Quick & Easy Spicy Gochujang Sesame Tofu

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Spicy Gochujang Sesame Tofu. Fried tofu in a sweet, spicy gochujang sauce with a hint of sesame. An quick and easy Korean main or side dish ready in 30 minutes made with minimal ingredients. If you love spicy food, you need to try this!

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What is Spicy Gochujang Tofu?
Ingredients
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Ideas
FAQ
Other Recipes You May Like
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What is Spicy Gochujang Tofu?

This Korean-inspired dish features pan-fried extra firm tofu simmered in a flavorful, sweet, spicy sauce with a hint of sesame. It's similar to Korean braised tofu but with a thicker sauce!

My spicy gochujang tofu recipe is great for quick weeknight meals if you're craving Korean cuisine. I love serving this spicy tofu with white rice and veggies or other banchans (or Korean side dishes).

What is Gochujang?

Gochujang is a spicy, sweet, thick, red Korean red chili paste made of red chili flakes, fermented soybean paste, glutinous rice and salt. It comes in a red plastic tub sold at the Korean grocery store in different spice levels from mild to very hot.

Ingredients

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Note: Your Asian market will carry most of the below Asian ingredients.

Extra-Firm Tofu: Avoid using other textures of tofu like medium to soft tofu or they can easily break apart. Firm tofu could work but be gentle!
Green onion
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.

Sauce

Gochujang: a thick, sweet, spicy Korean red chili paste. Unfortunately there aren't many great substitutes for this but you can easily find this Korean ingredient at the Korean grocer in the sauce section.
Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
Gochugaru: aka Korean red chili flakes. Tip: these can be frozen in a Ziplock bag and stores for up to 1 year.
Sesame oil: omit if you're allergic
Sesame seeds: omit if you're allergic
Corn starch: or substitute with potato starch
White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup
Cold water

Expert Tips

Try to remove as much excess liquid from the tofu block by patting it dry with paper towel. This will create crispier tofu.
Slice the tofu as thick or thin as you prefer. You could even dice it if you prefer it cubed.
Use a non-stick pan! This will make cooking a breeze so the tofu won't stick.
Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
Lower tofu slices away from you to prevent the oil from splashing back at you.
Do not overcrowd the pan and fry tofu in small batches if needed.
Let the tofu cook until golden brown before adding the sauce.

Instructions

Remove the tofu from the package and strain out excess water. Pat tofu dry with clean paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Slice tofu into 1 cm thick rectangles (if you prefer them thicker, cut them into ½-inch thick pieces). Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil in a large pan on medium heat. Once oil is hot, carefully lower tofu slices into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Fry tofu for 5-7 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Once tofu is golden brown on both sides, pour in sauce in a circular motion to cover the tofu.
Let sauce simmer to thicken, about 30 seconds. Then gently toss the tofu in the sauce.
Garnish with green onions. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat and add a few tablespoons of water to help loosen the sauce.
Freezer-friendly? This dish is meant to be enjoyed immediately and I wouldn't recommend freezing cooked tofu as the freezing action can pull excess moisture or the sauce out of the tofu.

Pairing Ideas

This Spicy Gochujang Sesame Tofu serves well with:

white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or fried rice
other Korean side dishes like Korean cucumber salad, beansprout salad, zucchini fritters, gamja jorim, Korean spinach, japchae

FAQ

Why is my tofu so chewy?

They've been sliced too thinly and over cooked.

Can I make this less spicy?

Yes, reduce the amount of gochujang and gochugaru by half.

Can I air fry the tofu?

Yes, you can separately air fry the tofu. Dice the tofu instead of slicing it. Place the diced tofu in a single layer into the air fryer basket, giving each piece enough space. Lightly spray the tofu with oil and air fry at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes until golden, flipping the tofu pieces half way. Then toss the tofu into the simmered sauce.

Can I substitute with another protein?

Yes, you can substitute the tofu with thinly sliced chicken, beef or pork, pork belly, or shrimp.

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