Tofu Hamburg Steak
豆腐ハンバーグ · Tofu Hanbāgu
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Tofu hamburg steak is a lighter take on Japan's much-loved hamburg steak: firm tofu is mashed and mixed with ground pork, so the patties come out soft and tender rather than dense, which suits small mouths and children who are still learning to chew. The carrot and green onion are sautéed first, which softens them and brings out their sweetness, so even vegetable-shy kids tend not to notice them. Baking the patties in the oven instead of pan-frying means no flipping and no risk of burnt outsides with raw centers, which is exactly why we cook them this way in preschool kitchens.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 66 gfirm tofu
- 33 gground pork
- 13.5 gcarrot
- 13.5 ggreen onion (naga negi)Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
- 10.5 gegg
- 3.3 gflour
Seasonings
- 1.5 gvegetable oil
- 8.3 gpanko
- 1.7 gsugar
- 1.7 gsoy sauce
- 0.5 gsalt
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- green onion (naga negi) (ねぎ)
- Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
Directions
- 1
Parboil the tofu, then mash it in a colander and drain it thoroughly.
- 2
Finely chop the carrot and green onion. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté them until softened.
- 3
Combine the tofu from step 1, the vegetables from step 2, the ground pork, egg, panko, flour, and seasonings, and knead well until the mixture comes together.
- 4
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, shape the mixture from step 3 into hamburg-style patties, and arrange them on the sheet. Bake in a 200°C (400°F) oven for about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 204 kcal | 408 kcal | 204 kcal |
| Protein | 13.7 g | 27.3 g | 13.7 g |
| Fat | 12 g | 24 g | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 11.4 g | 22.8 g | 11.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Calcium | 81 mg | 162 mg | 81 mg |
| Iron | 1.7 mg | 3.3 mg | 1.7 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 204 kcal | 13.7 g | 12 g | 11.4 g | 0.9 g | 81 mg | 1.7 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 408 kcal | 27.3 g | 24 g | 22.8 g | 1.8 g | 162 mg | 3.3 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.





