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Justine_Snacks

Gochujang Tofu Mince

Crumbled tofu simmered in a garlicky gochujang sauce until the edges catch and turn crispy in the pan. Big on plant protein, and the sticky-sweet sauce soaks right into every crumble.

⏱ 25 min3Korean-inspiredtofugochujangvegetarianhigh-proteinkorean-inspired

Ingredients

  • 1 cupwhite rice · uncooked
  • 8-12garlic cloves · grated
  • 1/4 cupextra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cupgochujang paste
  • 2 tablespoonssoy sauce
  • 2 tablespoonsbrown sugar
  • 1 pack (16 oz)extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoonsrice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cupscallions · for serving
  • 1lime · quartered, for serving

Steps

  1. 1

    Cook 1 cup of white rice in a rice cooker or according to package instructions.

  2. 2

    Grate 8-12 garlic cloves, depending on your tolerance.

  3. 3

    In a large pan over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of olive oil and the grated garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic is just beginning to turn light golden.

  4. 4

    Immediately add 1/4 cup of gochujang, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Mix this into a sauce.

  5. 5

    Drain the block of tofu and gently squeeze out any excess moisture over the sink, then crumble it directly into the sauce.

  6. 6

    Cook, coating the tofu in the sauce, for 6-8 minutes, or until it starts to get some brown charring on the bottom. The tofu will suck up the sauce immediately, then start to release moisture; once the moisture evaporates, the sauce will begin to soak into the tofu again.

  7. 7

    Once you see brown crispy bits at the bottom of the pan, deglaze the pan by pouring in 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar. Mix and taste, adding more soy sauce as preferred.

  8. 8

    Serve this tofu with rice, sliced scallions, and lime wedges.

Creator's notes

The longer you cook it, the better it gets — but since it's not meat, you can eat it right away. Don't fear the minced garlic burning here: the moisture from the tofu stops it cooking as soon as the sauce and tofu hit the pan. Those crispy brown bits at the bottom are the whole point.

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