Gochujang!!! – sounds like the war cry of an indigenous tribe, doesn’t it? Ever since we picked up a tub at the local Asian market, my husband and I have been sneaking up on each other at random times yelling ‘GO-KUUU-JAAAANG’ (complete with Hulk hands) in an attempt to startle each other.
What is Gochujang?
A new addition to my pantry, Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste made with red chilli powder, fermented soy bean paste, glutinous rice (sticky rice) and salt. It is a vibrant red, almost bordering on the black end of the color spectrum, and so thick that almost always, you need to thin it down with some liquid in your recipe. And very similar to our South Indian pickles, it is fermented in clay jars in the sun for months. The longer you let it ferment, the darker the color turns.
And how does it taste?
The heat from the chilli is subdued a little by the sweetness of the glutinous rice, and the fermented soybean renders the unmistakable ‘umami‘ flavour – think ‘miso‘. Very earthy and intense, is how I would describe the taste. So, use sparingly by the teaspoon.
Best eaten while hot, this baked Gochujang Tofu is so amazing, especially in a Quesadilla, which is how I ate it. Sliced thin, thrown into a tortilla with sweet corn, lightly sautéed onions, peppers and zucchini, rice and lots of cheese, this is just fabulous!
You can also stir it into tomato soups for that vibrant color burst.
Stir well, spread on a foil-lined medium baking tray and bake! That’s it!
When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.
Baked Gochujang Tofu
- Prep Time:5m
- Cook Time:30m
- Total Time:35m
- Serves: 2
- Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
- 7 oz extra firm Tofu, pressed, chopped into cubes
- 2 tbsp. Gochujang paste
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
- 1 spring onion, green part sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking tray with foil.
- In a bowl, mix the marinade - gochujang, honey, soy sauce, salt and lime juice. You can marinate it overnight, or use immediately.
- Stir in the pressed tofu cubes carefully.
- Place the marinated tofu cubes onto the lined baking tray. Spoon some of the remaining marinade on the cubes.
- Bake at 350°F/180°C for 30-40 minutes, flipping it over once, halfway during baking.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions. Serve immediately while still warm.
Meghan says
So. Darn. Good. Good call on the lower oven temperature, so you get caramelized edges and tender tofu. I cut them in small pieces for maximum edge…ness.. that spice creeps up on you!
Tina Dawson says
Yes it does get spicy! – but you can buy gochujang at varying heat levels – maybe next time either use less or get one of the less spicy ones? Thank you so much for trying and reporting back! I’m so glad you liked it!
Elizabeth says
This recipe was SO good! Perfect amount of heat and slight sweetness from the honey. My oven was too high (was making something else) but it actually made the honey carmelize even more into this crunchy outside layer, so tasty.
Tina Dawson says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!
Resa Wilder says
How did you get it so crispy and dark?
I baked it for 60 minutes and still is not as crispy and dark looking as yours…
HELP!!
Tina Dawson says
Hey Resa, maybe it’s the brand of Gochujang that lends the color? Also, did you press the tofu before marinating?
Bri Bruce says
I know this is an old post, but I was googling today because I also recently bought a jar at my local asian market. Your site looks amazing, and you seem awesome too. Looking forward to adapting this recipe (I can never follow a recipe exactly, lol)! I’ll tag you! Peace!
Smruti Shah says
I recently got a lot of gochujang from the Asian store. This recipe looks amazing. Gonna try it soon!
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Smruti! I loved it, and if you feel it is too intense to eat as an entree, chop it up and use in stir-fries/noodles/fried rice. You will love the contrast and depth of flavour it brings to the dish. Thanks for stopping by, and hope to see you again.