These meatless hamburger steaks are really amazing. The texture is EXACTLY like what I remember hamburger being like, and Mr Thrifty concurs. The taste is most delicious, though the flavour could be tweaked to make it more meat-like if you so desire.
The hamburger steaks are a combination of TVP, gluten, minced veggies and seasonings. They’re formed into steaks and steamed, then pan-fried. They hold together very well, and would probably work great on the barbecue.
A thinner version of these would make fab burgers as well.
A note on ingredients: Marmite lends a rich, salty taste. If you don’t have it, try adding some veggie “beef” bouillon powder instead. The gravy browning is optional, but adds a nice dark colour.
Vegan hamburger steaks
| British | American | |||
| 100ml | water | 1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon | ||
| 50g | textured vegetable protein (TVP) | 5/8 cup | ||
| 1/2 teaspoon | Marmite | 1/2 teaspoon | ||
| 10 drops | gravy browning (optional) | 10 drops | ||
| 75g | finely chopped onion | 2/3 cup | ||
| 60g | finely chopped mushrooms | 3/4 cup | ||
| 50g | finely chopped red pepper | 1/4 cup | ||
| 3 tablespoons | olive oil | 3 tablespoons | ||
| 3 tablespoons | soy sauce | 3 tablespoons | ||
| 2 tablespoons | tomato puree (tomato paste) | 2 tablespoons | ||
| 2 tablespoons | steak sauce or barbecue sauce | 2 tablespoons | ||
| 1/2 teaspoon | vegan Worcestershire sauce | 1/2 teaspoon | ||
| 50ml | water | 3-1/2 tablespoons | ||
| 30g | uncooked porridge oats (oatmeal,) ground |
1/4 cup | ||
| 1-1/2 tablespoons | nutritional yeast | 1-1/2 tablespoons | ||
| 130g | vital wheat gluten flour | 1 cup |
1. Bring 100ml (1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon) water, Marmite and gravy browning to a boil in a small pot. Stir in TVP, off heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy skillet and saute the onion, mushrooms and red pepper for 10 minutes, until softened.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine TVP with cooked vegetables. Add soy sauce, tomato puree (tomato paste), steak sauce or barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and 50ml (3-1/2 tablespoons) water. Mix well, then stir in ground oats and nutritional yeast.
4. Sieve the gluten flour over the wet mixture and combine well.
5. Divide mixture into four portions and shape into oval steaks. Wrap each steak in baking paper, then in aluminium foil.
6. Bring water to boil in a pot that has a steamer insert. Steam steaks for 40 minutes over gently simmering water, switching positions halfway through (bottom steaks on top and top ones on bottom). Check water level regularly to ensure the pot does not boil dry and add boiling water as necessary.
7. When steaks have finished steaming, let cool. Unwrap and saute until lightly brown.
Makes four hamburger steaks.
They look delicious!
Oh my goodness, I think you have answered my prayers!!! I use to love hamburger steaks..thank you thank you thank you!!
Just this morning I purchased my very own jar of Marmite..never tried it before. Spread it on a bagel and yes, a bit intense but a very good taste. I’m very excited to have a new recipe to try to use this new purchase 😉
Did you hear about the newly discovered Atlantic garbage patch? Plastic, plastic everywhere..I am trying so hard to avoid it but it’s a literal plague. Look forward to hearing how your anti-plastic adventures are going!
Hi Amanda — Yes, I’ve heard about the ocean garbage dumps. Aren’t they awful? Plastics ARE a plague, that’s exactly the right word.
This looks really yummy. As do your delicious-looking sides. Are those carrots? And I see sprouts. What is the other dish? Looks like I want to eat it, whatever it is! YUMYUMYUM.
Hey CM — Yep, shredded carrot salad, roasted sprouts and the other is roasted potatoes. Yum is right!
That looks delicious!
i’ve just found this site – omg i want to cook ALL of your recipes now. your coconut/cherry flapjack – Y U M. one quick question – want to try your mock chicken seitan but can’t find “chicken” vegan stock cubes – any ideas in UK???
:)))))
Hi, I know this is several years too late, but you can find vegan chicken stock cubes on iHerb.com
hi alison — The closest I’ve found to a chickeny taste is the low-salt Marigold vegetable bouillon powder. The “regular” Marigold bouillon powder isn’t vegan, and the organic vegan one doesn’t taste as good as the low-salt one, imo. I usually just add salt if necessary 😀
thanks for the info about the marigold bouillon – i use that reduced salt vegan one already – its really tasty so i’m happy that you think that’s a good one to use 🙂 now i can go and make these (only found your website yesterday and i’ve already made the coconut/cherry flapjacks)
btw the flapjacks were SO GOOD. My husband, 2 picky sons and 1 flapjack “expert” (lol) daughter says they are the best ever. thanks again (just hurrying off to throw away my old flapjack recipes haha)
i tried the flapjacks and LOVED THEM so now i’ve tried these hamburger steaks. They were incredibly good. All the family loved them – this is DEFINITELY a repeatable – full of flavour and lovely texture. Thanks again.
This is the only vegan hamburger steak recipe I can find anywhere! I am excited to try these, but I don’t have a pot with a steamer insert. Any ideas? I wonder what would happen if I just sauteed them for 6 minutes or so on each side?
Hi Lauren — I don’t really think you’ll get the same texture by just sauteeing them. Wrapping them before cooking creates a firmer texture as the mixture is constrained by the wrapping and the end product is more dense. I personally don’t like fried raw gluten/seitan… I always precook it first before frying.
If you have a metal colander that can be set over a pot, that may work as a steamer, or perhaps a metal trivet placed on the bottom of a pot with a small plate on top (the water not touching the bottom of the plate, though. I know that you can also steam stuff in a slow cooker, so if you have one of those, that may work as well.
These look AWESOME!!!!!
I made these last night and they are freaking amazing! You remember me telling you about the Granose burger mix? Well these are pretty darn close! My favourite burger recipe EVER and one I will use time and time again. You’re a star!!
Hi, These look delicious. I don’t really want to go out and buy steak, barbecue or worcestershire sauce. Could either/both tomato ketchup or brown sauce be substituted. We have never had any of these 3 sauces so wouldn’t want to buy them for just this recipe incase we didn’t like them.
Thanks
Sandra
UK
hi Sandra — Try a tablespoon each of ketchup and brown sauce instead of the steak/barbecue and Worcestershire sauces. That should work fine.
Hi Felicity, Can’t wait to try your steak recipe but what is gluten? Is it wheat?
Hi Isabel — Gluten is vital wheat gluten flour. I’ve changed the ingredients list to make that more clear; thanks 🙂 I use Bob’s Red Mill brand.
Do you think there is a way I can make these Gluten free. I need a good gluten free recipe.
thanks
Sorry, not tried to make these gluten-free, and I don’t tend to experiment with GF recipes.
What could I use in place of Marmite? I don’t have any… thanks!
Hi Nancy — you can try adding small amount of vegan “beef” bouillon powder or cubes, or even some additional soy sauce.
I just found this site and I feel so lucky! This is the best burger ever and even fools meat lovers! It tastes and chews like a beef burger. Amazing! I know I’m posting several years after everyone else, but it’s still the best burger ever!
I found all the ingredients right here in St. Louis…so happy! This is the best burger ever and even fools meat lovers! It has the appearance, taste and chew of an actual beef burger!