A gentle, plant-based tofu hamburger steak with no soy meat. Soft in texture and perfect for meal prep. Great for kids and adults alike!
If you love Japanese comfort food but want to keep things plant-based, this vegan Japanese-style hamburger steak (hambāgu) is for you!
It’s soft, juicy, and packed with flavor—without using any soy meat or store-bought substitutes. Just tofu, vegetables, and a few seasonings bring everything together.
This recipe is inspired by the classic Japanese hambagu, often served with sweet-savory sauce over rice. It’s a staple in Japanese home cooking and a kid-friendly favorite. Our version is not only vegan but also freezer-friendly and packed with umami.
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🧂 Why You’ll Love This Vegan Hambagu
- No soy meat or processed vegan meats – just whole, plant-based ingredients.
- Mild and comforting flavor that’s perfect for both kids and adults.
- Easy to batch-cook and freeze for meal prep.
- Pairs perfectly with rice, mashed potatoes, or steamed veggies.
- A great intro to vegan Japanese cooking!
For those who prefer tomato-based Western food, we also recommend our Vegan Bolognese. Even without meat, it is a hearty and satisfying dish 😋.
🍔 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to get started:
Vegan Hamburger Steak Patty
- burdock root
- onion
- maitake mashroom
- garlic
- Firm Tofu : I prefer to use Taishi's Icchoyose Momomen
- Dried koya dofu (freeze-dried tofu) : I recommend Shin-Asahi Tofu as the patty mixture becomes easier to bind together
- ketchup
- potato starch (or cornstarch)
- sake, mirin, salt and pepper
Vegan Hamburger Steak Sauce
- ketchup
- mirin
- soy sauce
- Bull-Dog VEGETABLE FRUIT SAUCE(SEMI-SWEET)
- grated garlic
🌱 For Flavorful Vegan Hambagu
1) Get the Veggies Right
The secret to a truly delicious vegan Japanese hamburger steak is all in how you prepare the vegetables.
Start by finely chopping your veggies, then place them in a pot or pan. Sprinkle with a little salt, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for about 5–10 minutes. This gentle cooking method draws out the natural flavors and moisture, making the patties rich and savory—no need for fancy ingredients!
2) Must-Have Ingredients
Make sure to include burdock root, onion, and maitake mushrooms in your mix. These ingredients are essential for achieving that deep, umami-packed flavor. If you can't find maitake mushrooms, shimeji or other mushrooms will work, but maitake gives the patties that extra "meaty" taste.
Thanks to these flavorful veggies, your tofu-based hamburger won't taste bland at all. Instead, it’ll be bursting with taste—and as a bonus, you’ll get plenty of fiber, too!
For exact amounts, please check the printable recipe card👇
🧙🏻♀️ Instructions
It is made in three steps: making the patty mix, cooking, and making the sauce.
STEP1. Patty Mix Making
1. Drain the tofu
First, wrap the tofu in paper towel, place a weight on it (about four times of tofu weight), and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Cut vegetables
Soak koya-tofu in water until soft, squeeze well to drain, and tear into small pieces by hand. And finely Chop the vegetables.
💡Make sure the burdock root is finely chopped to prevent the hamburger from falling apart.
3. Saute vegetables
In a pan with oil, add the vegetables and a pinch of salt, sauté briefly, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
💡Give it a stir now and then so it doesn't burn.
4. Put ingredients in a bowl
When the sautéed vegetables are done, put all the ingredients together in a bowl.
5. Mix
Mix well by squeezing the mixture with your hands.
6. Check
If the mixture is soggy, refrigerate it well to make it easier to shape. If it's good to go, you can start cooking.
STEP2. Cooking
7. Shaping
Divide the patty mixture into four equal parts and shape them up.
💡To stop air getting into the patty, just pump them back and forth between your palms as if you were playing catch. This'll release the air and stop them from collapsing.
8. Cooking
Get a frying pan nice and hot, add a bit of oil and then place the rounded patties on the pan so they don't stick together. Brown on both sides over a medium-low heat, then add 50 ml of water, put the lid on and steam over a low heat.
💡When the surface starts feeling springy, you've got it. If it's sticky, just add a bit more water and steam for longer.
STEP3. Making Sauce
9. Simmer the sauce
Combine sauce ingredients in a frying pan and mix well.Then heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
10. Serve
Finally, pour the sauce over the vegan Japanese hamburger steak! Bon appétit!
🪞Tools
- kitchen knife
- chopping board
- Frying pan (Yanagi Sori iron frying pan )
- spatula
- bowl
🧸 Storage
Once you're done cooking the hamburger, you can store it in a storage container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
If you want to keep the patty mixture, do the same and put them in a storage container in the refrigerator. In this case, cook and use up the day after you make them.
🪄 Tips For Making Good Shaped Hamburgers
Drain the tofu well
The trick to making this vegan hamburger is to drain the tofu. Make sure you drain it really well by putting enough weight on it. If you don't do this, the burger will end up being soggy.
This makes it easy to fall apart when you're pan frying it, and the texture when you're eating it isn't as good as it should be. It takes a bit of time and effort, but it's worth it for a delicious vegan hamburger steak!
Chop burdock as finely as possible
Also, if the burdocks are chopped too coarsely, the patties will fall apart easily while cooking, so cut them as finely as possible. If you have a food processor, we suggest using it.
🎁 Questions
If you're using Taishi's Ichoyose Momen, keep in mind that the weight can vary quite a bit from one piece to another. One time the tofu weighs 420g, another time 400g, and the weight of the tofu is different each time. So, we drain the tofu for 6 hours with a weight on top, and then take 125g from the weight and use that. This method ensures a consistent tenderness every time you make it.
If the patties are too soft, try to avoid steaming by adding water and covering with a lid. Instead, cook slowly and uncovered over low heat until the inside is fully cooked. This will take more time, but the patties will cook more evenly and won't fall apart.
If that doesn't work, try baking it in an 180°C oven for 15-20 minutes without preheating. It won't be as brown as we'd like, but it'll be cooked through and the shape will stay intact. This approach is easier and less stressful.
👨🏻🍳 Recipe Using Leftover Tofu
Here are some uses for leftover drained tofu:
🎈 Vegan Recipes For Spaghetti Lovers
If you try this recipe, please share your thoughts in the COMMENTS 🐒. Also feel free to ask any questions or leave any requests!
📖 Recipe Card
Vegan Japanese Tofu Hamburger Steak(hambagu)
Equipment
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- frying pan
- Spatula
- Bowl
Ingredients
A Ingredients for Patty Mixture
- 70 g burdock root
- 70 g onion
- 50 g maitake mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon garlic (finely chopped)
- oil
- 1 pinch salt
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
B Tofu for Patty Mixture
- 380 g firm tofu
- 1 koya tofu (freeze-dried tofu) (16.5g before being rehydrated)
C Seasoning for Patty Mixture
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- black pepper
E Sauce
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Bull-Dog VEGETABLE FRUIT SAUCE(SEMI-SWEET) (to taste)
- grated garlic
- water (if needed)
Instructions
Preparation 1 : Drain tofu
- Wrap a piece of tofu (about 380g) in kitchen paper and place it on a tray. Place a weight (1600g) about 4 times the weight of the tofu on top and let it drain in the refrigerator overnight (about 6 hours). *You can apply weights to the tofu by placing it between two trays to drain it. For example, you can use a 1-kilogram bag of sugar or a plate as a weights.380 g firm tofu
- When the tofu has reduced in weight to about 250 grams, remove it from the refrigerator and pat the surface dry with paper towel. Use only about half of the tofu (125g) for the patty mix. *Use leftover tofu in another recipe.*Because the weight of tofu can vary, even if you drain one piece overnight, it might not weigh 250g. So, after you drain the tofu overnight, you should use only 125g of it. This method ensures a consistent tenderness every time you make it.
Preparation 2: Tear koya-tofu into pieces
- Soak the koya tofu in water, drain thoroughly when soft, and break into small pieces by hand. Crush the tofu between your fingers to make it finer.1 koya tofu (freeze-dried tofu)
Preparation 3: Cut vegetables
- Finely chop vegetables in A. Chop burdock especially finely to end up with a nice patty.70 g burdock root70 g onion50 g maitake mushrooms1 teaspoon garlic
Patty mixture making
- Sauté the vegetables in A in a pan with a little oil. When they begin to brown, add salt and pepper. Cover the pan immediately and cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes. This will bring out the flavor of the vegetables and produce a delicious vegan hamburger steak. Saute until the onions are soft and the burdock is cooked. Stir occasionally with the lid open to prevent burning.oil1 pinch saltblack pepper
- Add the mirin and sake and cook, skimming off the water. When thoroughly cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool.1 tablespoon sake1 tablespoon mirin
- Combine sauteed vegetables, drained tofu, crushed dried tofu, and seasonings in a bowl. Mix well by squeezing the mixture with your hand. *If the mixture is soggy, refrigerate it well to make it easier to shape. If it's good to go, you can start cooking.2 tablespoon ketchup1 tablespoon potato starchblack pepper
Shaping
- Divide the patty mixture into four equal parts and shape them up. *To stop air getting into the patty, just pump them back and forth between your palms as if you were playing catch. This'll release the air and stop them from collapsing.
Cooking
- Get a frying pan nice and hot, add a bit of oil and then place the rounded patties on the pan so they don't stick together.oil
- Brown on both sides over medium-low heat, then add 50 ml water, cover and steam over low heat until evaporated. *If the surface is still sticky, flip the patties again and add another 50 ml of water and steam. When the patty is firm and springy, it is ready.
Sauce Making
- Add all the seasonings except the water from E to the pan in which the patties were cooked, stir, and cook over low to medium heat until thickened. Keep stirring with a spatula to prevent burning.2 tablespoon ketchup1 tablespoon mirin½ tablespoon soy sauce1 tablespoon Bull-Dog VEGETABLE FRUIT SAUCE(SEMI-SWEET)grated garlic
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, simmer it well to remove the ketchup acid first, then add water to thin it as you like.water
Serving
- Place cooked vegan hamburger patties on a plate and top with sauce. Serve with rice and grilled vegetables to your liking.
💬Did you try this recipe? Let me know how it turned out in the comments— or mention #vegin_vegan_vegun or just tag us @veginveganvegun with your delicious creations!
Kou says
I've never been a huge fan of vegan hamburgers made with oatmeal or soy meat, but I really appreciate that this vegan hamburger can be made without either!
Vegin Vegan Vegun! says
I'm glad you liked it! Thank you.