High-protein, gluten-free, vegan Tofu Burgers are full of bold, vibrant flavor. They're quick and easy to make and perfect for a balanced meal-enjoy them in a whole grain bun or lettuce wrap, or serve them bun-less with a fresh side salad or steamed veggies.
🔍 Quick Look: Tofu Burgers
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🎛️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 3 to 4 (10 small patties)
- 📊 Calories: ~90 kcal per burger
- 👩🏽🍳 Flavor Profile: Savory, herby, and bright with fresh basil
- 💪🏼 Nutrition: 8 grams of protein per burger, 24 grams per serving
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy and freezer-friendly, ideal for meal prep
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Tofu Burgers
- 👩🏽⚕️ Nutritionist's Note
- 👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- 🧅 Substitutions
- 📖 How to Make High-Protein Tofu Burgers
- ✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips
- 🥗 What to Serve With Vegan Tofu Patties
- 🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
- 🍽 Similar Vegan Burger Recipes...
- 👩🏽🍳 Made this recipe?
- Gluten-Free Tofu Burgers Recipe
- 🛍️ Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
- 💬 Comments
👩🏽⚕️ Nutritionist's Note
Why You'll Love These Tofu Burgers:
- Tofu delivers complete plant protein, packs in iron and calcium, and easily absorbs flavors when crumbled.
- Baked preparation reduces added calories and makes cleanup simple-no frying required.
- Minimal equipment needed-just a mixing bowl and a baking sheet.
- Well-seasoned and texturally satisfying, ideal for a variety of meals.
- Flexible serving options-serve in a whole grain bun, lettuce wrap, or alongside vegetables or salad.
👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.
- Super-firm tofu: Creates the meaty, hearty base and holds everything together without being watery. It gives structure while staying tender inside.
- Chickpea flour: adds body and helps bind the mixture. It also gives a subtle nutty flavor and prevents the patties from feeling mushy.
- Fresh basil: brings brightness and freshness that cuts through the richness of the tofu.
- Thai red curry paste (or harissa, or pesto): provides concentrated flavor - spice, aromatics, and savory notes all in one spoon.
- Tomato paste: adds umami and slight sweetness while helping create a richer, more cohesive texture.
- Cilantro or parsley: lifts the whole dish with a fresh, herbal finish.
- Sriracha adds a balanced heat with a hint of sweetness, tanginess, and garlic flavor. It's not just spicy-it brings a layered, savory depth.
- Coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce): Coconut aminos is a versatile, soy-free, low-sodium alternative to soy sauce, great for marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and dressings. Coconut aminos taste slightly sweeter and contain less sodium than tamari or soy sauce.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities.
🧅 Substitutions
This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.
- Cilantro - use parsley, mint, or fresh herbs of your choice instead
- Coconut aminos - substitute with gluten-free tamari for gluten-free, or soy sauce
- Chickpea flour - almond, all-purpose, whole wheat pastry, or a different gluten-free flour will work
- Shallots - use red onion or green onion as desired
- Thai red curry dressing - substitute with harissa or pesto
For more healthy burger recipes, visit my Vegan Burgers page.
📖 How to Make High-Protein Tofu Burgers
The complete recipe with exact amounts is below. These additional tips will help you get the best results.
- If using super-firm tofu, simply pat the block dry. If using extra-firm, give it a quick press first to remove excess liquid.
Crumble the tofu finely so it mimics a ground-meat texture - this helps the patties hold together and absorb flavor evenly.
- Use your hands to mix in the seasonings and fresh herbs thoroughly - this helps distribute flavor evenly and gives you better control over texture.
- Gently squeeze the mixture so it holds together, then shape patties firmly but without overpacking to prevent cracking while baking.
- Bake on a lined or non-stick sheet until golden, flipping halfway. Optional for extra browning: Pan-fry the patties on both sides before baking.
- I enjoy serving these on toasted pumpernickel with quick-pickled red onions and a chipotle sauce for extra crunch, tang, and depth of flavor.
- Or add a drizzle of my Thai dressing and serve as desired.
✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips
These simple steps help preserve freshness and flavor:
- Storage: Store cooked Gluten-free Tofu Patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet, air fryer, or oven to bring back crisp edges.
- Meal Prep: Batch prep these burgers as they freeze well. Let them cool completely, then layer between parchment and freeze in a zip-top bag or glass container for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer. Great for quick lunches, wraps, or salads throughout the week.
🥗 What to Serve With Vegan Tofu Patties
Pair them with my Best-tasting Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing that's packed with nutrients!
This 6-ingredient Red Cabbage Salad is packed with antioxidants, takes just 5 minutes to make, and compliments these burgers perfectly.
If you have half a head of cabbage and 15 minutes, pair these tofu patties with my Easy Asian-Style Cabbage Stir Fry. It's light and crunchy.
This 5-minute vibrant Cabbage Carrot Salad combines the crunch of shredded cabbage and carrots with the rich flavors of pistachios and sesame seeds.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
The starch in the flour helps to bind the patties and give them their extra crispy outsides once baked.
These vegan burgers are oil free. Skip pan-frying and bake directly on parchment or a silicone mat. They still brown nicely and hold together.
Yes. Air fry at 375°F for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and firm.
🍽 Similar Vegan Burger Recipes...
👩🏽🍳 Made this recipe?
Let me know your thoughts on Gluten-Free Tofu Burgers by leaving a ⭐️ rating below or sharing them on Instagram.
Gluten-Free Tofu Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 to 16 ounces super-firm tofu or extra-firm tofu (see notes)
- 5 ½ tablespoons chickpea flour or all-purpose, whole wheat, or almond
- ½ cup chopped basil leaves packed
- ½ cup diced shallots (about 1 large)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste or harissa, or pesto
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley, packed
- 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sriracha optional
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or tamari
- Salt to taste
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EQUIPMENT
- Oven or airfryer
- 1 Large baking sheet nonstick or lined
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Crumble tofu: In a large bowl, crumble the tofu into chunks resembling ground meat.
- Prepare patty mixture: Add the chickpea flour, basil, shallots, Thai red curry paste, cilantro, tomato paste, sriracha, and coconut aminos. Add salt to taste. Use your hands to incorporate the ingredients and massage into a dough-like texture.
- Make the patties: Form about 10 small patties, each palm size.
- Optional: For crispier patties, pan-fry each side in a large skillet, with a drizzle of olive oil, for about 3 minutes on each side before baking.
- Bake on a non-stick or lined baking sheet for about 7 minutes, or until golden on top. Flip the patties over and bake for about another 7 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown.
Notes
- Nutrition facts: This recipe makes approximately 10 small/mini burgers. Nutrition facts are based on a single patty. Serving size is 2 to 3 patties per person.
- Use super firm tofu for maximum protein—no pressing required. If using extra-firm tofu, press briefly to remove excess liquid.
- Flour: All-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, gluten-free flour, and chickpea flour will all work in this recipe.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos.
- Use a food processor (optional) to quickly crumble the tofu into fine, even pieces for better binding.
- For serving - Drizzle with this popular Thai Dressing on my site.
- Batch prep: These wraps freeze well. Let them cool completely, then layer between parchment and freeze in a zip-top bag or glass container.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
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Nina says
I recently made these and they were so nice and something different. Simple ingredients as well. What would you suggest if were not keen in basil as the main herb.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
You can use mint or chopped green onion. Or increase the cilantro.
Pam says
I made this for dinner for my daughter and I. I must say I've tried several tofu recipes but this one is the best so far. Even my picky young adult enjoyed it. I did saute the shallots before adding to the mixture and added a bit more red curry paste and siracha. I pan fried then placed in over. They were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The only thing I did not like was the chipotle sauce. Maybe I should have tried a different sauce. Overall another great recipe from you. I still make your lentil & oats on repeat. I'm not vegan but trying to eat better due to my diagnosis of pre-diabetic and high cholesterol. Can you do more recipes to combat these diagnosis?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. Glad you enjoyed them. I have several sauces here you can try https://cookingforpeanuts.com/vegan-dressing-recipes/ My recipes (at least over the past 2 years) are all diabetic-friendly and designed to keep cholesterol levels low. I have several doctors who recommend my site to their patients for this very reason.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for sharing your adaptations. So g;ad they still worked.
Hilary says
So good! I make these on a regular basis and eat them with salads or grains.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I love these flavors and so happy you enjoyed them too. Thank you.
Mary says
I love this tofu burgers recipe! I've tried several of your recipes and all have been delicious. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for leaving a comment and I am glad you enjoyed these burgers!
Helen says
First time making "veggie burgers" and they're so good! Used chickpea flour and they held together perfectly. Made them as part of a meal prep plan - can't wait to come home hungry and tired from next crazy work day!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad they worked out! I would love coming home to these too! Thank you.
Chelsey says
These are fantastic and so easy! Perfect for my vegetarian daughter on burger night Thank you =)
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you tried these! They are a fave:) Thank you.
Hinke says
Just made the burgers without the dressing and served it with some thai peanut and quinoa salad, and can say that they’re a winner! Even my nonvegan family loved it! 🙂
Nisha Melvani says
It makes me so happy to hear that. Thanks for commenting. Have a great weekend.
Jennifer Kurani says
So tasty & easy to make!
Nisha Melvani says
Glad you enjoyed it.