm trying to find things they might actually like to eat. Meaning: I know nothing about this kind of stuff. Question is, is there something I could replace the egg and the oil with? Those are the only two things they can't eat.

Timberly

I didn't realise tofu could sound so delicious! Great combinations of flavours. :-) Mandy

Mandy

These are right up my alley! btw - tried your grilled tofu with soba noodles and garlic cilantro dressing on a recent camping trip and it held up great! I actually chopped up the tofu an tossed with the noodles as I was serving to a big group. Delicious. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the idea:)

the French

mmmm looks good! Although, Pam @ cookware reviews, not vegan (with eggs in it) . Love your website Heidi, always has me inspired!

mel

Oh my Lord! That looks like the most gorgeous tofu burger I have ever seen. And I actually wouldn't mind biting into it, given how tofu-averse I am.

Shaheen {The Purple Foodie}

I think turning these into meatballs—tofu meatballs—would be a fun idea. I once ate at a restaurant called Oleana in Massachusetts. They served a wonderful soup of lamb meatballs in a green soup which had a cooling mint flavor. I think the robust seasonings in this tofu meat would supplement well with the same green soup served with the lamb meatballs I ate—namely the minty flavor. HS: Great idea Earl. I think if you made them small and pan fried them, they be excellent.

Earl at Toastable.com

Yum - so nice to find a burger recipe that won't clog your arteries and still tastes great. Will definitely try these. I'm de-lurking to say that I baked your cottage cheese sundried tomato muffins yesterday evening *as a loaf* - it came out like a terrine, smelled fantastic in the oven and tasted fab this morning for breakfast. Thanks!

Kate

This looks delicious, and I'd love to make them - but my husband is vegan. Do you have any idea if there is a substitute to the eggs? I know they work as a binder, but I'm not cook-savvy enough to know what would work in its place.

Evelyn

This looks like a wonderful recipe! I've never thought to use cashews in a burger patty before, I'll surely try this recipe soon!

Jodye

These sounds wonderful and I will be making them soon. Can these be frozen? If so, should it be done before or after cooking. HS: I'm not 100% sure how these would freeze. The freezer does crazy things to the texture of tofu. If anyone tries it, please report back.

Susan

I like the idea of bold flavors coloring this blank canvas, and the nuts and seeds adding texture and substance. What a fun surprise to have found that poor little frog in your office. It must have been happy to return to nature.

Christine @ Fresh Local and Best

Yummy, and the pics of making them are gorgeous! I love the contrast in textures in these burgers, and may play around a bit with the spice mixture for fun.

Julie Anne Rhodes

Those look so good! I love making my own faux-meaty things at home; much less processed, know what went into them. These seem like soon to be favorites.

Heather

For some reason, it has never even entered my brain to make my own tofu burgers. You are such a genius, Heidi. I have to try this as soon as I move into my new apartment.

Satpreet Kahlon

This looks fabulous... I love veggie burgers and find most of the store bought ones pretty terrible. I am re-inspired to make my own...

megan carroll

Ooh this looks super good. I've been looking for a new vegetarian burger recipe and tofu burgers have actually been on my mind but nothing's jumped out - this might be it!

Angharad

Wow these are fantastic, never thought of mixing in nuts and seeds to tofu burgers. Great idea.

Magda

These sound great! The seasonings remind me vividly of helping my brother cook when he lived in a vegetarian co-op in Berkeley. I think they put olive oil, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce in just about everything!

Coco @ Opera Girl Cooks

Wow, am I the first one to comment? It hardly happens! I love this recipe as I am trying to eat more healthy and trying out Vegan diet for a month, this will be a perfect recipe to make. Thank you for sharing it.

Pam @ Cookware Reviews

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