The best vegan hamburger helper Easy to make and using Easy to find ingredients That you probably already have on hand. Inspired by the taste of cheeseburgers, the tofu is seasoned and cooked for a beefy flavor bite, and the pasta is cooked in a cheesy creamy sauce that everyone will love. You won’t believe it’s vegetarian!
This dish is comfort food heaven right here! Super cheesy and satisfying while being completely dairy-free and meat-free. I’ve found most Vegan Hamburger Helper recipes call for store-bought products like vegan ground beef and vegan cheese. Not only are these products expensive, but they can be difficult to find because not every grocery store carries them, and they’re not always healthy.
So instead I created my Vegan Hamburger Recipe using easy-to-find, affordable ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. For the vegetarian beef, I use extra-firm tofu that is pounded and seasoned, then dried in the oven. This makes the tofu super chewy and meaty. As for the sauce, it is made using onion, garlic, vegetable broth, simple plant-based milk (such as soy milk or oat milk), nutritional yeast, ketchup, paprika, and salt. You won’t believe how cheesy and delicious this sauce is! This recipe takes a little longer to prepare than traditional hamburger helpers, but the extra time is only needed to bake the tofu so it comes off perfectly. This recipe is easy to make and a new favorite in my house!
If you’re new to making tofu crumble, you’re in for a real treat! This crumbled and baked tofu recipe is a fan favorite on my blog. Check out more recipes that use this technique, including my Vegan Chorizo Tofu Crumbles, Vegan Tofu Taco Crumbles, Vegan Tofu and Beet Ground, Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits, Tofu Bolognese, Best Vegan Lasagna, Best Vegan Chili (and there’s more). Trust me when I say, once you start slicing tofu, you’ll never go back! Hamburger Helper never tasted so good. (And while saving the animals too)!! Now come to the recipe!
How to Make the Best Vegan Hamburger Helper:
For the tofu:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease the pan.
Mix together the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and olive oil in a large bowl. Open and drain the tofu (no need to press it), then crumble and add to the bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the tofu into chunks. Stir the tofu well so that all of the tofu is evenly coated with the nutritional yeast mixture.
Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the pan. Bake for about 30 – 35 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every so often. You want the tofu to be nice and brown. Set aside.
For Hamburger Helper:
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and begins to brown.
Add 2 cups veggie broth, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, ketchup, paprika, and salt and mix to combine. Add the pasta and stir again. Bring to a boil and cover. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente, stirring as needed, 10-15 minutes.
When the pasta is al dente, add the baked tofu flakes and stir.
Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing ¼ cup cold vegetable broth with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small cup. Pour in the slurry with the noodles and tofu and mix. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
If you have leftovers (you don’t, lol), let the pasta cool then store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in microwave.
The best vegan hamburger sides are:
- meaty
- Cheesy
- Comfort food heaven
- Easy to make
What to Serve with Vegetarian Hamburger Helper:
Cheesy Vegan Garlic Bread
Corn on the cob
Garlic Roasted Green Beans
Quick and Easy Mushroom Bacon
Grilled Butternut Squash
Everything Bagel Cauliflower steaks
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don’t forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Hungry!
Sam Turnbull.
The best vegan hamburger helper
Easy to make and uses easily found ingredients you probably have on hand. Inspired by the taste of cheeseburgers, the tofu is seasoned and cooked for a beefy flavor bite, and the pasta is cooked in a cheesy creamy sauce that everyone will love. You won’t believe it’s vegetarian!
Serving: 4
Calories: 373kcal
material
For the tofu:
- 2 table spoon Nutritional Scream
- 1 table spoon I am Willow (glue-free if preferred)
- 1 table spoon olive oil
- 1 Block (350g/12oz) Extra firm tofu
For Hamburger Helper:
- 1 table spoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion to cut
- 3 cloves garlic Minced or pressed
- 2 ¼ the cup Vegetable broth divided
- 1 the cup Plant-based milk (such as oats or soy)
- 3 table spoon Nutritional Scream
- 1 table spoon ketchup
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ the cup Uncooked Cavatapi Pasta (also called Scooby Doo) (or other small noodles) (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 table spoon Cornstarch
Prevent your screen from going dark
instructions
For the tofu:
-
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease the pan.
-
Mix together the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and olive oil in a large bowl. Open and drain the tofu (no need to press it), then crumble and add to the bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the tofu into chunks. Stir the tofu well so that all of the tofu is evenly coated with the nutritional yeast mixture.
-
Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the pan. Bake for about 30 – 35 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every so often. You want the tofu to be nice and brown. Set aside.
For Hamburger Helper:
-
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and begins to brown. Add 2 cups vegetable broth, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, ketchup, paprika, and salt and mix to combine. Add the pasta and stir again. Bring to a boil and cover. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente, stirring as needed, 10-15 minutes.
-
When the pasta is al dente, add the baked tofu flakes and stir.
-
Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing ¼ cup cold vegetable broth with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small cup. Pour in the slurry with the noodles and tofu and mix. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Comment
Gluten free: Some gluten-free pastas can be a little more starchy than wheat pasta, so if your sauce is nice and thick, you can skip adding the cornstarch slurry. If your sauce becomes too thick, add more vegetable broth or water as needed.
nutrition
Worship: 1Servings (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 373kcal | Sugars: 34g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated fats: 5g | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 657IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 3mg