These burgers are so amazing and so easy to make. It’s a combination of my two favorite meat substitutes, textured vegetable protein (tvp) and seitan/vital wheat gluten (VWG).

If you’re wondering “what in the world is TVP and Seitan??” Refer to my previous posts here:

https://autumnsvegankitchen.com/2018/12/02/seitan-appreciation-post/

https://autumnsvegankitchen.com/2019/01/10/what-is-tvp-ways-to-enjoy-it/

I like making a big batch of these to freeze for grilling & cooking later.

Be sure to read my notes/ observations if you make this recipe!

This recipe makes about 4-6 burgers.

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Ingredients:

1 Cup TVP

7/8 Cup warm vegetable broth

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

2 Teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 Teaspoons oregano

2 Teaspoons paprika

1 Teaspoon chili powder

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1 Teaspoon onion powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

3 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten (or more)

*optional* chopped onion or garlic, liquid smoke, etc.

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Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil and set aside a baking tray.

2. Rehydrate the TVP in the warm vegetable broth for 10 minutes, until fully absorbed.

3. Mix all the spices into the tvp.

4. Add the vital wheat gluten 1 tablespoon at a time. You might need more or less. You want the mixture to be wet, but hold together when you form them into patties.

5. Split dough into 4 or 6 pieces, depending on how large you want your burgers. Form mixture into patties & place onto an oiled or lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Flip halfway through baking.

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They are ready to eat once they come out of the oven, but they can be cooked again on a grill at this point. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days/ freezer up to 6 months.

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Pro tip: If you don’t have a burger press and you don’t want to get your hands dirty, use a mason jar lid.

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Notes/Observations:

– Adjust the seasonings to your liking. The tvp and vital wheat gluten are for protein & texture, they don’t have much flavor on their own.

– The burgers will cook off a lot of moisture while they bake. If your burgers come out tough and chewy, it’s because there wasn’t enough liquid, or you added too much vital wheat gluten.

-After baking, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

-If you have liquid smoke, that will really take these burgers up a notch! I can’t recommend it enough.

-The apple cider vinegar may be omitted. It is often used in seitan to cut out the gluten taste of vital wheat gluten. I notice a huge positive difference when I used ACV, but my boyfriend & others who have taste tested don’t really notice the difference 🤷🏻‍♀️.

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My Photos:

Fresh out of the oven, before grilling.

At this point they are technically ready to eat, but I like to grill them.