Inspired by Korean BBQ meat, this meatless tofu bulgogi is umami, smoky, and packed with flavors. It involves minimal prep and only calls for simple ingredients!
If you prefer a spicy recipes, I recommend checking out my gochujang tofu instead!
Although the texture of tofu does not exactly mimic that of meat, this vegan bulgogi is delicious! Packed with flavors, it is especially great served with sides such as gochujang pasta, tofu japchae,and vegan kimbap. It works great with main dishes such as vegan tteokbokki too!
If you are unfamiliar with bulgogi, it is a traditional Korean dish that involves searing thin slices of beef over open flames. Hence, it is also known as "fire meat", or Korean BBQ. In this recipe, we will use thin tofu slices to substitute meat and keep the marinade fairly similar.
🍎What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Tofu - Either extra-firm or firm tofu works in this recipe. Do press tofu beforehand, either using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top.
- Soy sauce - Korean soy sauce works best in this recipe. However, regular soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu will also work.
- Sugar - I am using brown sugar, but any sweetener will work in this recipe.
- Grated apple - If you can find Asian pear, use that instead for a more authentic recipe!
🔪How to make
- Step 1: Place sliced tofu and all ingredients needed for the marinade in a container and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Step 2: Sear tofu for 2-3 mins on each side, or until both sides are nicely charred. Serve and enjoy your vegan bulgogi.
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✅Helpful tips
- Marinate overnight - The longer tofu pieces are soaked in the marinade, the more flavorful it will be. You can even marinade the day before and allow it to sit overnight in the fridge.
- Make it spicy - Most traditional bulgogi marinade do not include chili flakes or gochujang. However, feel free to add up to 1 tablespoon of gochujang or a generous pinch of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) to spice it up!
- Add vegetables - After grilling your tofu, you could also grill up some onion, bell peppers, or carrots to bulk up the meal.
🍚How to serve
With rice/noodles - My go-to way of serving tofu bulgogi is with steamed rice and some Korean side dishes, such as jjajang tteokbokki and kimchi jjigae.
Make lettuce wrap - Wrap bulgogi (and optionally rice) with lettuce leaves, topping it off with chopped vegetables and ssamjang for a simple yet healthy meal.
Bulgogi bowls - To make bulgogi bowls, serve this Korean BBQ tofu with kimchi fried rice/Jasmine rice, salad mix, vegan kimchi, and a fried egg (or vegan fried egg). Top it off with gochujang sauce or other sauces of choice. Alternatively, you could serve it as part of a vegetarian bibimbap.
❄️Storing suggestions
Leftover vegan bulgogi can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. Freezing bulgogi is not recommended, as the tofu's texture will change after freezing and thawing.
💚Why you need to make this recipe
- Bold in flavor, fragrant, and utterly delicious
- Highly versatile and can be served as a main or side dish
- Relatively quick and easy to prepare
- A vegan dish that is family-friendly and meat-eaters approved!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Tofu Bulgogi (Korean BBQ tofu)
Equipment
- grill pan or non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu drained and pressed (14oz/400g)
For marinade
- 3 tablespoons Korean soy sauce or regular soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ small apple grated (or Asian pear)
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Slice tofu into ¼ inch thin slices.
- Place sliced tofu and all ingredients needed for the marinade in a container. Seal the container and gently toss until tofu slices are well coated. Marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Grease a non-stick grill pan (or regular non-stick pan) and heat the pan over medium-high. Once heated, arrange the tofu in one layer. Ensure there are some gaps between tofu slices for ease of flipping. (You can cook tofu in 2 batches if you have a smaller pan.)
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until both sides are nicely charred. Serve and enjoy your vegan bulgogi while warm!
Notes
- Marinate overnight - The longer tofu pieces are soaked in the marinade, the more flavorful it will be. You can even marinade the day before and allow it to sit overnight in the fridge.
- Serving- Tofu bulgogi is commonly served with rice. For more serving suggestions, I highly recommend checking out the section "serving suggestions" in the post above.
- Storing leftover - Leftover Korean BBQ tofu can be refrigerated for 4-5 days.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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