This vegan Korean bbq tofu recipe is easy to make and crazy delicious! With a homemade Korean bbq sauce that only takes minutes to whip up and crispy, lightly fried tofu served over a bed of rice. A perfect quick crowd-pleasing dinner.
Even people who aren't a big fan of tofu love this recipe. If you cook tofu properly, it can take on the flavor of most things.
Tofu works great as a chicken substitute, but you want to get as much moisture out of it as possible.
Your block of tofu sits in liquid until you're ready to use it. If you can get most of the liquid out, it will absorb the flavor you want, transforming it into deliciousness.
How do you get the liquid out of tofu? There are two main ways people use one involves buying something called a tofu press.
They work great by squeezing even pressure on the tofu.
The other one is wrapping the tofu block in a bunch of paper towels, then placing it on a plate, taking some very heavy objects; think of books or weights, and letting that sit on the tofu for about 10-15 minutes.
I prefer using the tofu block because it's easier than getting all the objects I'll have to put away eventually.
This recipe makes just enough sauce to cover the tofu; if you like things really saucy and want some remaining sauce at the end, I would double the sauce recipe.
For the other half of the sauce you're not using on the actual recipe, I would put it in a small saucepan and cook down so the flavors can cook down and be more of a Korean bbq glaze.
Vegan Korean BBQ Tofu Recipe Q&A
Is this spicey?
No, my 12-year-old doesn't like spice and enjoyed this; if you want to make it spicier, just add more siracha sauce.
What kind of tofu should I use?
This recipe works best with extra firm tofu. The less firm, the more breakage you will get.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, if you use a gluten-free soy sauce, the rest of the ingredients are gluten-free.
What ingredients do you need for the most delicious Korean bbq tofu?
Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
Korean BBQ sauce
- soy sauce
- ketchup
- cumin
- ginger
- fresh garlic cloves
- apple cider vinegar (rice wine vinegar or rice vinegar if that's all you have)
- brown sugar
- siracha
- vegetable broth
- corn starch
Tofu
- extra firm tofu, pressed
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- black pepper
- oil
- cornstarch
Garnish optional;
- green onions
- sesame seeds
How do you make this crispy Korean bbq tofu recipe?
Start by using a tofu press or heavy books and paper towels to try and remove the water from the tofu; let this sit for about 10 minutes while you prep your sauce.
Take a medium pyrex liquid measuring cup and add all your bbq sauce ingredients but the cornstarch.
Whisk this until well mixed, then take a small cup and combine your 1 TB cornstarch and 1 TB cold water; mix with a fork or clean finger until dissolved, then add to the sauce and stir; set the sauce aside.
Take your pressed tofu and cut it into your choice of tofu cubes or smaller tofu pieces; you want them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a medium bowl or bag and toss them carefully with the cornstarch until they are evenly coated.
Take a skillet or size medium flat pan on medium-high heat, add the tablespoon of oil, then the coated tofu, sprinkle the pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder onto the tofu, and stir; if it's sticking too much, switch to medium heat. Make sure your tofu is in a single layer so it can get crispy.
Let this cook covered for about 5 minutes, stir, heat covered another 5 minutes, stir, then cook covered, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until it's as crispy as you want.
Then add the sauce; this thickens up quickly, so stir only about a minute or two while it's thickening.
Serve over rice.
How do you serve these Korean bbq tofu bowls?
We like to serve ours over a bed of rice (white or brown rice). You can stir fry vegetables or a side salad.
How do you store leftovers?
Let it come to room temperature, and then place the tofu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or air fryer if you want until warm.
Can you freeze this?
I have never frozen it; it doesn't last long in my house. I'm guessing you probably could in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.
I would rehat on the skillet with some oil.
Want some other delicious easy recipe dinners with tofu?
Vegan Korean BBQ Tofu
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 TB ketchup
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 TB apple cider vinegar
- 3 TB brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon siracha
- ⅓ cup vegetable broth
- 1 TB cornstarch
Tofu
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed
- 1 TB oil
- 2 TB cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Start by using a tofu press or heavy books and paper towels to try and remove the water from the tofu; let this sit for about 10 minutes while you prep your sauce.
- Take a medium pyrex liquid measuring cup and add all your sauce ingredients but the cornstarch. Whisk this until well mixed, then take a small cup and combine your 1 TB cornstarch and 1 TB cold water; mix with a fork or clean finger until dissolved, then add to the sauce and stir; set the sauce aside.
- Take your pressed tofu and cut it into your choice of tofu cubes, place them in a bowl or bag and toss carefully with the cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Take a skillet on medium heat, add the oil, then the coated tofu, sprinkle the pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder onto the tofu, and stir. Let this cook covered for about 5 minutes, stir, heat covered another 5 minutes, stir, then cook covered, stirring every few minutes, until it's as crispy as you want. Then add the sauce; this thickens up quickly, so stir only about a minute or two while it's thickening.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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