Pickled Plum | Easy Asian Recipes
Beyond Beef Hambagu (ハンバーグ)

This is a plant based version of the classic Japanese hamburg steak – and it tastes just like the real thing! Made with Beyond Beef Ground Beef, the patties are moist and tender and the gravy (also vegan!) is a perfect mix of umami and sweetness. Your kids will love this recipe!

What is Hambagu?

Hambagu is the Japanese equivalent of a hamburger steak, or Salisbury steak. It’s a family friendly dish that’s served in households, conbini (convenience stores), and family restaurants all across Japan.

The dish consists of ground meat mixed with a variety of ingredients such as onions, egg, and breadcrumbs. It is then topped with a sweet, tangy, and smoky sauce, and served with a side of Japanese rice.

It’s considered a comfort food in Japan, a meal that’s easy and quick to make for busy moms and dads.

What is Beyond Meat?

Beyond Meat is a US company that offers plant based meat alternatives such as hamburger Patties, ground beef, meatballs, sausages, and breakfast sausages. It’s a great alternative to using tempeh, tvp, or seitan, since the texture, looks, and taste of Beyond Meat are shockingly real.

I’ve used their products several times in recipes that require meat and served it to meat eaters without telling them they were eating a vegan dish. No one ever said anything and were shocked to find out later on that they had just enjoyed a plant based meal!

I’m not getting paid to write this post by the way, nor have I received any compensation – I just really love the taste of their meat substitutes.

Here are some of the ingredients Beyond Meat uses to make their products:

• Pea, mung bean, fava bean, brown rice, cocoa butter, coconut oil, beet juice extract, apple extract, iron, salt, and potassium chloride.

Where can I buy Beyond Meat?

Pretty much anywhere these days, in the US that is. They are also widely available in Canada but I’m not sure about Europe and Asia.

You can find Beyond Meat products at Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, Costco, and most grocery stores. They are usually displayed in the meat alternative section or frozen section.

Ingredients for Beyond Beef Hamburg Steak

• Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground: I have made these hambagu using both Beyond Beef Ground and Beyond Burger Patties. They both turned out great but it was harder to shape the mixture with the Beyond Patties which is why I recommend using the Beyond Ground. But feel free to use either one!
• Onion: As you can see in the image above, my onions were somewhat finely chopped but could have been smaller. It ended up working well but I would recommend taking the extra minute to chop your onion very finely to yield an even nicer texture.
• Garlic: The garlic is there to add a little pungency and warmth. I’m only using two cloves but feel free to add more if you are a garlic lover.
• Soy sauce: A little soy sauce is added to the mixture to give these hambagu umami and savoriness.
• Oat milk: Unsweetened oat milk is the type that should be used since we only want to add a little creaminess but not any sweetness or some weird vanilla aftertaste (yuck!).
• Panko breadcrumbs: The panko breadcrumbs are also used as a binding agent. You can use regular breadcrumbs too.
• Salt and pepper: Salt and pepper may be needed to season the hambagu if you feel like they could use a little extra flavor. It’s totally optional.
• Flaxseed egg: You will need to make a flaxseed egg to bind the mixture. Making one is very easy,  you just need to mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoons water and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
• Gravy: A mixture of extra virgin olive oil, flour, mushroom broth, soy sauce, ketchup, mirin, sugar, and water.
• Parsley: You can use curly or flat leaf parsley, both are fine. I’m using it as a topping and to add a refreshing element to the dish.

How to Make Beyond Beef Hamburg Steak

1. Gather all of the ingredients for the recipe.
2. Begin by adding the ingredients for the patties in a bowl – except for the oil and flour- and use a spoon to combine. Take your time mixing the ingredients until they are well combined.
3. Shape into a ball and use a knife to cut the ball into four equal sections.
4. Cover your hands with a little oil and take one section of the ball. Form the mixture into an oval shape that’s about 1 inch in thickness.
5. Sprinkle a little flour on the patty to prevent it from getting too sticky and place it on a plate. Repeat the same step for the remaining three sections.
6. Place a medium or large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, put two patties into the skillet and lightly press them down. Cook for 6 minutes and flip them over. Cook for an additional 6 minutes and transfer them to a plate. Repeat the same steps for the remaining two patties and turn the heat off.
7. Grab a small skillet or pot and turn the heat to medium. Add the olive oil and flour and stir for 1 minute.
8. Whisk in the mushroom broth, soy sauce, ketchup, mirin, and sugar. Keep stirring and cooking for about 3 minutes, until the texture turns into a gravy. Turn the heat off and season with salt and pepper if needed. If your gravy is too thick, stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of hot water. For gravy clumps: pour the gravy through a strainer to get rid of the bits.
9. Pour the gravy over the hambagu and top with freshly chopped parsley.

What to Serve with Hambagu

What do you serve with vegan hamburg?

Vegan sides of course!

And yes, you can serve brown rice with it but the traditional way is with Japanese rice (I personally prefer Japanese rice).

Here are some of my favorite vegan Japanese sides to serve with this dish :

• Japanese watercress salad
• Green salad with Japanese restaurant style carrot ginger dressing
• Edamame with soy and sesame sauce
• Nasu dengaku
• Spaghetti squash yakisoba style

Did you like this Beyond Beef Hambagu Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Beyond Beef Hambagu (ハンバーグ)
Pickled Plum | Easy Asian Recipes.