Korean fried tofu with sticky gochujang glaze
Crispy cornflour-coated tofu tossed in a sticky gochujang glaze — quick, vegetarian and full of punch.
Crispy Korean-style tofu that gets its personality from a sticky, spicy-sweet gochujang glaze. It’s the perfect way to show off tofu’s crunchy side without fuss.
Make it as a midweek vegetarian main or slice smaller for party bites — you get bold, saucy flavour and proper crunch in under an hour. Pressing the tofu first is the only thing standing between good and great.
Ingredients
- 400 g firm tofu
- 100 g cornflour
- 200 ml vegetable oil — for shallow-frying; you may need a little less or more depending on your pan
- 60 g gochujang
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml rice vinegar
- 25 g honey
- 10 ml sesame oil
- 10 g caster sugar
- 2 garlic — cloves, finely grated
- 20 g fresh ginger — finely grated
- 15 g toasted sesame seeds
- 2 spring onion — finely sliced on the diagonal
- 5 g sea salt
- 0 g black pepper — freshly ground
Instructions
Press the tofu: wrap the block of firm tofu in several layers of kitchen paper and place on a board. Put a heavy plate or a small tin on top to press out excess liquid. Leave to press for 30 minutes.
After pressing, slice the tofu into 8 rectangles (about 2 cm thick). Pat each piece briefly with fresh kitchen paper to remove any remaining surface moisture.
Season the cornflour: tip the cornflour into a wide, shallow dish and stir in the sea salt and black pepper until evenly mixed.
Dredge the tofu pieces in the seasoned cornflour, shaking off any excess. Arrange the coated pieces on a plate so the coating can set for a minute.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and pour in the vegetable oil to a depth of about 5 mm. When the oil is shimmering (but not smoking), fry the tofu in batches without overcrowding. Cook each batch for about 3–4 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook a further 3–4 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Transfer cooked pieces to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
Make the glaze: put gochujang, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, caster sugar, grated garlic and grated fresh ginger into a small saucepan with 50 ml cold water. Whisk to combine, then bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, whisking, until glossy and slightly thickened.
Return the fried tofu to a clean, dry frying pan or pour the glaze over the tofu in the saucepan. Toss gently for about 30 seconds until every piece is evenly glazed and sticky.
Serve immediately on a platter and scatter with toasted sesame seeds and the sliced spring onion. Best eaten hot so the coating stays crisp.
Tips
- Press the tofu for the full 30 minutes — you’ll get a much crisper crust and far less splatter when frying.
- Use a shallow layer of oil (about 5 mm) for even, controlled frying rather than deep-frying the pieces.
- Fry in batches and keep the cooked pieces on a warm oven tray (100°C fan/120°C conventional) if making ahead of plating.
- If you need a gluten-free version, swap light soy sauce for tamari (see substitutions) and the dish remains close to the original.
- Leftovers are best reheated in a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) for 8–10 minutes to restore crispness.
Substitutions
light soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (30 ml) — makes the dish gluten-free
Stays closehoney → maple syrup, same quantity (25 g) — keeps sweetness but gives a slightly different flavour and makes it vegan
Stays closegochujang → a mix of 30 g sriracha plus 30 g red miso (to taste) — spicy and salty but missing the fermented depth of gochujang
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 760
- Calories
- 10 g
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — replace the honey with maple syrup. If you need it gluten-free too, use tamari in place of light soy sauce.
How do I stop the tofu going soggy?
Press thoroughly, dust lightly with cornflour, and fry in a hot pan without overcrowding. Drain on kitchen paper and glaze just before serving.
Can I bake the tofu instead of frying?
You can: oven-bake at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway. It won’t be quite as crisp as shallow-fried, but it’s lower in oil.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot oven to help re-crisp the coating.
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