Bulgogi tofu bowls with gochujang marinade

Published: Jul 16, 2019 · Modified: May 4, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
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Bring something out of the ordinary to grilling season!

Spicy Korean-inspired bulgogi tofu bowls are made with grilled tofu in a gochujang marinade, spinach & kimchi on brown rice.

Slabs of bulgogi tofu on plate by bowl of kimchi & rice bowl.

A few years ago, I became a little obsessed with Korean cuisine.

It all started when I visited Franchia in New York City.

That morphed into a kimchi habit that had me going through a jar a week.

While I was looking for more ways to include kimchi into my regular meals, I happened upon a non-vegan bulgogi recipe that David Lebovitz shared.

His recipe was adapted from Koreatown: A Cookbook.

In this post:

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What is bulgogi?
Vegan kimchi
What is gochujang?
Step by step instructions
Make it your own
📖 Recipe

What is bulgogi?

Slabs of grilled bulgogi tofu on plate outside.

In Korean, bulgogi literally means “fire meat.”

It’s typically made with beef that has been marinated in a spicy sweet marinade and then cooked on a grill.

I decided to take some of those bulgogi flavors and use them on tofu instead.

It is a blank slate that beautifully soaks up the tastes of gochujang, tamari, and toasted sesame oil.

Then I popped it onto my outdoor grill, and served it in bowls with brown rice, sautéed spinach, and kimchi.

Vegan kimchi

Jar of kimchi on table by peas, rice, and onion.

Kimchi is similar to sauerkraut in that they both include fermented cabbage.

But kimchi takes things up a notch with spices and other fermented vegetables, garlic, and chili peppers.

Some kimchi brands use fish sauce.

So you’ll want to read the ingredient list before buying.

However, I haven’t had any problems finding kimchi that is vegan.

My go-to brands are Sunja’s and Gold Mine.

What is gochujang?

One of the tofu marinade ingredients is gochujang.

It’s a fermented hot pepper paste that’s made with red chili, glutinous rice, and soybeans.

The taste and thick, sticky consistency is reminiscent of what would happen if miso paste and Sriracha fell in love.

A jar of gochujang lasts a long time in the refrigerator.

You can find it in tubs in any Korean grocery store or in jar-form in Whole Foods in the Asian section.

(This is the brand I’m currently using.)

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Cut 10 ounces of vacuum-packed super firm tofu into ½ inch slices.

(I use Trader Joe’s high protein tofu. Wildwood also makes a vacuum-packed tofu.)

Slabs of tofu marinating in gochujang sauce.

Make the marinade by combining:

Tamari
Gochujang
Agave syrup
Brown rice vinegar
Toasted sesame oil
Granulated onion
Ginger powder
Minced garlic
Black pepper

Add the tofu slabs.

Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

The longer it marinates, the more flavorful it will become.

Aim for at least 8 hours.

Half way through the marinating time, flip the slices so that it’s evenly coated.

Once it’s fully marinated, it’s time to grill!

Bring the outdoor grill to 500 degrees.

Grill the slices for two to three minutes on each side until nice dark grill marks form.

(Don’t move or flip the slices until you get those marks!)

To complete the meal, sauté garlic in oil.

Once the garlic is fragrant, add baby spinach leaves to the skillet.

Move the leaves across the pan until they are just wilted. Add salt to taste.

Serve the bulgogi tofu and spinach in bowls with brown rice and drained kimchi.

I like to give my spinach, rice, and kimchi a good stir before digging in, so that all of the flavors are combined.

Make it your own

You can make this bowl your own by varying the ingredients or serving method.

Don’t have vacuum-packed tofu?

You can use water-packed instead. Just press it from a 14-ounce package.

(Need more info? Check out this post on how to press tofu.)

The difference in ounces is because of the water you’ll lose once you press it out to make the tofu firmer & ready to pick up the flavors of this marinade.

Vary the serving methods

Serve it with kimchi fried rice instead of brown rice
Use bulgogi tofu in a tofu sandwich with kimchi & avocado
Serve it in a lettuce wrap with kimchi
Top your favorite salad with bulgogi tofu for an extra punch of protein
Instead of spinach, serve this bowl with sesame kale
Finish the bowl with a drizzling of vegan sriracha mayonnaise

Vary the cooking method

If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill or it’s not grilling season, the tofu can easily be made on an indoor grill pan instead.

Just bring the grill pan to a medium high heat and spritz with oil. Cook the tofu slices for about 3 minutes on each side.

Don’t move the slices until nice, dark grill marks have formed.

Bulgogi tofu in black bowl with kimchi, sauteed spinach, and brown rice.

📖 Recipe

Content & photos updated January 16, 2023. Originally posted April 19, 2016.

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About Cadry Nelson

Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

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