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Mushroom Tempeh Burgers

These burgers are fabulous… and very 'meaty' when finished. Serve them just like you would a meat burger – baking is good, but they are also quite good grilled during the warmer months. Based on a recipe kindly sent in by Jack McNulty.

Intermediate
Meat alternative
Time 50 Minutes
Skill Level Intermediate
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Ingredients List

Serves 12
  • 180 g tempeh
  • 4 tbsps soy sauce
  • 1 medium onion (minced)
  • 1 clove garlic (grated)
  • 0.5 tsp cumin (ground)
  • 300 g mushrooms button (brown or white)
  • 100 g red beans (cooked)
  • 1 small handful breadcrumbs (as necessary)
Metric - US Imperial

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 210° C / 410° F
  2. Begin by preparing the tempeh. Slice into 1-cm thick pieces and place into a small pot. Add the soy sauce, a touch of cayenne pepper and just enough water to cover the tempeh. Slowly bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for five minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve.
  3. Prepare the onions and garlic. Heat a medium-size non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and dry-sauté with the ground cumin until they just begin to take on some color. Add a spoon of water as necessary to prevent sticking. Remove the onions and garlic and reserve.
  4. Place the mushrooms into a food processor and process until fine. Add the chopped mushrooms with some salt to the same pan you used to cook the onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until all of the water is released and cooked away. Continue to cook until the mushrooms take on a rich brown color.
  5. Process the beans in a food processor until well pureed. Add the reserved tempeh and pulse to combine well.
  6. Combine the patty ingredients Add the bean and tempeh puree to the mushrooms. Add the onions and garlic and combine. Add the parsley and season well with salt and pepper.
  7. If the mixture feels too moist, add breadcrumbs until the burgers hold together well.
  8. Form patties, coat with a bit of oil and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the patties are a bit crisp at edges. Remove them from the oven and flip over. Continue to bake for 5-10 additional minutes, or until the center of the patty feels firm.
  10. Cool any leftover patties to room temperature, place a piece of parchment paper in between each one and freeze. To reheat, simply pop them in the toaster or in a hot oven to heat through.

Add cayenne pepper and salt to taste.

Mushrooms are surprisingly similar in taste and texture to meat when cooked. While the mushrooms provide much of the texture and flavor, the addition of the tempeh and some mashed beans makes these burgers high in fiber and protein. Serve with some lettuce and a few slices of avocado… or your favorite condiment.

 

Jack McNulty takes you through the recipe step-by-step