Follow my easy recipe for this healthy, vegan tempeh teriyaki burger packed with protein, fibre and vitamins.
What is Tempeh?
Tempeh or Tempe is a traditional Indonesian food made by cooking soybeans, wrapping them in banana leaves and leaving them to ferment into blocks . Sometimes confused with tofu, tempeh has grains, other beans and flavourings added to it, as well as a firmer texture. It is rich in protein, fibre and vitamins, making it a healthier, vegan alternative to any meat burger.
Frying tempeh with potato flour adds that extra ‘fatty’ taste that disappears when we swap out meat. I used to miss the taste of classic beef burgers because of this, but this tempeh burger offers such a deep, rich flavour that I no longer crave meaty, fatty burgers.
Tempeh Teriyaki Burger RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil (for onion)
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tempeh pieces
- Potato flour (starch), for dusting
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (for frying tempeh)
- 4 wholemeal burger buns
- 4 tablespoons egg-free mayonnaise
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
- 8 lettuce leaves, washed
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- Extra salt, to season tomato
- Potato flour (starch), for dusting
Teriyaki sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1/2 tablespoon agave or natural sweet syrup
Method
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook very slowly for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from catching. Cook until softened and golden. Set aside.
- To make teriyaki sauce, combine the teriyaki sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Cut each tempeh into 2 pieces, making 4 pieces in total.
- Toss tempeh lightly in potato starch and shake away excess.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, fry the tempeh until golden on both sides.
- Add the teriyaki sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Toss well to coat the tempeh completely with teriyaki sauce.
- To assemble, cut the burger buns in half. Spread the mayonnaise onto both sides.
- Place the base of each bread on serving plates. Top with lettuce, tempeh and tomato; sprinkle with salt and onion. Top with another bun. Serve immediately.
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free buns and tamari instead of soy sauce.
Vegetarian option: use whole egg mayonnaise or Japanese mayonnaise.
It’s important to use good ingredients!
My first experience with Tempeh was not a good one; I had unknowlingly bought a bad brand of packet tempeh, and for years I avoided eating and cooking with it. Until! My Indonesian friend took me to Mother Chu’s Vegetarian Kitchen and showed me that, when cooked correctly using a good brand, tempeh is super delicious!
Watch my video of Mother Chu’s sizzling tempeh, this was absolutely delicious!
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