Spicy, sweet and tangy vegan gochujang tofu bowls with rice and broccoli. Tofu gets coated and fried until crispy then tossed in a vibrant gochujang sauce until thick and sticky.

These gochujang tofu bowls come together in 30 minutes and make for a quick and delicious dinner! They would also make a great starter or snack without the rice!

This Korean inspired meal is mouthwateringly good and is perfect for spice lovers. You can adjust the amount of gochujang depending on the spice level you want!

If you aren’t familiar with gochujang it is a fermented red chilli paste that is spicy, savoury and sweet. It’s ingredients include red chilli, fermented soy beans, glutinous rice and salt.

You can find it in most larger supermarkets (I get it from Sainsbury’s) or Amazon. It is a great ingredient to have on hand (and will last a few months in the fridge) when you want to add a good punch of flavour to a dish.

One of my favourite ways to use it is mixing it with vegan mayo and using as a dip or sauce (like with these gochujang cauliflower wings)! Super quick and so delicious.

What you’ll need for gochujang tofu:

• Tofu – you want extra firm or firm tofu so it keeps its shape. I always use the brand Tofoo co.
• Cornflour – this is to toss the tofu in. It makes it nice and crispy when fried yet chewy on the inside.
• Gochujang paste – you can find this in most larger supermarkets, usually in a red box. It can be kept in the fridge for a few months after opening.
• Maple syrup – for sweetness, it is great for balancing out the tangy spiciness from the gochujang
• Soy sauce – you can sub for tamari if gf, adds umami salty flavour.
• Rice wine vinegar
• Ketchup – a quick and easy way to add a sweet tomato flavour
• Brown sugar – helps to make the sauce nice and sticky when cooking
• Sesame oil – toasted sesame oil for a toasty sesame flavour
• Garlic garlic – fresh is best here, but you can sub for 1 tsp garlic powder
• Fresh ginger – again, fresh is best but you can sub for 1 tsp ground ginger
• Lime – juice of half a lime

To serve:

• Basmati rice
• Broccoli (or any veg of choice)

Gochujang is spicy so if you are new to using it/aren’t big on heat then I would start with 1 tbsp then add more if you want it spicier.

And of course, if you like is spicier you can add an extra tbsp of gochujang!

How to make gochujang tofu:

[full ingredients and recipe card below, please scroll down]

Start by preparing the tofu. Cut into strips 1 inch wide then tear into 1 inch cubes with your hands. This gives the tofu a rougher edge resulting in crispier tofu.

Toss the tofu in cornflour, salt and pepper. Heat 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan and then add the tofu. You can do this in two batches so it doesn’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy on all sides.

Prepare the sauce whilst the tofu is cooking. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.

When the tofu is crispy, add the sauce to the pan and let sizzle and thicken for about 30 seconds. You can leave a few tbsp of the sauce aside and drizzle over once serving.

Top with chopped spring onion, fresh coriander and sesame seeds and serve with basmati rice and chopped broccoli (or other greens)!

For more tofu recipes you may enjoy these:

Cashew tofu stir fry

Sweet and sour tofu

Sweet chilli garlic tofu

As always if you make these vegan gochujang tofu bowls be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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