Thai Peanut Satay Tofu Burger
A vegan burger with crispy pan-fried tofu, creamy peanut satay sauce, pickled carrots, and fresh herbs.
- Prep
- 20min
- Cook
- 12min
- Total
- 55min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 540per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Tofu only browns once its surface is dry, so pressing matters more here than any seasoning. Press the block well, slice it into four slabs, pat them dry again, and leave them alone in the hot oil until a golden crust lets them release from the pan.
Unlike the simmered coconut sauce on the beef satay burger, this peanut sauce never touches the stove. Peanut butter is whisked with soy sauce, lime, maple syrup, sriracha and warm water, so it stays loose and tangy. Maple syrup keeps the burger vegan, and quick-pickled carrots add the sour crunch that mild tofu needs.
Thai Peanut Satay Tofu Burger
Prep 20 min, cook 12 min, total 55 min. About 540 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/thai-peanut-satay-tofu-burger
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
Tap a step to keep your place.
Press the tofu: wrap the block in a clean kitchen towel, set it on a plate and weigh it down with a heavy pan for at least 20 minutes. Prepare the carrots and sauce while it presses.
Quick-pickle the carrots: Toss julienned carrots with 2 tbsp rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
Make the peanut sauce: Whisk together 6 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp sriracha, and 2 tbsp warm water until smooth. Set aside.
Slice the pressed tofu into 4 patties, pat them dry and season both sides with 1 tsp garlic powder and salt.
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry tofu patties for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
Toast the buns, then spread peanut sauce generously on both halves. Layer bottom buns with cucumber slices, place crispy tofu patties on top, add pickled carrots, sprinkle with 1 oz fresh cilantro and 1 oz crushed peanuts.
Crown with top buns and serve with extra peanut sauce on the side.
Tips
- Swap in a dry towel halfway through pressing if the first one is soaked. The more water comes out, the faster the tofu crisps and the less the oil spits.
- Whisk the peanut butter with the warm water first, then add the lime and soy sauce. Acid tightens peanut butter, so add more water if it's too thick to drizzle.
- Salt the tofu right before it goes in the pan. If it sits seasoned, the salt draws water back to the surface.
Substitutions
- Gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten-free buns; nothing else in the recipe contains gluten.
- Firm tofu instead of extra-firm: softer and more fragile, so cut thicker slabs and flip with a wide spatula.
- Crispier coating: toss the dried slabs in 15 g cornstarch before frying for a thin, crackly crust.
- Peanut allergy: sunflower seed butter and toasted pumpkin seeds replace the peanut butter and crushed peanuts.
Make ahead & storage
The peanut sauce keeps up to 1 week in the fridge; thin it with warm water after chilling. Pickled carrots keep about 5 days. Fried tofu keeps 3 to 4 days but loses its crust; reheat it in a hot skillet or air fryer to 165°F (74°C).
