Tempeh Burger with Sundried Tomato Pesto

Tempeh burger with sundried tomato pesto, on a homemade wholemeal bread roll.

As you are probably aware, zinc is an important mineral that we need in small (yet vital) amounts. Some body functions we need zinc for include:

• Healthy hair
• Healthy skin
• Strong immune system
• Wound healing and blood clotting
• Thyroid function

The top food sources of zinc include animal products, so zinc deficiency can become common in vegans.

However, zinc isn’t too hard to find if you’re eating a balanced, healthy vegan diet. Zinc can be found in wholegrains, leafy green vegetables, avocado, legumes, nuts, spirulina, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Tempeh burger <3

This tempeh burger is bursting with zinc. I tried to calculate just how much zinc is in one of these babies but that turned out to be difficult.

I guesstimate there’s about 2mg of zinc in one burger. Adult women need around 8mg, and adult men need around 14mg, although it is recommended that women/men vegetarians/vegans aim for 12mg/21mg respectively (50% higher than the set RDI).

Zinc can be hard to absorb from grains, but leavening with yeast (as I do in this recipe) can help the zinc become more bioavailable.

Tempeh Burger with Sundried Tomato Pesto

These tempeh burgers are a delicious meal, packed with zinc-rich ingredients. Follow this recipe to make your own wholemeal bread rolls too!

Recipe type: Main

Serves: 8

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

Bread rolls

• 1 3/4 cups warm water
• 1 tbs raw sugar
• 1 tbs dried yeast
• 2 tbs chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 cups wholemeal flour
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Tempeh

• 300 g tempeh
• 1/2 cup tomato puree (passata)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Pesto

• 280 g jar sundried tomatoes in oil (reserve oil)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1 clove of garlic

Toppings

• As desired: baby spinach, shredded carrot, red onion, or any other salad vegetables.

Instructions

 

Bread rolls

• Combine the warm water (not higher than 40C), sugar and yeast in a non-metallic bowl, leave to rest for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
• Add the chia seeds, salt and flour, mix until a smooth dough forms.
• Knead with your hands for 5 minutes.
• Place the dough on the counter, covered with the upside down bowl, leave to rest for 2 hours.
• Knead again, divide into 8 pieces.
• Place on a baking tray, brush with water and sprinkle with pepitas.
• Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• Bake at 180C/350F for 30 minutes or until golden.
• Let cool while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Tempeh

• Cut the tempeh into 8 equal pieces.
• Combine the tomato puree and cayenne.
• Dip the tempeh pieces into the tomato mix.
• Preheat a cast iron griddle over a medium heat.
• Grill the tempeh for 7 minutes on one side, flip, grill for another 7 minutes.

Pesto

• Blend the sundried tomatoes, oil from the jar*, parsley and garlic in a high speed blender until smooth.

Burger assembly

• Cut open a bread roll.
• On one half, spoon on 1-2 tablespoons of pesto, add salad ingredients and tempeh.
• Top with the other bread roll half.
• Devour.

Notes

*If you don’t have the oil from the sundried tomatoes, you can use ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tbs balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves.