Vegan Crispy Tofu Burger With Pineapple Relish
Juicy and flavourful crispy tofu patties topped with a tangy basil-infused pineapple relish (barely) sandwiched between fluffy burger buns. This Vegan Crispy Tofu Burger with Pineapple Relish is guaranteed to satisfy your cravings!
Ingredients
- 4 squares (280g) traditional/firm tofu thawed
Spice mixture
- 1½ tsp dried basil
- ¾ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1½ tsp salt
Marinade and Coating
- ⅔ cup (160g) non-dairy milk
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ⅔ cup (80g) cornstarch
Pineapple relish
- ½ cup (140g) pineapple diced
- ½ red onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1 red chili pepper deseeded, minced
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 3 tbsp vegetable stock*/water
- 2 tsp fresh basil leaves chopped finely
- ½ tsp sugar more to taste
- ½ tsp salt more to taste
To serve
- 1 tomato sliced
- lettuce
- 4 burger buns**
Instructions
Marinate tofu
- In a shallow dish, combine the soy milk, lemon juice and 1½ tsp of the spice mixture. Squeeze the tofu with your hands to remove excess water. Poke holes in the tofu with a fork and let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Cook the relish
- In a small pan over medium heat, cook the red onion, ginger and garlic with some oil until fragrant then add in pineapple and red chili pepper.
- Pour in vinegar and vegetable stock, then let simmer with lid on for 5 minutes. After that, stir in the basil and cook until liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and sugar to taste and set aside.
Pan fry tofu
- In a bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining spice mixture. Coat each square of tofu evenly and let sit on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then coat the tofu back in the marinade and cornstarch again. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large pan over medium heat, pour enough oil to cover the surface of the pan. Once the oil is hot***, fry the tofu for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side and edges. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Serve immediately with burger buns, lettuce and tomato slices. Enjoy!
Notes
*Make your own vegetable stock from vegetable scraps.
**Divide my Classic Sandwich Loaf Bread recipe in half to yield four burger buns.
- Follow the same instructions, but before the second proof divide the dough into four equal parts and roll them into smooth balls.
- Before baking, brush the tops with some non-dairy milk and sprinkle sesame seeds.
- Bake at 170°C for 20 minutes, then move the tray to a higher rack for another 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Let cool before slicing.
***Gauge whether the oil is hot enough by inserting a chopstick into the pan. If it starts to sizzle, the oil is ready.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!