Tamari Almond Tempeh Burger

Name: Tamari Almond Tempeh Burger
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 blocks tempeh; 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce, (low sodium); 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, (minced); 1/3 cup raw almonds; 1 tablespoon olive oil, (for cooking); 4 hamburger buns; 2 avocados, (for serving (optional)); Lettuce or other leafy greens, (for serving (optional)); Sliced tomato, (for serving (optional)); Dijon mustard or other condiments ((optional))

Thick tempeh burger, crusted with chopped almonds and marinated in a tamari dressing. These burgers are high in protein, flavorful and completely vegan!

Happy Monday! I’m starting the week with a delicious tempeh burger. A burger that also happens to be weeknight-friendly. 30 minutes, 1 bowl (plus skillet) and no preparation ahead required! This is my kind of burger.

I’m leaving for New Brunswick in a little over 1 week and I’ve been testing a crazy amount of recipes before my 3 weeks away from home. Mostly, I’ve been testing burgers and other freezer friendly recipes so that Shaun has a freezer full of meals while I’m gone. Spoiled, right? I’m pretty sure he’ll be eating veggie burgers every meal while I’m gone.

These burgers may not fall under the category of freezer friendly, but they’re (almost) just as easy as taking out a veggie burger from the freezer to cook.

How to make the tamari almond tempeh:

Making almond-crusted tempeh can be a bit tricky, but perfection is not the point here. It’s delicious no matter what.

All you need to do is chop the almonds into small pieces (large pieces might be harder to stick). Press each side of the tempeh on the chopped almonds, making sure to press hard enough to make them stick.

Keep in mind that not all the almonds will stick perfectly. Some of them may fall during cooking. This is OKAY. Just toast them in the skillet along with the tempeh and serve them in the burger. It’s a delicious, crunchy and salty burger filling.

Marinating the tempeh:

The marinating time is minimal in this recipe. I personally just let it sit in the simple marinade while I prepare the rest of the recipe. So no more than 10 minutes.

If you want to make this ahead, you can leave it to marinate overnight. In this case, I would only press the almonds into the tempeh after marinating it. This way, the almonds won’t get soggy. Full disclosure: I haven’t tried marinating them longer, I like to keep it simple. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

I hope you’ll enjoy this tempeh burger as much as we do!

Looking for other veggie burgers? Try this black bean burger or this chickpea burger.

Tamari Almond Tempeh Burger

Thick tempeh burgers, crusted with chopped almonds and marinated in a tamari dressing. These burgers are high in protein, flavorful and completely vegan!

Course Main Course

Cuisine vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings 4

Ingredients

2 blocks tempeh
1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce, low sodium
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup raw almonds
1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking
4 hamburger buns
2 avocados, for serving (optional)
Lettuce or other leafy greens, for serving (optional)
Sliced tomato, for serving (optional)
Dijon mustard or other condiments (optional)

Instructions

Chop the almonds into small pieces. Smaller pieces stick better to the tempeh.
Cut each block of tempeh in half, making 2 patties per block.
Press both sides of the tempeh on the chopped almonds to make them stick. Repeat with all the tempeh patties. You'll need to press hard for them to stick. Set aside.
Prepare the marinade: In a shallow bowl (big enough to fit all the tempeh), whisk together the tamari, balsamic vinegar and garlic. Place the tempeh in the bowl to marinate. Flip them around after a few minutes to marinate both sides. Set aside until ready to cook (there's no need to marinate them long, I just set it aside while I heat the skillet and prepare the other ingredients).
Heat oil in a non-stick skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
Place the tempeh and cook 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes, watching it closely to avoid burning.
Serve in hamburger buns with fillings of choice.

Notes

Some of the almonds may fall off during cooking. This is okay. Let them toast in the skillet along with the burgers (watch closely to avoid burning), then serve them in the burgers for a delicious crunch.

You can omit the almonds in this recipe for a simple burger or if you have a nut allergy.

This tempeh is also great served in salads, bowls or sandwiches.

If you make this tamari almond tempeh burger, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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