Tofu Burgers and "Meatballs"
Tofu burgers may sound like the early days of '60s vegetarian cooking, when imitation meat was all the rage. But in fact, these burgers are absolutely delicious and are one of our most popular standard lunch items. We know lots of kids who gladly devour tofu burgers and "meatballs."
The Original
Processed by Gemini
Ingredients
- ●3 tablespoons (45ml) vegetable oil
- ●1 large onion, finely chopped
- ●1 large carrot, grated
- ●1 green pepper, finely chopped
- ●1½ teaspoons (8ml) dried basil
- ●2 large eggs
- ●¾ cup (180ml) bread crumbs
- ●1 cup (240ml) walnuts, ground or finely chopped
- ●3 cakes of tofu, pressed (see Appendix)
- ●¼ cup (60ml) chopped fresh parsley
- ●1 tablespoon (15ml) Dijon mustard
- ●1½ tablespoons (25ml) dark sesame oil
- ●3 tablespoons (45ml) tamari soy sauce
- ●black pepper to taste
- ●For Meatballs: 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ●For Meatballs: 1 teaspoon (5ml) ground fennel seed
- ●For Meatballs: ¾ teaspoon (4ml) dried oregano
- ●For Meatballs: an additional 1½ teaspoons (8ml) Dijon mustard
Instructions
- 1
Sauté the vegetables and basil in oil until tender, about 10 minutes.
- 2
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then add the bread crumbs, walnuts, and the pressed tofu either with a potato masher or your hands and add it to the bowl, along with the sautéed vegetables.
- 3
Stir well; the mixture should be firm enough to form into patties.
- 4
Pat the mixture into 6 large "burgers."
- 5
Bake on an oiled baking sheet at 375° until golden brown on the outside, but still moist inside, about 30 minutes.
- 6
Serve with Russian dressing (p. 57) or ketchup, tomato slices, lettuce, pickles, chips, and sprouts on whole wheat or rye toast.
- 7
For Tofu "Meatballs": For about 3 dozen balls, add the following ingredients to the basic burger mix: 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, and an additional 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard.
- 8
Form 1½-inch balls and bake at 350° on an oiled baking sheet for 20 to 30 minutes.