Servings: 6

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (I used dried shitakes) 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (I used dried shitakes)
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
3 T smooth almond butter 3 T smooth almond butter
3 T tamari or soy sauce 3 T tamari or soy sauce
2 T nutritional yeast 2 T nutritional yeast
1/4 C finely chopped onions ¼ C finely chopped onions
2 tsp minced garlic 2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 C panko bread crumbs ¾ C panko bread crumbs
Olive oil for the pan (I used olive oil spray) Olive oil for the pan (I used olive oil spray)
6 whole wheat hamburger buns or sandwich size pitas (I used spinach herb tortillas) 6 whole wheat hamburger buns or sandwich size pitas (I used spinach herb tortillas)
Lettuce and sliced tomatoes for topping Lettuce and sliced tomatoes for topping
Vegan mayo Vegan mayo

In a blender, pulse the porcinis until they become a powder. This should take 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on your machine.
In a medium bowl, mash the tofu until it resembles ricotta cheese. Use a potato masher or your hands. Add the almond butter, tamari, nutritional yeast, onion, and garlic and mix it up. Last, add ½ cup of the panko bread crumbs and mix until everything holds together. Definitely use your hands for this part, to really get in there and mush everything up adequately.
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Form patties using about ⅓ cup of the mixture for each. Spread the remaining ¼ cup bread crumbs out on a plate. Press each patty into the bread crumbs on both sides to coat.
Pour a thin layer of olive oil into the pan. It should be enough to cover the bottom of the pan, with some excess. Cook the patties for about 6 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Drizzle in a little extra olive oil if necessary.
Serve in buns with lettuce, tomato, and vegan mayo.
I served these delicious burgers with roasted potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, fresh fruit and fresh tomatoes.