20 September 2026 Vol. I, No. 01

The Herb Thymes

Name: Smoky BBQ Soy Curl Burgers with Garden Slaw
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients: 180 g green or red cabbage, finely shredded; 70 g carrot, coarsely grated; 0.5 jalapeño, thinly sliced; use a whole one for more heat; 12 g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 56 g vegan mayonnaise; 10 ml Dijon mustard; 15 ml apple cider vinegar; 15 ml fresh lemon juice; 2.5 ml onion powder; 5 ml celery seeds, not celery salt; 7.5 ml maple syrup; 1 pinch fine salt, plus more to taste; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; 480 ml vegetable stock, hot; 114 g dried soy curls; 15 ml tamari, or soy sauce; 16 g cornflour; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper; 30 ml olive oil; 140 g vegan barbecue sauce, use 120 g for a drier filling or up to 160 g for a saucier one; 4 sturdy vegan burger buns; 20 g vegan butter, optional, for toasting the buns; 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced; 12 slices pickles; 8 leaves crisp lettuce

A vegetarian kitchen paper by Dan & Roy

Recipes, growing notes and honest stories from a small garden near Prague.

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Everyday recipe

Smoky BBQ Soy Curl Burgers with Garden Slaw

Smoky, sticky and deeply savoury, this vegan BBQ sandwich is packed with crisp-edged soy curls coated in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Piled onto a toasted bun with creamy slaw and juicy tomato, it is a messy, satisfying summer meal with plenty of crunch, freshness and rich barbecue flavour.

Prep30 min Cook20 min Servings4 Easy FREE

The idea at the heart of this dish is simple: barbecue is not only about what goes on the grill, but about smoke, sweetness, spice and contrast. Here, soy curls are soaked until tender, squeezed dry and fried until their edges turn crisp. Once coated in sticky barbecue sauce, they become deeply savoury and satisfyingly chewy.

The rich filling is balanced with cool, creamy slaw, ripe tomato and a lightly toasted bun. It is the kind of sandwich that belongs on a warm table outdoors, served with plenty of napkins and eaten before the sauce has a chance to drip onto the plate. Familiar enough to feel comforting, but fresh enough to earn its own place at a summer barbecue.

From garden to bun

A simple summer route

1Slice the cabbage and carrot while the soy curls soak.

2Dress the slaw shortly before serving.

3Add ripe tomato, pickles and lettuce just before the top bun goes on.

Servings4

Ingredients

Method

1Make the dressing
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, onion powder, celery seeds and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper.
2Finish the slaw
Add the cabbage, carrot, jalapeño and parsley. Toss until evenly dressed. For the crispest result, keep the sliced vegetables and dressing separate until shortly before serving.
3Soak the soy curls
Place the soy curls in a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot vegetable stock. Press them below the surface and leave for 10 minutes.
4Squeeze and cut
Drain the soy curls and let them cool until comfortable to handle. Squeeze each handful firmly until only a few drops remain, then slice any thick pieces lengthwise so they brown evenly.
5Season the pieces
Toss the soy curls with the tamari. Sprinkle over the cornflour and black pepper, then mix again until the pieces are lightly coated.
6Brown until crisp
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the soy curls and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave them undisturbed for about 2 minutes at a time before turning, so the edges have time to colour and crisp.
7Add the barbecue sauce
Lower the heat and add the barbecue sauce. Toss for 30 to 60 seconds, only until every piece is glossy and coated. Remove the pan from the heat before the filling loses its crisp edges.
8Toast the buns
Spread the cut sides of the buns with vegan butter if using. Toast them cut-side down in a dry frying pan until golden.
9Build the burgers
Divide the slaw between the bottom buns. Add the barbecue soy curls, tomato, pickles and lettuce, then close with the top buns and serve straight away.

Notes and substitutions

Main ingredient

Use soy curls for this method

The soaking, squeezing and crisping method is designed for dried soy curls. Tofu or tempeh need a different preparation and should not be substituted measure for measure.

Sauce

Choose how saucy you want it

Use about 120 g of barbecue sauce for a drier filling and up to 160 g for a softer, saucier result. Check that the sauce is vegan.

Garden swaps

Change part of the cabbage

Kohlrabi, radish or fennel can replace part of the cabbage. Keep the total weight of the crisp vegetables close to 250 g so the dressing stays balanced.

Gluten-free option

Change the bun and check the labels

Use gluten-free buns and tamari. Check the stock, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, pickles and all packaged ingredients before serving.

Prepare ahead

Keep the parts separate

The dressing and sliced vegetables can be chilled separately. Mix them shortly before serving. Reheat the filling gently in a pan with a spoonful of water or extra sauce.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving

481kcal20.9g protein61.9g carbohydrates18.4g sugars18.4g fat2.3g saturated fat10.7g fibre2.9g salt

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Sources

THT-ORIGINAL-81 · Original recipe developed by The Herb ThymesORIGINAL_RECIPE · VERIFIED · Original recipe developed by The Herb Thymes through our own ideation, cooking and refinement. No external recipe source was used.

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The Herb Thymes

Smoky BBQ Soy Curl Burgers with Garden Slaw