Hi Savvys,

It’s the new year and if you are looking to incorporate more plants into your diet, I’ve got an easy vegan teriyaki “fish” burger that you can add to your repertoire to use all year long.  This burger is so flavourful, easy to make and is a crowd pleaser.  Pair it with a bun for a burger or use this tofu as a topping on a salad, curry and even rice!

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to share it and tag me @thesavvypantry!

Now set forth and be savvy!

Ingredients – Teriyaki Marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Bull’s eye BBQ Sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1-inch nub of ginger, grated

Ingredients – Spicy Slaw

• ½ cup vegan yogurt
• 2 tbsp sriracha (or Asian hot sauce of your choice)
• 1 tbsp pickle brine (or can use lemon juice)
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup red cabbage, sliced
• 1 cup green cabbage, sliced
• 1 green onion, sliced

Ingredients – Burger

• 4 burger buns of your choice
• 1 Block of Extra Firm Tofu, divided into 4 blocks
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp ground flax seed
• 6 tsp hot water
• 3 tbsp panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp Furikake (or 1 tbsp toasted black and white sesame seed)
• 1 tbsp oil

Ingredients – Mushroom Topping

• 1 package oyster mushroom (150 g)

Directions for the Marinade

1. Cut the block of extra firm tofu into equal squares
2. Place the tofu into a heat safe container
3. Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a small pot
4. Heat the marinade mixture over medium heat until it just comes to a roaring bubble, about 5 minutes
5. Take the mixture off the heat as soon as the marinade bubbles
6. Pour the marinade over the tofu blocks and set aside to marinate while you continue preparing the rest of the ingredients – ideally let this marinade for minimum 1 hour in the fridge – if you can, overnight is ever better.

Directions for the Spicy Slaw

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the vegan yogurt, sriracha, pickle brine, granulated garlic, granulated onion, salt and pepper until well combined
2. Add the cabbage and green onion to the sauce and toss until well combined
3. Set aside until it’s ready to assemble your burger

Directions for the Tofu

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Set up a dredging station with 3 bowls:
3. Placing the flour into 1 bowl
4. Combine the flax seed and hot water in a 2^nd bowl
5. Mix the panko breadcrumbs and Furikake in the 3rd bowl
6. Dip each piece of tofu into the flour mixture until well coated, then into the flax mixture to create a binder and then finally into the panko mixture until the tofu is completely crusted
7. Set each piece of tofu onto a wire rack over a baking sheet
8. Reserve the rest of the marinade for the mushroom topping
9. Using a pastry brush, brush oil onto the top and bottom pieces of the tofu, reserving the remaining oil to cook the mushrooms
10. Bake the tofu for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through

Directions for the Mushroom Topping

1. Wash 1 package of oyster mushrooms, peeling the large mushrooms into smaller pieces from the head down to the stem of the mushroom
2. In a medium sauce pan, heat the remaining oil from the tofu over medium-high heat until the pan gets hot, about 1 minute
3. Add the mushrooms to the pan and sautee until they start to get some nice color on them, around 5-7 minutes.  A tip to help them develop their caramelization is to not move the mushrooms too much, tossing them only occasionally so they get a chance to brown on each side
4. Let the mushrooms cook down until they are half their original size
5. Add in the rest of that tofu marinade and cook down until the majority of the marinade down until it has reduced and you’re left with a glaze on the mushrooms, about 3-5 minutes
6. Take the pan off the heat and set aside until assembly

Directions to assemble the burger

1. Starting with your buns (toasted if you like), place a mount of slaw on top of the bottom of the bun
2. Next, place a piece of your baked tofu on top of the slaw
3. Top the tofu with some of the mushroom mixture
4. Serve with your favourite sides!
5. You can also use the tofu in a salad or bun-less for a low-carb option!