The Best Tempeh Veggie Burger
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Published May 15, 2018, Updated Jul 05, 2023
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A delicious veggie burger that’s made with tempeh and holds together so well you can cook it on the grill! Added bonus, it’s packed with plant-based protein and it’s vegan + gluten-free! This post is sponsored by Lightlife.
“This is my favorite tempeh dish you’ve ever made.” Bold statement courtesy of Mr. Isaac. But that’s how good this tempeh burger is!
I’m so glad I created these burgers just in time for grilling season. We honestly grill all year long, and by we, I mean Isaac. I don’t personally grill until it’s warm enough to stand outside for 15 minutes or longer. Right now is the prime time! The warm weather + longer days = a winning grill combination.
I’m pretty picky when it comes to veggie burgers. A lot of them have crappy ingredients, are soft and mushy, and don’t have a lot of protein. This tempeh burger isn’t any of those things. First up, this is a veggie burger that is packed with plant-based protein which means it will actually fill you up! I try to eat protein with every meal and this burger makes it easy.
Another win: the flavor. The veggies, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar and spices… they all come together to make the tastiest vegetarian (and vegan!) veggie burger you’ve ever had.
Lastly, the texture! It isn’t mushy in the slightest and it holds up so well on the grill.
I’ll definitely be making these for barbecues and cookouts this summer with friends. Pair them with a tasty sweet potato salad, broccoli raisin salad, jicama fries or sweet potato fries and you’ve got yourself a full meal.
In terms of what brand and type of tempeh to buy, I always recommend Lightlife. It’s the best of the best! For these veggie burgers I really like the Garden Veggie variety, but any of the Lightlife tempeh will work! Learn more about tempeh and see some of my other favorite tempeh recipes.
Pro tip: To make sure these burgers hold together well when grilling, let the mixture sit in the fridge for a couple hours before forming into patties. There’s nothing worse than a crumbling burger, am I right?
Tempeh Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz package Garden Veggie Lightlife tempeh
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/4 cup grated carrots
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 Tablespoons oat flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon tamari
- 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- nonstick cooking spray
- buns and toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Cut block of tempeh into 4-6 pieces and place in a pot with water and a steamer basket. Steam for about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with ½ Tablespoon olive oil. Once oil is warm add the onion and carrots into the skillet and cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Let cool.
- Put the cooked onion and carrot mixture into a food processor with the steamed tempeh, nutritional yeast, oat flour, flaxseed, balsamic vinegar, tamari, coconut sugar, garlic powder, chili powder and paprika.
- Pulse until everything is chopped and combined — just don’t over-process the mixture because you want the burgers to have a little texture.
- Transfer the tempeh mixture into a large bowl and let chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
- Once chilled, form mixture into 2-3 patties. Heat grill to medium heat. Spray grate with nonstick spray and add the patties. Cook each side until browned, about 6-7 minutes total.
- Put the burgers on a bun and serve with condiments of your choice. I used spicy mustard, onions, lettuce and ketchup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m looking forward to trying this! Do you think it will work in an air fryer?
Thanks!
Joseph
Roanoke, VA
Hi Joseph – I haven’t tried it in the air fryer, but I am sure it would work, I’m not sure on temp or time though. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out, enjoy!
Didn’t bother to cook the onions and carrots, used turmeric rather than chili powder & processed it until big chunks were broken down. I also don’t think it’s necessary to refrigerate it when the onions and carrots are raw but I did anyway. DELICIOUS! And yes, the nutritional yeast is imperative.
Talking to myself as usual 😆 – I cooked them on a griddle. They definitely would not have made it on the grill as I did them. Still delicious recipe.