Homemade Soy Meat Burgers — Vegan Hamburguesas de Carne de Soya Recipe

Versión en Español

Homemade soy meat burgers, or hamburguesas de carne de soya, are vegetarian patties made with rehydrated textured soy protein, a sautéed mix of onion, green bell pepper, and garlic, soy sauce, cumin, ají de color, and wheat flour as a binder, pan fried until golden. They take 45 minutes of preparation and about 10 to 20 minutes of cooking, and serve 4.

They are a favorite for vegetarian and vegan diets, close in texture and flavor to a traditional beef burger but free of preservatives and additives.

How to Make Soy Meat Burgers?

Textured soy needs a binder. Here it is flour, which together with the sautéed vegetables and the squeezed soy forms a firm dough, so the burgers are vegan with no egg. The soy is rehydrated, squeezed dry, seasoned, mixed with the sofrito and flour, shaped into patties, and cooked in a pan or in the oven.

Nutritional Information

Each soy meat burger contains approximately 300 kcal, 28 g of protein, 5 g of fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 39 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of sugars, 9 g of fiber, and 350 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Soy Meat Burgers Recipe

Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes in a pan or 20 minutes in the oven
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 200 g of textured soy protein (soy meat)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup (125 g) of all purpose flour
• 1 onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• Olive oil
• Ají de color (Chilean paprika)
• Ground cumin
• Fine salt
• Black pepper

Instructions

1. Depending on its size, crush the textured soy a little if needed, place it in a medium bowl, and cover with room temperature water to rehydrate. In a large skillet, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat, add the chopped onion and bell pepper and, if you like, the garlic. Lower the heat a little and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes.

2. Drain the soy and squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Add a pinch of cumin and ají de color, the soy sauce, and the sofrito, then add the flour little by little until the mixture is firm but not dry. Taste and season with salt and pepper. With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls and flatten them carefully into patties.

3. In the same skillet, heat a little more oil over medium heat and cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side, until golden but not dry. You can also bake them in an oven preheated to 180°C (356°F) for about 20 minutes, turning them halfway. Serve on their own, with salad or homemade fries, or in a bun with tomato, lettuce, and your favorite vegan cheese.

Additional Tips

Squeeze the soy well

Removing the excess water keeps the mixture from turning soft or falling apart, and helps the burgers hold their shape while cooking.

Make them gluten free

If you avoid gluten, replace the wheat flour with a gluten free flour such as oat or rice flour.

Add more vegetables

Grated carrot, cooked beet, sautéed mushrooms, merkén, or chopped cilantro all give the burgers a more personal flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is it important to squeeze the soy well?

Removing the excess water keeps the mixture from becoming soft or crumbly, which helps the burger keep its shape as it cooks.

2. Can I freeze soy burgers?

Yes. Once shaped, freeze them separated with parchment paper for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from frozen, adjusting the cooking time.

3. What vegan binders can I use?

Mashed potatoes, ground flaxseed with water (1 tablespoon plus 3 of water), ground oats, or even mashed cooked chickpeas all work.

4. How can I vary the recipe?

Add grated carrot, cooked beet, sautéed mushrooms, or a touch of merkén or cilantro to give it a more personal flavor.

What Is Soy Meat?

Soy meat, or textured soy protein, is made by extruding defatted soy flour, mainly a byproduct of soybean oil extraction. Its ability to absorb flavors and mimic a fibrous meat texture made it a staple of vegetarian cooking worldwide.

Origin of Textured Soy

Textured soy protein was developed commercially in the 1960s through an industrial extrusion process. It is sold dry in granules or chunks, keeps for months in the pantry, and only needs to be rehydrated in water before cooking.

Did You Know?

Dry textured soy protein contains about half its weight in protein, which makes it one of the most concentrated and affordable plant protein sources available.

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