spicy sesame-coated tofu burger

Marinated in a spicy Korean sauce, coated in sesame seeds and baked in the oven. Then served in a soft roll, with a spicy slaw and a side of oven-baked sweet potato fries.... I am sure you can see why this is one of our favourite burger recipes.

I know a lot of people are put off by the word 'tofu,' but vegan or not, this is one to try if you have not tried a tofu burger before. Just wait until you taste it,

This recipe is inspired by a sesame-coated tofu burger we had on our travels last year. The plan for this recipe was to actually serve it with kimchi, but unfortunately I have been so busy lately (working on an excited project!) that I have not taken the time out to make a new batch of my pineapple kimchi.

I am planning on making a batch next week, so this will definitely be on the menu again really soon!

As a replacement for the kimchi, I made a simple slaw using shredded cos lettuce and red cabbage and a dressing made with the left-over spicy marinade mixed with a bit of vegan mayonnaise.

Thankfully we had some left-over vegan brioche burger buns in the freezer, which worked so well with the flavours. Talk about meant-to-be, right?

Oh my goodness- YUM!

Spicy, saucy and smoky, with some crunch from the sesame seeds and the fresh slaw.

LET'S TALK TOFU

To make these burgers you will need to use a good, extra firm tofu.

I used a smoky tofu in this recipe which of course adds an additional BBQ smoked flavour.

I absolutely love using smoked tofu, but a plain tofu will work just as well in this recipe. If you like, you could add a few drops of liquid smoke to the marinade for that smoky, BBQ flavour.

SHOULD THE TOFU BE PRESSED?

Tofu is basically like a sponge. If you press out the water from the tofu it will create more space to absorb the flavours from the marinade. It is up to you. Some brands of firm tofu that are vacuum packed, may not need pressing.

FOR THE MARINADE YOU WILL NEED

• Gochujang paste (a Korean chili paste)

• Soy sauce

• Sesame oil, I use a toasted sesame oil.

• Vegan fish sauce (optional)

• Agave or maple syrup

• Fresh ginger

Mix all these together to make the marinade. Coat the tofu evenly all over and let it marinade for at least 30 min. The longer it sits, the better.

Once the tofu has marinated, coat each piece with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for about 20 min.

Something so easy and delicious!

SPICY SESAME- COATED TOFU BURGER

Marinated in a spicy Korean sauce, coated in sesame seeds and baked in the oven. Then served in a soft roll, with a spicy slaw and a side of oven-baked sweet potato fries... hello comfort food!

Serves: 3 - 4

Time: 30 min, plus marinating time

INGREDIENTS

• I block extra firm tofu, I recommend a smoked tofu

• 2 - 3 tbsp black and/or white sesame seeds for coating

FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 heaped tsp Gochujang paste (a Korean chili paste)

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tsp vegan fish sauce (optional)

• 1/2 tbsp agave or maple syrup

• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

FOR THE SLAW

• 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

• 1/2 cup finely shredded lettuce of choice

• left-over marinade

• 1/2 - 1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

TO SERVE

• soft burger buns

• left-over marinade to drizzle over the burger

• these oven-baked sweet potato fries

INSTRUCTIONS

MARINADE

1. Cut the tofu block into 3 or 4 even slices. If you are pressing your tofu, don't forget to do so first.

2. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together and coat the tofu pieces all over.

3. Let the tofu sit in the marinade for at least 30 min. The longer, the better.

BAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C

2. Coat the sides of the tofu with sesame seeds and place the tofu slices in an ovenproof dish.

3. Set the leftover marinade aside. This will be used as a dressing for the slaw and burger.

4. Bake for 10 min, flip the pieces around and bake for another 10 - 15 min, or more if you so desire.

THE SLAW

1. While the tofu is in the oven, mix the left-over marinade with the vegan mayonnaise to make a dressing. Depending on how much marinade you have left-over you can add more mayonnaise if needed.

2. Add the lettuce and cabbage into a mixing bowl and spoon over 1 - 2 tbsp of the dressing. Add more dressing as needed, but keep some back to drizzle over the burger.

TO SERVE

1. Slice the burger buns in half, add some slaw and top with a tofu burger.

2. Drizzle with left-over dressing, if so desired.

3. Enjoy with oven-baked sweet potato fries, a side salad or side of your choice.

Have you made this?

If you have, I would love to see your creations on Instagram.

Make sure to leave a review below and give it a rating.

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