This pan-fried tofu is easy to make, healthy, and full of flavor thanks to our simple dipping sauce. This recipe can be a main dish or a side dish with your meal. Our sauce can easily be made vegan/vegetarian-friendly as well, please see the notes below in our post.
The sauce that goes with this recipe is so delicious with the pan-fried tofu. It’s salty with a bit of heat. If you don’t want your sauce to be very spicy, just don’t add in the fresh jalapeno. You can also adjust the Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru) to your taste as well. This recipe is really a guideline, so feel free to adjust to your personal liking.
Tofu is a commonly used ingredient in Korean cuisine. We love to eat tofu just like this as a main dish with a side of freshly steamed rice, and it would be an even better complete meal if you add a few side dishes (banchan) to go with it.
Ingredients need to make this easy pan-fried tofu and our sauce
-
- Firm tofu
For the sauce:
- Garlic
- Green onion
- Soy sauce
- Red chili pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
- Sesame oil
- Ground black pepper
- Sesame seeds
- Fish sauce (see notes for vegan/vegetarian option**)
- Jalapeno (optional, see notes*)
*If you want the dipping sauce to be spicier, then add fresh jalapeno peppers. Cut jalapeno peppers in half and remove all seeds. Mince the jalapeno peppers and mix it into the dipping sauce mixture. This sauce is also great to use as a Korean-inspired salad dressing.
**Simply omit the fish sauce to transform this recipe into a vegan/vegetarian option. You could also swap the fish sauce for the same amount of additional soy sauce. Or you could use a vegan/vegetarian-friendly substitute for the fish sauce like this one.
How to make our easy tofu and sauce recipe
Step 1: Prepare the sauce
Let’s make the dipping sauce mixture so the flavors have time to marinate together. Add minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, crushed hot pepper, black pepper, sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and fish sauce to a small bowl. Mix the dipping sauce mixture well. Set aside for later.
Step 2: Prepare the tofu & get your pan ready
Cut tofu lengthwise and cut horizontal to make rectangular slices. Turn on the stove to medium-high heat and add oil to the pan.
Step 3: Pan-fry all of the tofu slices
Once the pan is hot, add one layer of sliced tofu to the pan.
Once the bottoms of the tofu turn golden-brown in color, flip it, and cook until the other side gets a golden-brown color.
Once the tofu slices are browned, set the slices aside on a plate. Repeat for tofu slices until they are all browned. Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions for the Pan-Fried Tofu
If you’re trying to stay low-carb, leave out the rice, and just have this pan-fried tofu with an assortment of side dishes (banchan). We have several side dish recipes that would go great with this pan-fried tofu.
- Korean Green Onion Salad
- Korean Seasoned Spinach Side Dish (Sigeumchi-namul)
- Easy Napa Cabbage Korean Kimchi – Cut-Up Kimchi
- Fresh Korean Spinach Salad
- Korean Marinated Wild Chives (Dallae-muchim)
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Pan-Fried Tofu with Dipping Sauce
This pan-fried tofu is easy to make, healthy, and full of flavor thanks to our simple dipping sauce. This recipe can be a main dish or a side dish with your meal. Our sauce can easily be made vegan/vegetarian-friendly as well, please see the notes below.
Ingredients
- 1 package firm tofu
For the sauce:
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sesame seed
- ½ tsp fish sauce (see notes for vegan/vegetarian option**)
- ½ large jalapeno (optional, see notes*)
Instructions
- First, let’s make the dipping sauce mixture so the flavors have time to marinate together. Add minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, crushed hot pepper, black pepper, sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and fish sauce to a small bowl. Mix the dipping sauce mixture well. Set aside.
- Turn on the stove to medium-high heat and add oil to the pan.
- Once the pan is hot, add one layer of sliced tofu to the pan.
- Once the bottoms of the tofu turn golden-brown in color, flip it and cook until the other side gets a golden-brown color.
- Once the tofu slices are browned, set the slices aside on a plate. Continue cooking all tofu slices until golden-brown if you needed to do this in batches.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*If you want the dipping sauce to be spicier, then add fresh jalapeno peppers. Cut jalapeno peppers in half and remove all seeds. Mince the jalapeno peppers and mix it into the dipping sauce mixture. This sauce is also great to use as a Korean-inspired salad dressing.
**Omit the fish sauce to transform this recipe into a vegan/vegetarian option. You could also swap the fish sauce for the same amount of additional soy sauce. Or you could use a vegan/vegetarian-friendly substitute for the fish sauce like this one.
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