Crispy Gochujang Tofu

Square photo of gochujang tofu over rice.

5 from 2 votes

This Gochujang Tofu features tofu, torn into smallish pieces, coated in cornstarch, pan-fried in minutes to crispy perfection, and coated in a sweet and spicy Korean-inspired sauce. I love serving it in a bowl with rice and green onions for an easy plant-based weeknight dinner!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Optional pressing tofu time30

Total Time20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: servings

Calories: 281kcal

Author: Elizabeth Lindemann

Equipment

Large Skillet
Large Bowl

Ingredients

1 lb. firm tofu pressed (see notes)
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil of choice
2 tablespoons gochujang more or less depending on spice level preference
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, or agave
juice and zest of one lime about 2 tablespoons juice and 2 teaspoons zest
½ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro optional
green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, lime wedges for serving, optional
cooked white rice for serving, optional

Instructions

Tear the 1 lb. firm tofu into bite-sized pieces into a large bowl (I like to do smaller pieces, personally). Add the ¼ cup cornstarch to the bowl and toss gently to coat.
Heat the 2 tablespoons canola oil in a skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch coated tofu and coat in the oil, then cook until crispy, about 5-10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, mix the gochujang sauce - stir the 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic minced, ¼ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, and the juice and zest of one limetogether.
Once the tofu is cooked and crispy, turn off the heat. Pour in the gochujang sauce and toss to coat - it's already a relatively thick sauce, and the residual heat from the skillet will cause the sauce to thicken fully. Add the ½ cup sliced green onions and ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro and stir together.
Serve the tofu topped with extra green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, lime wedges, over cooked white rice.

Notes

I recommend freezing the tofu and defrosting before cooking changes the texture to be a bit more porous and meaty, more similar to chicken.
Pressing the tofu is a way of removing much of the soaking liquid from the packaging so the tofu is dryer, resulting in a crisper result, though it's not 100% necessary if you are in a rush. Drain the liquid from the package, and place the tofu block on a cutting board or plate with or a clean kitchen towel on the bottom and top of the tofu, and place something heavy on top (I like using a cast iron skillet for this). Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, up to 30 minutes. The towels will absorb quite a bit of moisture from the tofu. You can also use a tofu press for this task - if you cook with tofu a lot, it can be a good investment.
The spicy tofu pairs well with a cool sesame cucumber salad as a veggie side dish.
For a 100% vegan version, be sure to use maple syrup or agave instead of honey.

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