Tofu burgers can be a great alternative at a barbecue for people that might not want to eat meat. Tofu is a wonderful way for people to quickly and easily create something protein-rich. But, what is the best way to store them? Can they be popped into the freezer?
Can You Freeze Tofu Burgers?
Yes, you can freeze tofu burgers for up to 3 months. We recommend freezing the tofu burgers solid on a baking sheet before storing them in a freezer bag or container until youāre ready to defrost and cook.
Do Do Tofu Burgers freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Tofu Burgers? No
How to Freeze Tofu Burgers
Freezing tofu burgers is fairly simple but it is a good idea to freeze them initially on a baking tray before storing them for the longer term. Here is our method for freezing them successfully;
- Freeze on a Baking Tray: We would recommend placing as many tofu burgers as you would like to freeze onto a baking sheet before transferring that sheet to your freezer – ensure that the burgers have a little space between each of them.
- Bag Up: After a few hours in the freezer, those tofu burgers should have frozen solid. Transfer the tofu burgers to a freezer bag or container, pressing out as much excess air as possible.
- Label and Freeze: Write a clear label on the bag or container and then pop it into the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
3 Tips for Freezing Tofu Burgers
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing tofu burgers to have the best results:
Be Aware of the Benefits
Freezing tofu burgers can alter their molecular structure a little during the freezing and thawing process to make them chewier and more capable of absorbing marinades over time. This is a brilliant way to ensure that the tofu burgers are as tasty and textured as possible.
Freeze Solid Beforehand
This is a great way to ensure that you donāt end up with a collection of tofu burgers that are āweldedā to one another with ice. It would likely be impossible to separate them while frozen, which is less than ideal.
Don’t Worry about Freezer Burn
In this case, because the tofu burgers are almost entirely protein, with a little extra in them, the burgers arenāt susceptible to freezer burn. This means that while theyāre at their best when theyāve only been in your freezer for three months, a little longer wouldnāt harm them.
How Long Can You Freeze Tofu Burgers?
You can freeze tofu for up to three months before the moisture content of the tofu crystallises, causing freezer burn.
Once this sets in, the tofu burgers themselves will have a completely ruined texture, leading to a disappointing burger option for dinner.
To extend the time that you can freeze your tofu burgers, weād suggest wrapping a batch of them in parchment paper or butcherās paper – frost will form on the paper, not the burgers themselves.
This, in turn, will lead to less freezer burn on burgers than there could have been.
Homemade tofu burgers will last for around 3 to 5 days in the fridge. They should be kept on a plate and covered with a sheet of cling film.
How Do You Defrost Tofu Burgers?
The best way to defrost tofu is to treat it like meat – transfer frozen tofu burgers from the freezer to the fridge, allowing them to come to fridge temperature overnight slowly.
You could thaw tofu at room temperature, but this is less than ideal.
Fridge thawing is great for tofu because if you were to thaw tofu at room temperature, it would likely end up sitting in a puddle of water, ruining the texture of the tofu itself further.
To avoid this, thawing the tofu burgers on a plate with a trivet set on top can be a wonderful way to do things.
Can You Refreeze Tofu Burgers?
Technically, yes, you can refreeze tofu burgers. With that said, though, we arenāt sure that weād recommend it.
As tofu freezes and thawed, its molecular structure changes, making it chewier and more able to absorb marinades and sauces well.
If this process were repeated several times, the structure of the tofu would be altered an awful lot. While that might be something really tasty, itās much more likely to be a dry, chewy husk of the tofu that you once bought, looking forward to.
Do Tofu Burgers Freeze Well?
Yes, tofu burgers freeze exceptionally well! When we talk about how well or badly something freezes, weāre talking about how much of its actual quality it maintains over the time it is frozen.
If you freeze a tofu burger and marinade it as you bring it back to fridge temperature for cooking, youāll be massively improving the final texture and flavour of the tofu itself.
This is because the freezing and thawing process makes tofu much chewier than its regular self and increases the protein sourceās ability to soak up the marinade.
Therefore, thawing the protein source in the fridge while marinating it is a great way to go about things.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing tofu burgers or tofu in general, then these may help:
Ground tofu can be frozen. Place portions of ground tofu into freezer bags, seal them up and freeze. It’s important that you freeze it in individual portions as you cannot refreeze ground tofu.
This depends on the brand of the burger. Some plant-based burgers can be frozen but others, such as Beyond Burgers, can only be frozen if they are purchased frozen.
