Edamame Tofu Tsukune (Vegan Japanese Glazed Patties)
Tsukune are the soft, glazed patties you find skewered at Japanese yakitori bars, usually made with ground chicken. This vegan version starts with well-drained firm tofu instead, mixed with grated nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam) and a little flour, and studded with bright green edamame for color and bite.
The patties are browned in sesame oil, then finished right in the skillet with a sweet soy sauce and mirin glaze until shiny. They're filling enough to be the main dish with rice and a soup, and small ones tuck easily into a lunchbox.
Ingredients
- Firm tofu10.6 oz (1 block)
- Shelled edamamefrozen is fine, thawedscant 1 oz
- Nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam)2.8 oz (about 1 1/4 inches)
- Toasted sesame oil1 Tbsp
Patty mix
- All-purpose flour1.6 oz (about 1/3 cup)
- Sugar1 tsp
- Soy sauce1 tsp
- Grated gingerfresh or from a tube1 tsp
Glaze
- Sugar2 Tbsp
- Mirin2 Tbsp
- Soy sauce2 Tbsp
Nutrition
per serving🛒 Ingredient notes & substitutions
Nagaimo: Sold in the produce section of Japanese and Korean grocery stores (sometimes labeled Chinese yam or ma). Japanese yamaimo can be used the same way.
Edamame: Chopped lotus root works too and gives the patties a crunchier bite.
Soy sauce: Use tamari for a soy sauce that's usually wheat-free (the flour in the patties still contains gluten).
Instructions
Wrap the tofu in paper towels, set it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave at 600 W for 3 minutes. Rewrap it in fresh paper towels, put something heavy on top, and leave it about 5 minutes to drain thoroughly. Peel and grate the nagaimo.
In a bowl, combine the drained tofu, grated nagaimo and all of the patty-mix ingredients. Add the edamame and mix until evenly combined, then shape into patties of whatever size you like.
Heat the sesame oil in a skillet and cook the patties until browned on both sides. Add the glaze ingredients, turn the heat to medium-low, and keep cooking, spooning the sauce over the patties until they're glossy and coated.
Tips
Draining the tofu well is what keeps the patties from falling apart, so don't skip the weight. The tofu-draining time is for a 600 W microwave; most US microwaves are more powerful, so a little less time will do.
The grated nagaimo is the secret to the texture — it binds the mix and makes the patties soft and springy rather than dense. Raw nagaimo can make your hands itch, so peel and grate it with gloves on if you're sensitive.
The glaze is on the bold side, which makes these great with plain rice and in bento boxes.