Vegan Teriyaki Burgers
These Hawaiian-inspired vegan teriyaki burgers are the meatiest and tastiest on the planet! If you love teriyaki chicken, you’re going to love this plant-based homemade burger! It starts with a blend of TVP and vital wheat gluten with a little beet puree thrown in for a meaty color. Then, it’s flavored with the perfect blend of garlic, ginger, red onion, and teriyaki sauce. It’s topped with a grilled pineapple slice and spicy teriyaki mayo. It’s a great vegetarian option for cookouts and guaranteed to be your new favorite summer veggie burger.
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Whenever T and I order vegan burgers from our favorite neighborhood spot (Little Man’s), T always gets the teriyaki burger – an Impossible Burger patty coated in teriyaki sauce and topped with a freshly grilled pineapple slice.
And EVERY time T gets this burger he raves about it like it’s the first time he’s ever had a burger. At first, I rolled my eyes and thought (aloud), “What’s even the point? Why are you ruining a good burger with fruit – FRUIT does not belong on a burger!!”
Well, long story short – I recently learned how wrong I was. Teriyaki sauce on burgers is everything. Pineapple on burgers is everything. Sliced red onion and spicy teriyaki mayo on a burgers is EVERYTHING. My senses have been awakened, and I am NEVER going back.
In fact, I don’t think I want to eat anything else for the rest of the summer. This is the PERFECT summer soiree or poolside party burger!
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Why We Love This Plant-Based Burger Recipe:
- They are so meaty! These are not your ordinary, everyday veggie burger. These are vegan meat, and there’s no doubt about it when you bite in.
- The flavor is slap-you-in-the-face delicious. The flavor of the actual burger on its own is insane, but when you add a grilled pineapple slice, some raw or sauteed red onion, and the teriyaki mayo on top…HEAVEN.
- Leftovers can be frozen for later. Leftovers, LOL!! But you can make extra and freeze them for later.
- They’re cheaper than buying store-bought vegan burgers. A lot cheaper, and you get the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself.
- You can make them on the stove, in the oven, or in the air fryer! And although we haven’t tried it yet, we also think these burgers would be great on the grill!
- DID I MENTION THE FLAVOR?! Seriously though, the combination of sweet, savory, and spicy just makes the mouth dance with every bite!
Vegan Teriyaki Burger Ingredients
Surely, almost everyone is familiar with teriyaki sauce; but most of us never use this pleasantly piquant sauce beyond a stir fry or similar dish. Today, my friends, that changes.
Some of the ingredients for this teriyaki burger may be new to you if you’re new to vegan cooking, but I swear they’re not as scary as they seem. Follow the recipe (full amounts and directions at the bottom of this post) and you’ll be a pro in no time!
For the burger patties, you’ll need:
- A can of sliced beets
- Refined coconut oil
- Red onion, ginger, garlic, and scallions
- Vegan chicken-style bouillon powder and ground black pepper
- Textured Vegetable Protein (also known as TVP)
- Teriyaki sauce* and soy sauce
- Vital wheat gluten
*We use store-bought teriyaki sauce from Sky Valley for this recipe (SO GOOD!), which helps make it super easy to put together quickly. But I want to address a question we get a lot first:
Is teriyaki sauce vegan friendly? Teriyaki sauce at its most basic is soy sauce, mirin or sake, ginger, and sugar. Many, if not most, of the teriyaki sauces available on the market are vegan, but you still want to make sure you read the ingredients as some companies may add honey as the sweetener or use worcestershire or fish sauce in their ingredients. But what do vegans do best? Read labels! 🙂
Substitution Options for Teriyaki Veggie Burgers
For the beets:
I wouldn’t recommend subbing anything for the beets since the texture and water content are pretty important to the mixture. And if you’re a beet-hater like me, don’t worry. You can’t taste them AT ALL in the burger. This is coming from someone who has to hold her nose when she makes the beet puree, and I cannot stop eating these vegan teriyaki burgers.
For the refined coconut oil:
Make sure you use a coconut oil labeled “refined” and not one with the words “unrefined” or “virgin” on the label. (Refined coconut oil doesn’t have that coconut flavor.) You can also sub another high-heat oil like canola oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil. Or make it oil-free by sauteing in some vegetable broth. But note, this will somewhat take away from the meatiness / fattiness of the burgers.
For the red onion:
Feel free to sub yellow or white onion if you don’t have a red onion. It will be a different flavor, but it will work.
For the fresh garlic and ginger:
You could sub dried minced garlic and ginger, but I would add them with the TVP rather than at the beginning in the oil.
To replace the scallions:
You can sub chives or even ramp for scallions, if that’s what you have!
For the bouillon powder:
We use our homemade bouillon powder for best results. This gives the whole burger a “teriyaki chicken” vibe! If you have bouillon paste, sub ½ the amount. Any other mix of seasonings here would also work like a beef-less bouillon powder, steak seasoning, or poultry seasoning.
For the TVP:
This might work with other vegan ground meats (like Gardein, Beyond, etc.) but we haven’t tried it. TVP is an ingredient that comes in dehydrated form, so my worry is that the consistency of the recipe would be off if you subbed something different, so you would have to play around with the amounts.
For the teriyaki sauce:
We love to use Sky Valley’s teriyaki sauce, but feel free to switch this up with your favorite (or even a mix of whatever you have on-hand!)
For the soy sauce:
Tamari works for gluten-free. Bragg’s liquid aminos will also work here!
For the wheat gluten:
For a gluten-free version, you can sub chickpea flour. You won’t have to knead the mixture for as long and the burgers will not be as meaty as they are with the gluten, but they’re still really good!
How to Make Vegan Teriyaki Burgers
Step 1: Make the beet puree.
First, you’re going to make the beet puree that will add a bright pink color and a subtle earthy flavor to our vegan teriyaki burgers. Not to mention, nutrients! (Burgers are my favorite way to get my beets.)
You’ll dump the whole can of beets (water and all) into the food processor. Then, fill the empty can to the brim with water and dump that in too. Finally blend!
You’ll only need 1 cup of this mixture for the burgers, so make sure you measure that our first. Otherwise, it’s easy to forget and dump the whole thing in with the TVP which will be a big mess (trust me, I know LOL!). I usually freeze the leftover beet puree for future burger-makin’ or add it to blended soups and smoothies.
Step 2: Saute the veggies.
Next, you’ll saute the red onion, garlic, and ginger in the refined coconut oil and sprinkle in the bouillon and black pepper. I like to add all the seasoning to the veg while they saute and before we add the rest of the ingredients because it REALLY infuses the flavor in these vegan teriyaki burgers!
Step 3: Rehydrate the TVP.
Then, you’ll add the TVP, scallions, 1 cup of the beet puree, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce. Stir everything together and cook this mix on low for about 10 minutes with the cover on. You’ll remove the cover once to stir, and be sure to scrape the bottom so you don’t get those burnt TVP pieces.
Step 4: Add the gluten.
Now, you’ll remove the burger mixture from heat, transfer it to a large mixing bowl, and stir in the vital wheat gluten. You want to make sure you stir it until there are no dry spots remaining.
Then, let the mixture cool for at least 10 minutes because next, you’re going to get in there with your hands and knead for about 2 minutes.
I know this may seem weird, but if you’ve ever made seitan, you get it! Kneading this mixture will activate the gluten giving these vegan teriyaki burgers a stringy / meaty texture that is a seriously nice touch.
Step 5: Form the burgers.
Finally, you’ll form your burgers. I like to make big burgers, so I usually use about ½ cup of the mix per patty, but feel free to use ⅓ cup if you want smaller burgers.
We use a simple 3-step process for forming all our vegan burgers:
- Roll the mixture into a ball and give it a firm squeeze between your hands. The squeeze is important because this is what keeps the mixture compact! Put some biceps into it. 🙂
- Gently flatten the burger ball into a patty. Don’t do this carelessly (a lesson I’ve learned the hard way); take your time!
- Go around and clean up the edges of your patty and any cracks that may have formed while flattening. The final step for homemade burger patty success!
Step 6: Cook the burgers.
We’ve included several methods for cooking these vegan teriyaki burgers in the recipe card below, including:
Grilling Note: We haven’t grilled these particular burgers ourselves, but others have grilled our classic TVP burger recipe with success! They come together quite well, so I can see why they would do well on a grill. If you do have concerns, you can use a grill guard/basket like they make for grilling vegetables.
How to Serve Vegan Hawaiian-Inspired Burgers
These vegan teriyaki burgers are going to be the TALK of the town this summer once you make them for your first post-quarantine cookout! Serve them warm on a fluffy hamburger bun with your favorite sides and toppings and our amazing spicy teriyaki mayo!
Toppings for Vegan Teriyaki Burgers
Sides for Vegan Teriyaki Burgers:
- Sweet potato fries or chips. These vegan teriyaki burgers go SO well with sweet potato fries, and that teriyaki sriracha mayo doubles as a fantastic dipping sauce for those fries!
- Rice. Speaking of keeping things light, these burgers would also go well with a side of rice – maybe even some pineapple rice!
- Side salad. You could also do a side salad with the spicy teriyaki mayo if fries and chips aren’t your thing. You may need to thin it a little with some unsweetened plant milk!
- Corn! Boil some corn on the cob, lightly brush some teriyaki sauce on, sprinkle a little chili flakes, and finish them off to bake in a 350F oven for about 5 minutes.
Teriyaki Burger + Wine Pairing
I was honestly pretty stumped on what wine to pair with this vegan teriyaki burger at first because there’s so much going on here – spicy, sweet, and umami flavors from the teriyaki sauce and earthy undertones from the beets, fat from the oils, and that sweet and gently acidic grilled pineapple on top – not to mention the spicy teriyaki mayo!
I turned to a house favorite – a light-bodied and fruity Louis Jadot Beaujolais for this vegan teriyaki burger, and it worked PERFECTLY.
Beaujolais has just enough body to hang with the fat and umami flavors but fruity enough to not overpower the pineapple. And the lower alcohol content tames the spicy flavors beautifully.
How to Store Leftover Plant-Based Burgers
This vegan teriyaki burger recipe makes about 6-8 burgers depending how big you’re making them, making it great for a family dinner or meal prep / freezer meal prep! Veggie burgers hold up great in both the fridge and freezer.
IN THE FRIDGE: Let the burgers cool completely (ideally, on a wire rack). Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
IN THE FREEZER: Store burgers in the freezer after letting them cool completely. First, freeze them completely spread out on a baking sheet. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. This will ensure they don’t stick to one another while frozen. Let them defrost in the fridge for 24 hours or on the counter for 12 hours. You can also just reheat them from frozen (see below)!
HOW TO REHEAT: Whether you’ve baked, air-fried, or pan-fried your burgers initially, I always like to reheat them on the stove top in a pan, following this process:
- Place the patties in the frying pan, cover, and turn the heat to medium high.
- When the pan gets hot (about 5-7 minutes), move the burgers to one side, drizzle about 1 tsp – 1 ½ tsp into the exposed areas of the pan and cover again immediately so the patties can steam.
- When the water is evaporated, flip and cover again until warmed through. This technique will take a little longer if reheating frozen patties, but works just as well!
More TVP Recipes:
I hope you’ll try this teriyaki burger recipe! (PS – If you dig this flavor combo, you’ll also love our Pineapple Teriyaki Tofu!)
I also hope it brings you as much joy as it has us! We can’t wait to hear all about what you and your loved ones think about this recipe.
When you make it, let us know by rating the recipe and leaving a comment below or tagging us in your vegan burger photos on Instagram. If you’re not already hanging out with us over there, we are @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.
Cheers to burger season!
Vegan Teriyaki Burgers
Ingredients
For the beet puree:
- 1 15-oz can sliced beets
For the burger:
- 3 Tbsp refined coconut oil
- 1 small red onion minced
- 1.5 tsp fresh minced ginger
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp vegan bouillon powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 cup dry TVP Textured Vegetable Protein
- 1 cup beet puree
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp chopped scallions
- 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten*
For the spicy teriyaki mayo:
- ¼ cup vegan mayo
- 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
- 1 Tbsp sriracha
For serving:
- Sliced red onion
- Pineapple slices
- Lettuce
- Hamburger buns
Instructions
- MAKE THE BEET PUREE: First, make your beet puree by dumping the whole can (water + all) into a blender or food processor. Fill the empty can to the brim with water and pour that in too. Then, blend on high until no chunks of beets remain. Measure out 1 cup from this mixture and set it aside to use in your burger.
- SAUTE THE VEGGIES: Next, melt the refined coconut oil in a large deep saute pan on medium heat. Add the minced red onion, garlic, and ginger and stir to coat. Then, add the bouillon powder and black pepper and stir again to make sure everything is coated. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is nice and fragrant.
- ADD THE GLUTEN: Remove the pan from heat and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Then, stir in your vital wheat gluten, + allow the mixture to cool down for about 10 minutes. . When the mixture is cool enough to touch, get in there with your hands and start kneading the mixture for about 2 minutes. This will activate the gluten and make the burgers super meaty!
- FORM THE BURGERS: Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture and use clean, dry hands to form your patties. Start by rolling the mixture into a ball and squeezing tightly to make sure the mixture is as compact as possible. Then, gently flatten your burger ball into a patty and finish by fixing any cracks that form around the edges.
- TO BAKE: Bake these vegan teriyaki burgers on a lightly oiled baking sheet at 400F for 10 minutes, then carefully flip each burger and bake another 10-15 minutes.
- TO PAN FRY: Pan-fry your burgers, 2 at a time, in 1 Tbsp refined coconut oil on medium - medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- FINISHING TOUCHES: Make the spicy teriyaki mayo by mixing together all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. To cook your pineapple slices, pan-fry them in a non-stick pan over medium high heat until lightly browned on each side.
- FOR SERVING: Serve these vegan teriyaki burgers on a bun topped with the pineapple slice, sliced red onion, lettuce, and a slathering of spicy teriyaki mayo next to a big pile of sweet potato fries. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a week or the freezer for up to 8 weeks.
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