Korean Spicy Braised Tofu

This flavorful tofu is a simple and healthy recipe that is made with pan-fried tofu that’s then braised in a spicy Korean sauce. This tofu is great as a side dish (banchan) or can be the star of your meal. This tofu recipe alone served alongside freshly steamed white rice is delicious and very filling.

This pan-fried tofu recipe is so good! I remember my mom making this growing up and I could eat a whole batch of it by myself easily. Well, who am I kidding? I can still eat a whole batch of it by myself as an adult. It’s one of my favorite ways to eat tofu.

 

The tofu is sliced and lightly browned on both sides. The Korean spicy sauce is made with staple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry if you do a lot of Korean/Asian cooking in your household. The tofu, stir-fried onions, and spicy sauce are then simmered together allowing the tofu to soak up all the yumminess of the spicy sauce.

 

Ingredients needed to make our spicy tofu recipe

• Extra-firm tofu packages
• Yellow/white onions
• Green onions
• Olive oil

For the spicy braising sauce:

• Garlic cloves
• Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• White vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Fish sauce
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Jalapeño pepper
• Water
• Dasida beef stock powder

How to make Korean spicy braised tofu

Step 1: Prep the tofu

Cut tofu into rectangles about a quarter of an inch thickness.

 

Step 2: Start stir-frying the onions

Grab a frying pan and place it on medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil to the pan once the pan is hot and stir fry onions until well done. Put cooked onions into a bowl and set aside for later.

 

Step 3: Brown the tofu slices

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan you just cooked the onions in, turn the stove back to medium heat, add tofu, and lightly brown the tofu on both sides. Continue browning the tofu pieces and set them aside for later.

 

Step 4: Make the braising sauce

Combine all the ingredients together needed to make the spicy braising sauce plus 3 tbsp of olive oil into a separate bowl and mix together well.

 

Step 4: Assemble the layers for braising

Now, let’s assemble the layers and get ready to braise. Add a thin layer of your cooked onions into a medium/large-sized pot. Then add a single layer of cooked tofu on top of the onions.

Grab a spoonful of sauce (made in step four), and add a thin layer on top of your cooked tofu and onions.

Add another thin layer of the onion. Then add a single layer of cooked tofu again, and add a thin layer of sauce again. Repeat this layering process until all onions, tofu, and sauce are used. If there is any sauce leftover, you can just drizzle it on top of the layers. Use up all the sauce for ultimate flavor.

 

Step 5: Add the sliced green onions/braise low & slow

Add the sliced green onions to the top of the pot of the layered onions and tofu. Place the pot on the stovetop, turn on the stovetop to low heat to simmer the tofu with the onions and sauce. Simmer together for about 15 minutes.

 

Step 6: Midway through the braising time flip the layers around

Check the layered tofu halfway and gently flip the top layer to the bottom of the pot for even cooking and so the sauce can soak into all the tofu pieces. Continue cooking until the sauce is 80% gone/reduced from the pan.

 

Step 7: Serve and enjoy!

 

We hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Korean Spicy Braised Tofu recipe!

 

Looking for side dish recipes?

• Easy Stir-fried Bok Choy
• Korean Stir-fried Spicy Fish Cakes
• Korean Spicy Stir-Fried Eggplant
• Easy Asian Pan-Fried Zucchini

 

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Korean Spicy Braised Tofu

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 2 packages of extra-firm tofu (14oz per package)
• 2 yellow/white onions, diced
• 4 green onions, cut into 1-inch length
• 5 tbsp olive oil

For the spicy braising sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• ¼ tsp white vinegar
• 6 tsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced (remove seeds)
• ½ cup of water
• 1 tsp Dasida beef stock powder

Instructions

1. Cut tofu into rectangles about a quarter of an inch thickness.
2. Turn the stove to medium-high and stir fry onions until well done. Put cooked onions into a bowl and set aside for later.
3. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan you just cooked the onions in, turn the stove back to medium heat, add tofu, and lightly brown the tofu on both sides. Continue browning the tofu pieces and set them aside for later.
4. Combine all the ingredients together needed to make the spicy braising sauce plus 3 tbsp of olive oil into a separate bowl and mix together well.
5. Now, let's assemble the layers and get ready to braise. Add a thin layer of your cooked onions into a medium/large-sized pot. Then add a single layer of cooked tofu on top of the onions.
6. Grab a spoonful of sauce (made in step four), and add a thin layer on top of your cooked tofu and onions.
7. Add another thin layer of the onion. Then add a single layer of cooked tofu again, and add a thin layer of sauce again. Repeat this layering process until all onions, tofu, and sauce are used. If there is any sauce leftover, you can just drizzle it on top of the layers. Use up all the sauce for ultimate flavor.
8. Add the sliced green onions to the top of the pot of the layered onions and tofu. Place the pot on the stovetop, turn on the stovetop to low heat to simmer the tofu with the onions and sauce. Simmer together for about 15 minutes.
9. Check the layered tofu halfway and gently flip the top layer to the bottom of the pot for even cooking and so the sauce can soak into all the tofu pieces. Continue cooking until the sauce is 80% gone/reduced from the pan.
10. Serve and enjoy!

 

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