This simple copycat Vegan Fish Burger is coated in crispy breadcrumbs and filled with a flaky and succulent fishy tofu fillet. Healthy, gluten-free and plant-based and the ideal dinner to wow your friends and family! I made a Vegan Big Mac so had to make this too!
Where I’m living, I can’t get hold of convenience vegan foods, which leaves me with no choice but to attempt to imitate them by making them from scratch. It’s hard work at times, but the experimentation is worth it, especially if the taste is just right! Tofu is my go-to for meaty textures – mushrooms too but – but tofu really gets meaty after freezing.
Freezing tofu allows the water to be pressed out once it has thawed which leaves it with a magically meaty texture. It becomes more like a sponge which is great to absorb sauces and stocks and other such flavourings.
So for the infamous Filet O Fish which I used to love, I decided to make a copycat plantbased version and I think it came out pretty well. I also made the cheese slices (nut-free), which I will get a recipe up for at some point.
Questions about Vegan Fish Burger
How to make a Vegan Fish Burger?
To make a fish burger you need tofu for the filling and a sheet of seaweed for the fish flavour. The tofu must be frozen then thawed to get the flaky, meaty texture of fish. This is then coated in a cornstarch paste and finally a breadcrumb mix before being deep fried until golden brown.
Are burgers healthy?
This version of Vegan Filet O Fish is a healthier option due to a reduced number of processed ingredients and it can also be baked rather than fried.
What is vegan fish made of?
Vegan Filet o Fish in this recipe is made predominantly from tofu which is then coated in a cornstarch and breadcrumb mix before being cooked in oil.
What happens when you freeze tofu?
When tofu is frozen, the water inside freezes (and there is a lot of water). When this is thawed, the water can be squeezed out leaving a flaky textured tofu behind.
Burger Substitutions
- Gluten-free breadcrumbs can also be used
- Additional spreads and fillings can be added alongside the tofu fish fillet in the bun
- Fillets can also be cooked using an air fryer or deep-fried – though deep-frying will increase the energy (calorie) content of this recipe.
This vegan fish burger is…
- Tender
- Crispy on the outside
- Made with tofu
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Plant-based
More Recipes to Try…
Save for Later
If you don’t have time to make this fish burger now, click on any image on this page to add it to your Pinterest list. Fancy more inspo? Come see me on Pinterest for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert ideas.
Made this Recipe?
If you had a go at this fish burger, be sure to give me a shout on Instagram at @food_flaneur so I don’t miss out on your creations and give your post some love!
Fish Burger Recipe
Vegan Fish Burger
Ingredients
- 400 g firm tofu frozen then thawed
- 1 large nori sheet
- 8 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 150 ml plant milk
- 200 g breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- Oil to cook
Instructions
- Squeeze out all of the water from the tofu between two chopping boards and leave to rest.
- Cut into 4 squares.
- Cut the nori sheet into squares that roughly fit the shape and size of the tofu fillets, using a dash of water to stick to the tofu.
- Mix 4 tbsp cornstarch with the milk and leave aside.
- Mix the remaining 4 tbsp cornstarch with the onion and garlic powders and dust the tofu.
- Dip the dusted tofu in the cornstarch paste.
- Then dip into a bowl filled with the breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 200C until golden brown, flipping halfway.
Notes
- Gluten-free breadcrumbs can also be used
- Additional spreads and fillings can be added alongside the tofu fish fillet in the bun
- Fillets can also be cooked using an air fryer or deep-fried – though deep-frying will increase the energy (calorie) content of this recipe.
This was incredible!!!! Best vegan fish sandwich ever!!!
PBG
Aww thank you so much Don Mushroom! xXx
What temperature did you bake these at?
200 degrees celsius 🙂 Sorry I will add that to the recipe
Looks fantastic, thank you! Is it possible to make these ahead of time and freeze for a quick meal?
Aww thank you Cath. I’ve actually not prepared these in advance and then re-frozen, but I think for food safety reasons, probably not good to re-freeze the tofu again. The other option could be to maybe prepare the tofu chunks when you buy the block fresh so they’re already cut up, then just squeeze out liquid from that specific chunk and then coat it and cook it. Or another option could be to prep the burger fully with the fresh tofu then bake/fry straight from frozen, though not sure how the texture would be. I might give it a try and will let you know if I do. Let me know if you do it first though! Did you have a go at making these already? Reena xXx
Thank you so much. Not yet – busy toddler mamá (hence quick prep question – thought when I finally get to it I could make a batch!) but am really looking forward to trying them soon! They sound delish! Thank you!
You definitely sound busy Cath! Aww well I hope you enjoy them (when you get around to doing the cooking!) and do let me know how it goes 🙂
I’m a slow learner. For people like me, I noticed that you added other toppings like cheese and tarter sauce by looking at the picture. Any special recipe for vegan tarter? And what vegan cheeses go beat with this? Can’t wait to try it.
Hi Jackie, good question and one that I can answer! For vegan tartar, I used vegan mayonnaise with chopped gherkins, capers, fresh dill and lemon juice – was so good! I also have a recipe for vegan cheese that you can slice but you can also buy vegan cheese slices if you don’t fancy making it from scratch! Hope that helps! I should probably put up the recipe for the tartar sauce!xXx
This looks incredible, can’t wait to try! Just want to ask – is there a specific brand of breadcrumbs that you use for this recipe? In the images you posted, the filet looks beautifully crispy; I’ve never been able to get my tofu quite as crispy as I’d like it to be, and was wondering if there’s any special trick to it.
Hi Drew, actually I usually just use whatever stale bread is lying around and stick it in a processor to crumb it up! Then use that but stale bread is the best, I’ve not got a favourite – the crispiness is more related to the cooking method. Baking works but using an air fryer would probably be better though I don’t actually own one – not yet anyway! The oven has worked well for me but the air fryers can be a bit more efficient in terms of energy and much quicker too so I’ll give them a whirl! Let me know how it turns out! Reena xx
The filet looks shimmery so I’m wondering if this was fried and not baked?
I used an air fryer and a spray oil 🙂
Hi I was wondering if a Burmese tofu would work the same?
Hi Kim, Oh interesting question, I’ve actually never used Burmese tofu, it’s made with chickpeas right? I guess you could try the same method. Is the texture the same as regular soybean tofu? Reena x
I don’t see why not 🙂
Absolutely delicious and definitely filling. Easy to make. I air fried them.
Thats great to hear Paulette! Thank you for the feedback xx