Description
A delicious and wholesome vegan smoked tofu burger featuring crispy, spiced patties made from smoked tofu, sweet potato, and roasted cashews, paired with a fresh red cabbage and carrot slaw, and drizzled with spicy vegan mayo. Perfect for a hearty plant-based meal with a smoky, tangy, and mildly spicy flavor profile.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Patties:
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 sweet potato (200g), peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic salt (divided)
- 225g pack smoked tofu (we used The Tofoo Co.)
- 50g roasted cashews
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 150ml soy milk
- 75g plain flour
- 50g panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the Slaw:
- ¼ red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
To Serve:
- Vegan mayonnaise (we used Rubies in the Rubble) mixed with ½ tbsp Sriracha
- Vegan burger buns, halved and toasted
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato: Place the peeled and chopped sweet potato in a microwaveable bowl and cover with cling film. Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in crushed garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and 1 tsp garlic salt. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to release the spices’ aroma, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the tofu mixture: In a blender, blitz the smoked tofu and roasted cashews together until finely chopped but not completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add the cooked sweet potato and sautéed onion mixture. Season with a pinch of salt and blitz again until combined into a thick, slightly chunky mixture.
- Form the patties: Shape the mixture into four evenly sized burger patties. Place them on a lined baking tray and refrigerate to firm up while preparing the slaw and coatings.
- Make the slaw: In a bowl, combine shredded red cabbage, grated carrot, chopped coriander, lime juice, and sesame seeds. Toss well and set aside to marinate and soften slightly.
- Prepare the coating mixtures: In one bowl, mix the English mustard with soy milk. In another bowl, whisk together plain flour, panko breadcrumbs, remaining 1 tsp garlic salt, cayenne pepper, icing sugar, and baking powder.
- Coat the patties: Dip each patty first into the flour mixture, then into the soy milk and mustard mixture, and back into the flour mixture. Repeat this dipping sequence once more to create a thick, crispy crust on each patty.
- Fry the patties: Pour vegetable oil into a large frying pan to a depth of about 2 cm and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Carefully add the coated patties and fry for about 1 minute on each side or until golden and crispy. Remove and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
- Assemble the burgers: Toast the vegan burger buns lightly. Spread the vegan mayonnaise mixed with Sriracha sauce on the bun halves. Place the fried tofu patties on the buns, top with a generous helping of the prepared slaw, then cover with the top bun halves.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve the smoked tofu vegan burgers immediately while warm and crispy with your choice of sides or condiments.
Notes
- You can substitute the smoked paprika with regular paprika and add a drop of liquid smoke for extra smokiness if you can’t find smoked tofu.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your preferred spice level or omit for a milder burger.
- Ensure the oil is sufficiently hot before frying to get a crispy crust without absorbing too much oil.
- The slaw can be made a few hours in advance to allow flavors to meld but should be kept refrigerated.
- For gluten-free option, substitute plain flour and panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free alternatives.
- This recipe yields four burgers, perfect for a family dinner or small gathering.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Vegan / Plant-Based
Keywords: vegan burger, smoked tofu burger, plant-based burger, tofu patties, vegan comfort food, homemade vegan burger, smoky vegan burger, vegan lunch, vegan dinner
