If there’s a Filipino comfort food dish I have been contemplating for the longest time, it would be burger steak. Burger steak is a Filipino-style salisbury steak popularized by a HUGE fast food chain in the Philippines. If you know, you know. And since we are getting into the theme of cozy comfort food, for the cooler seasons, why not start with an umami bomb with vegan burger patties and a rich coconut mushroom gravy. You heard correctly, my friends, coconut mushroom gravy burger steak. Only on The Earth Kitchen!
Quite frankly, once it hits the fall recipes, I tend to gravitate towards food with gravy on top. But can you really blame me? Your girl love comfort classics. So let’s get started!
WHAT IS BURGER STEAK
Burger steak is known to be served with rice at a popular fast food chain. Traditionally, it’s a burger patty made from pork and beef – known for its fatty, savory flavors. Filipino style burger steak is normally considered as the “budget friendly” fast food. I was not, in particular, much of a fast food franchise junkee back in college (while I was studying in the Philippines), but I did enjoy this dish. With fries, of course. Potatoes are life. And, yes, while you can actually eat this with crispy potatoes (trust me, it’s delish!) – you’ll need the full Filipino experience.
THE PROCESS
Making everything from scratch, from the patties to the gravy, may seem time consuming but it’s actually pretty easy. And, you may think, “here she goes again with easy multiple steps!” But it really is and you can, honestly, make this dish within an hour. There are three steps you’d need to remember:
- PREP YOUR PATTIES – Constructing it from scratch and letting it chill for a little bit.
- COOK YOUR PATTIES – By searing on each side to brown the exterior.
- CREATE YOUR GRAVY – And this would be your last step that will put everything together!
PREP YOUR PATTIES
You will start off by choosing the perfect plant-based meat substitute for you. I, personally, love the Impossible Burger. It’s delicious and neutral in flavor. It also absorbs any desired flavor very well. Feel free to use whatever you feel works for you. However, please keep in mind that taste will vary and may not appear exactly as using the Impossible Burger. You will need the following ingredients:
- Choice of plant-based meat substitute
- Panko bread crumbs (ensure it’s free from animal ingredients)
- Vegetarian “oyster” sauce or mushroom stir fry sauce
- Brown sugar
- Low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
- Garlic & onion powder
- Salt & Pepper
Once you’ve got your ingredients down, assemble the patties and divide into six equal pieces. Form the patties and place it on a baking tray or a wide dish. You’d want to make the patties rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that it’s easier to cook. I would highly recommend searing the exterior of the patties before cooking it in gravy, just so it gives a nice color and, overall, texture.
And yes, these patties are freezer friendly! So you can freeze for up to a month but I’m sure it would be all gone by then!
CREATE YOUR GRAVY SAUCE
As if the flavors aren’t enough from the patties, we’re creating a rich and creamy coconut gravy sauce. Again, while this may seem intimidating, making your own gravy, it’s really not that hard! Trust me, this is even better than watery, tasteless gravy mixes!
KEY INGREDIENTS (FULL RECIPE LISTED BELOW) :
- Yellow or white onions – you will caramelize this to release the full sweetness and flavor of the onion.
- Portobello mushrooms – it’s not salisbury steak without the mushrooms. It also adds so much savoriness to the gravy. As much as possible, try grabbing fresh mushrooms over canned, you’ll get more flavors out of it!
- Full fat coconut milk – not low fat. Not lite coconut milk. Full fat coconut. This will give the richness of the gravy with a hint of added sweetness; which many Filipinos love. If you are concerned about the coconut taste, don’t worry, as it will not overpower or affect the savoriness of the gravy. It would just add an extra depth of flavor.
- Mushroom Broth – or vegetable broth if you prefer. It would, generally, make more sense to use mushroom broth for a mushroom gravy. However, use whatever you can find! I, also, highly recommend Better Than Bouillon vegetable paste if you can find it; you wouldn’t need to season as much if you use it as it’s packed with flavors.
- Corn starch – as the thickening agent of the sauce. Personally, I prefer using corn starch over flour as a thickening agent but you may also use flour, if that is what you have.
- Vegan butter – to give it the traditional gravy mouthfeel. It also more flavor.
- Low sodium tamari & vegan oyster sauce – as also found in the burger patty ingredients. If you are going for a “traditional” salisbury steak, vegan Worcestershire sauce can be in replacement for vegan oyster sauce.
PRO-TIPS:
- Short on time? You can make either the patties or gravy ahead of time. Patties can last up to month in a sealed container and gravy for 4 days in the fridge, if stored properly.
- You can use your favorite burger patty! To make things quicker for you, you can use your own burger patty if you wish. However, the taste will not be identical to this recipe – depending on what you use.
- Serve it with a bed of rice OR potatoes – whichever you would prefer. In Filipino fast food style, it’s often served with rice.
Give this recipe a try and if you like what you see, please help me by liking this recipe or adding a comment in the comment box down below. Subscribe to my mailing list for exclusive newsletters. Follow me on Instagram and don’t forget to tag me when you create the recipes.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
Vegan Burger Steak (Filipino-Style Salisbury Steak)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- baking tray
- cast iron skillet or sauté pan with lid
Ingredients
FOR THE BURGER PATTY
- 12 oz (0.75lbs) plant-based "meat" (I used the Impossible Burger – see notes)
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp vegetarian "oyster" sauce or mushroom stir fry sauce
- 2 tsp brown sugar or any sweetener of choice
- 1 tbsp low sodium tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
FOR THE GRAVY
- 1 medium (1 cup) yellow or white onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves (1 tbsp) garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup portobello mushroom chopped
- 1 cup mushroom broth or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp low sodium tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce or mushroom stir fry sauce
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tsp brown sugar or sweeter choice
- ¼ tsp poultry seasoning (optional)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE BURGER PATTY
- Place plant-based "meat" in a mixing bowl.
- Add all ingredients such as the panko bread crumbs and seasonings. Using a spatula (or with clean hands), mix burger patty ingredients until well combined. Texture should be firm enough to bind together. If consistency is loose, add a tablespoon more of panko bread crumbs at a time.
- Divide mixture into six and form into patties.
- Place on a baking sheet and let it chill for thirty (30) minutes to firm up.
- Preheat skillet or sauté pan to medium heat. Coat with a little bit of cooking oil.
- Remove patties from fridge and prepare to cook. Sear patties on skillet to brown on each side. You don't necessarily have to cook completely, just enough to get a "crispier" exterior. Remove patties from skillet. Depending on the size of the skillet, you may have to work in batches.
- Remove patties from skillet and set aside.
FOR THE GRAVY
- Using a small mixing bowl, create a corn starch slurry by mixing water and corn starch. Mix until cornstarch has fully disoloved.
- Re-coat the same skillet with a little bit of cooking oil. Toss in onions and sauté for 5-10 minutes or until caramelized (softened brown).
- Add garlic, parsley, and mushrooms. Mix with onions until mushrooms have shriveled in size.
- Reduce heat to medium low heat. Pour liquid ingredients such as broth, coconut milk, and corn starch slurry. Mix and allow gravy to simmer until liquid has thickened. This should take between 4-7 minutes depending on your stove.
- Add the rest of the seasonings and ingredients such as tamari, vegetarian oyster sauce, butter, sugar, and seasoning / herbs.
FINISHING TOUCHES
- Add burger patties back in the gravy and coat in the sauce. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer with a lid on for 3-5 minutes.
- Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve with a bed of rice, vegetables, or potatoes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Plant-Based “Meat” Substitutes – I, personally, love using Impossible Meat Burger as it’s neutral in taste (unseasoned) and soaks flavor well. You may also use Beyond Meat, however, it does have a distinct flavor. You can also use your favorite burger patty (pre-made or homemade) but keep in mind, it will affect overall taste of this recipe.
- Vegetarian Oyster Sauce or Mushroom Stir Fry Sauce – You can find this at any Asian grocery store as it gives a deep savory-sweetness that is comparable to Filipino flavors. If you’d rather go for an American-style Salisbury steak flavor, vegan Worcestershire sauce would work in your favor instead of oyster sauce.
- Mushroom Broth / Vegetable Broth – Whichever you may have on hand. Since this is a mushroom gravy, highly recommend picking up mushroom broth. Vegetable broth or paste, such as Better Than Bullion, is highly recommended over standard vegetable broth.