While I like to consider myself something of a tofu aficionado, I’m not so experienced using silken tofu. I think I used it once or twice while attempting tofu omelets and Matzoh Brei. But otherwise, I don’t think about using it too much.
Now I’m trying to change that and learn my way around silken tofu the way I did with regular tofu. I received a variety of types from Morinaga or as we all know them, Mori-Nu.
Silken tofu has the advantage over regular tofu in that you don’t have to press it. It also comes in aseptic packages that are shelf-stable.
So I used my first package of silken tofu to make a tofu scramble. I chose the Lite Firm figuring I was breaking it up anyway.
The tofu scramble came out light, fluffy and delicious. We had it with Neat Foods Breakfast Sausage. After eating it, I really couldn’t see any great benefit to using regular tofu over the silken kind. This was really good and there was no pressing involved.
Then I decided to make something that somehow had escaped my attention. With all the vegan burgers I’ve made – and I’ve made a lot – I had never made a tofu burger.
So I picked out another package of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, this time the Firm.
I also added black beans, onions, kale and lots of spices. Wanting it to have “chew,” I tossed in some xanthan gum. Then I used gluten-free bread crumbs from Mary’s Gone Crackers and a little bit of chickpea flour.
Unlike my usual burgers, I made these patties thin. Daiya Mozzarella Shreds got melted down on top.
I put extra cheese to make “skirts.” We love cheese skirts. If you don’t know what that is, it’s when you put so much cheese that it hangs off the sides of the burger and it cooks up crispy and delicious. Yum!
When it came time to put them on buns, I made double-deckers with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and vegan mayo. On the side, we had oven-baked fries. I didn’t even bother to take the usual million photos because I couldn’t wait to taste them. That’s ok, I can look at these same photos over and over again
OMG! These burgers were so good. They tasted more like beefy burgers than bean burgers. The texture was crispy on the outside because I really let them build up a crust while cooking them but they were tender inside and just so delicious.
I don’t know why it took me so long to make tofu burgers or use silken tofu but now that I have, I’m going to make more. I can’t wait to see what other great dishes I make with Mori-Nu’s Silken Tofu. Stay tuned and enjoy!
Double Black Bean Tofu Cheeseburgers
GF
Makes about 4 – 6 burgers
1-15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 package Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, firm
½ small onion, chopped
1 cup kale or any greens, chopped
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. gluten-free tamari
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum
½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
Up to ½ cup chickpea flour, if needed
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup Daiya mozzarella shreds
4 gluten-free buns
Lettuce, tomatoes and other toppings
Mash the beans in a bowl or in a food processor and put them in a bowl. Drain the silken tofu and mash it in the bowl with the beans. In a food processor, combine the onion and greens and process until smooth and well-combined. Add to the beans and tofu.
Mix in the tomato paste, tamari, and seasoning. Add the xanthan gum and the bread crumbs. Mix everything well and see if the mixture feels like it will hold in patties.
Add flour, a few spoons at a time, until the mixture feels smooth, not too sticky and you think the patties will hold up. Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts and shape them into burger patties. Let them rest on a plate while you heat up the oil.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Place 3 of the patties (depending on the size of your pan) in the pan and don’t move it until it forms a good crust on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Gently flip the patties and cook the second side until browned, another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cook the remaining patties.
To melt the cheese, put the burgers in the pan over medium heat. Top each burger with mozzarella shreds. Add 2 Tbs. water to the pan and cover the pan. The cheese will melt from the steam. Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce, tomatoes and your favorite toppings.
The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.
Print Double Black Bean Tofu Cheeseburgers Author: Rhea Parsons Recipe type: Burgers Ingredients- 1-15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 package Mori-Nu silken tofu, firm
- ½ small onion, chopped
- 1 cup kale or any greens, chopped
- 2 Tbs. tomato paste
- 1 Tbs. gluten-free tamari
- 1 Tbs. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum
- ½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
- Up to ½ cup chickpea flour, if needed
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 cup Daiya mozzarella shreds
- 6 gluten-free buns
- Lettuce, tomatoes and other toppings
- Mash the beans in a bowl or in a food processor and put them in a bowl. Drain the silken tofu and mash it in the bowl with the beans. In a food processor, combine the onion and greens and process until smooth and well-combined. Add to the beans and tofu.
- Mix in the tomato paste, tamari, and seasoning. Add the xanthan gum and the bread crumbs. Mix everything well and see if the mixture feels like it will hold in patties.
- Add flour, a few spoons at a time, until the mixture feels smooth, not too sticky and you think the patties will hold up. Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts and shape them into burger patties. Let them rest on a plate while you heat up the oil.
- In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Place 3 of the patties (depending on the size of your pan) in the pan and don’t move it until it forms a good crust on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Gently flip the patties and cook the second side until browned, another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cook the remaining patties.
- To melt the cheese, put the burgers in the pan over medium heat. Top each burger with mozzarella shreds. Add 2 Tbs. water to the pan and cover the pan. The cheese will melt from the steam. Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce, tomatoes and your favorite toppings.
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