Easy Crispy Korean Fried Tofu with Gochujang Sauce

The best crispy Korean Fried Tofu with gochujang sauce. Sweet, spicy, sticky, crisp, and chewy tofu, you will love this recipe.

This crispy Korean tofu is my latest obsession.

The tofu is fried until crisp and chewy then coated in a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce for the ultimate tofu.

It's one of my favourite tofu recipes.

You have to try it!

Jump to:

• 🌶 What is gochujang paste?
• 🌶 How hot is Gochujang?
• 💭 Where can you buy gochujang paste?
• 📋 What you need to make crispy Korean fried tofu
• 💭 Which type of tofu is best for crispy tofu?
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Cubes or crumbled tofu?
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How do you make tofu crispy?
• 🥣 Sweet & Spicy Gochujang sauce
• 🥢 How to serve crispy Gochujang tofu
• ⏲️ How long will crispy Korean tofu last?
• More tofu recipes
• ⭐ Save your favourite recipes for free!
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Crispy Korean Fried Tofu with Gochujang Sauce
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

🌶 What is gochujang paste?

Gochujang is a spicy sweet sauce from Korea.

This fermented red chilli paste is popular in Korean cooking and becoming more and more popular in the West.

It is made from chilli powder (gochu-garu). glutinous rice which is a sticky rice grown across Asia, fermented soybeans (meju powder), barley malt powder (yeotgireum-garu) and salt.

It's the sticky rice that adds sweetness.

🌶 How hot is Gochujang?

Korean Gochujang is a chilli paste so all varieties bring heat.

There are different varieties from mild, to medium, through to hot, and very hot.

I use medium gochujang, which has a bit of heat but isn't overpowering when made into sauce.

When looking at tubs of gochujang the number 3 is hot and 4 is very hot.

You may like the hot sauce if you love spicy food.

💭 Where can you buy gochujang paste?

Gochujang paste is available in Asian supermarkets where you will find a variety of brands and spice levels.

If you don't have an Asian supermarket near you, you can buy it online too.

Love gochujang? Try this gochujang smashed chickpea sandwich filler.

📋 What you need to make crispy Korean fried tofu

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this crispy tofu in a sticky sauce.

1. Sesame oil- or you could use vegetable oil or olive oil
2. Firm tofu - or extra firm tofu
3. Cornflour - also called corn starch
4. Salt & pepper - to season
5. Gochujang paste - you decide how hot
6. Maple syrup - for sweetness
7. Soy Sauce - for the umami flavour

Scroll down to the full printable recipe card for this easy recipe at the bottom of this page for a full ingredient list, method, notes and nutrition.

💭 Which type of tofu is best for crispy tofu?

You need a firm tofu when you are making crisp and chewy tofu.

Pressing it in a tofu press or wrapping it in kitchen paper and a clean teatowel topped with weights (cookbooks work well) is a must to remove all the liquid )for about 30 minutes).

NEVER SILKEN TOFU - which is creamy, soft tofu and more suitable for creamy sauces and desserts.

However, the best tofu in my opinion is extra firm tofu, which is pre-pressed. A bit more expensive but saves time and faffing about.

Love tofu? Try tofu fried rice, balti tofu nuggets, Gochujang Shredded Tofu Wraps or tofu grinder salad sandwich next.

👩🏻‍🍳 Cubes or crumbled tofu?

For years we have seen tofu cut into cubes before it is cooked, but crumbling the tofu is a better technique.

Just break chunks of the block of tofu with your fingers.

It leaves rough, jagged edges, which crisp up nicely as it cooks.

👩🏻‍🍳 How do you make tofu crispy?

The secret to making crispy tofu is corn starch, or cornflour as it is also known.

1. Press tofu to remove any excess water
2. Toss the tofu pieces in seasoned cornflour (corn starch)
3. Fry with a little oil on a medium-high heat in a large skillet pan or frying pan until crisp and golden brown

🥣 Sweet & Spicy Gochujang sauce

Once the tofu is shallow fried until it is chewy and crisp. it's time to add the sticky sauce.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and add to the pan, once the tofu is fried, then toss well to coat, and allow it to cook for another few minutes until the tofu is sticky and a bit caramelised.

At this point, it's hard to not eat it all straight from the pan.

It is just luscious!

The best tofu you have ever tasted!

🥢 How to serve crispy Gochujang tofu

Here are a few ideas for serving this spicy, sticky tofu.

It's a great way to add plant-based protein to a meal.

• Noodles- Serve with stir-fried noodles and veg for a tasty dinner (the gorgeous noodles photo is from my friend Lisa M, who kindly shared it with me).
• Rice - Serve this tofu dish with a bowl of rice and stir-fried veg
• Wrap - Serve this pan-seared tofu in a wrap with salad
• Tacos - go for a bit of fusion cooking and serve it in a soft taco with lettuce, pepper, and tomatoes, with a drizzle of vegan sour cream

⏲️ How long will crispy Korean tofu last?

Once cool, you can store Korean tofu in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

It will lose its crispness, but will still have a lot of flavour.

More tofu recipes

Here are more easy tofu recipes to try:

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👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Crispy Korean Fried Tofu with Gochujang Sauce

These step-by-step photos will show you how to make this crispy crumbled tofu.

Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe (with full ingredient list, calories and nutritional info)

Step 1

• Crumble the pressed tofu into a large bowl.
• Add cornflour (cornstarch), salt & pepper.
• Mix well to coat the tofu.

Step 2

• Heat a frying pan or skillet and add the cornflour-coated tofu.
• Fry until crispy and browning at the edges.
• Turn off the heat, but leave in the pan.
• Now to make the sauce.
• Add the gochujang to a bowl.

Step 3

• Add the other sauce ingredients (full recipe in recipe card below) and mix well.
• Now pour the sauce over the crispy tofu in the pan.

Step 4

• Stir the tofu well with the sauce until completely coated.
• Cook for a few minutes to heat the sauce and caramelise the edges.
• Serve with veg and rice or noodles, or even on a wrap.
• Enjoy!

Thanks to Lisa Moore for testing my recipe and giving me permission to share her photos.