Bulgogi tofu bowls with kimchi (Vegan)

Name: Bulgogi Tofu Bowls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 people
Ingredients: 1/4 cup tamari; 1 Tablespoon gochujang; 1 Tablespoon agave syrup; 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon granulated onion; 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder; 3 garlic cloves (minced); Grind black pepper; 10 ounces super firm tofu (in vacuum packaging, cut in 1/2 inch slices*); Oil for grill grate (if necessary); 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 6 ounces baby spinach leaves; Salt (to taste); 1 cup cooked brown rice; 1/2 cup kimchi (drained)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Bring something out of the ordinary to grilling season! These spicy Korean-inspired vegan bowls are made with bulgogi tofu, sautéed spinach, and kimchi on brown rice.

A few years ago, I became a little obsessed with Korean cuisine. It all started when I visited Franchia in New York City and 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.

Bulgogi tofu

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

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

Vegan kimchi

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 bulgogi marinade ingredients is gochujang. If you’re not familiar with 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.)

How to make bulgogi tofu

Start by cutting 10 ounces of vacuum-packed super firm tofu into 1/2 inch slices.

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

If you don’t have vacuum packed tofu, you can use water-packed tofu instead. Just press the tofu from a 14-ounce package. 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.

Then put the tofu slices into a bulgogi marinade made with:

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

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

(Don’t move or flip the tofu 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

Serve the bulgogi tofu with kimchi fried rice.
Use the bulgogi tofu in a tofu sandwich with kimchi & avocado.
Serve bulgogi tofu in a lettuce wrap with kimchi.
Add the bulgogi tofu to a rice or noodle stir-fry.
Top your favorite salad with bulgogi tofu for an extra punch of protein.
Instead of spinach, serve this bowl with sesame kale.

Grilled slabs of bulgogi tofu in bowl with kimchi, sauteed spinach, and brown rice.

Bulgogi Tofu Bowls

Bring something out of the ordinary to grilling season! These spicy Korean-inspired bowls are made with bulgogi tofu, sautéed spinach, and kimchi on brown rice.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Asian, Vegan

Keyword: bowl, grilled tofu

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Marinating time: 8 hours

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: people

Calories: 294kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

For bulgogi tofu

1/4 cup tamari
1 Tablespoon gochujang
1 Tablespoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
3 garlic cloves minced
Grind black pepper
10 ounces super firm tofu in vacuum packaging, cut in 1/2 inch slices*
Oil for grill grate if necessary

For bowls

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
6 ounces baby spinach leaves
Salt to taste
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup kimchi drained

Instructions

To make bulgogi tofu

In a shallow glass baking dish, combine tamari, gochujang, agave syrup, brown rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, granulated onion, ginger powder, minced garlic, and a grind of black pepper.
Place the slices of tofu in the marinade, and then flip them so that both sides are coated. Marinate tofu slices for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Flip the tofu again halfway through for even marinating.
After the tofu has marinated, heat the outdoor grill to 500 degrees.** If necessary, lightly oil grill grate. Grill tofu slices on grill for two to three minutes on each side until brown grill marks form.

To make bowls

Bring a non-stick skillet to a medium heat and add extra virgin olive oil. Sauté garlic in oil. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the baby spinach leaves to the skillet. Move the leaves across the pan until they are just wilted. Add salt to taste.
Put a half cup of brown rice into two bowls. Divide the sautéed spinach between the two bowls. Top the rice with 1/4 cup of kimchi each. Place 2 slices of tofu in each bowl, and serve.

Notes

*This recipe can be made with water-packed tofu; however, you'll need to press it before marinating. If you're using water-packed tofu, I recommend getting a 14 ounce package. After the tofu has been pressed, it will be roughly the same size as the 10 ounce block.

**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.

Tofu adapted from bulgogi recipe by David Lebovitz.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!

Reader feedback:

Here’s what Kathy had to say about this vegan bulgogi:

“This is probably the most delicious tofu I’ve ever tasted. Other than the time spent marinating, it comes together very quickly. I actually let mine marinate anywhere from overnight to up to 48 hours! Then I grill it in my grill pan and have to stop myself from eating the entire block of tofu. I will always, always have all these ingredients on hand so that I can make it on a regular basis.”

Originally posted April 2016. Content & photos updated July 2019.

About Cadry

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 in Mashable, Reader's Digest, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Comments

Dianne says
April 19, 2016 at 3:57 pm

This looks so good! I don’t have nearly enough Korean food in my life!

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 20, 2016 at 8:38 am
  
  Thanks, Dianne! I can’t wait to try Hangawi the next time I’m in NYC. Maybe you can be my date. 🙂
  
  Reply
Becky Striepe says
April 19, 2016 at 6:46 pm

Oh my gosh, Cadry! This looks amazing!!

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 20, 2016 at 8:38 am
  
  Thanks, Becky! Got to love those grill marks! 😀
  
  Reply
Little Vegan Bear says
April 19, 2016 at 7:08 pm

Yum, these look fab! I have also been eating more Korean food lately, though I haven’t really tried my hand at cooking it myself, just eating out – in fact I had a tofu bulgogi dish last time I had Korean! I am also trying to include more fermented foods in my diet – I still have a big golden turmeric sauerkraut I made in the fridge but have not had a crack at kim chi for a while, perhaps I’ll make a batch this weekend 🙂

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:27 am
  
  That’s great! Fermented foods are so good for you. I’ve never tried to make my own kimchi. I’ll be interested to hear how it goes for you!
  
  Reply
Amey says
April 19, 2016 at 7:40 pm

This sounds so good, I am going to make it. I’ve still never even tried Kimchi. I really don’t know much about Korean food. But those tofus look great, and I have some Guochugang in my cupboard. Fun! I’ll report back.

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:28 am
  
  Awesome! I can’t wait to hear what you think. You could try the kimchi from your friends at Farmhouse Culture sometime. I’ve never tried theirs! 🙂
  
  Reply
  - Amey says
    April 22, 2016 at 10:22 pm
    
    We just had it for dinner and it was SO good. In fact, Musty is still eating his seconds. So quick and easy to throw together. I marinated my tofus all day so they were super flavorful. I think Musty left a few so I can have more for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for sharing a great recipe, we loved it! The kimchi I bought is super spicy, so we used it sparingly. I’ll try the Farmhouse Culture one next time. <3
    
    Reply
    - Cadry says
      April 23, 2016 at 4:35 pm
      
      Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that you and Musty both loved it! The kimchi I have been using is Sunja’s, and it’s on the mild side. So that’s another option. Thanks for making my recipe! 🙂
      
      Reply
Susan says
April 19, 2016 at 9:13 pm

This looks amazing. I don’t eat a lot of Korean food because it always seems like it would be spicy, and I don’t do spicy. I need to make my own kimchi sometime so I can make it nice and mild.

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:29 am
  
  Thanks, Susan! The kimchi that I’ve been eating, Sunja’s, is pretty mild. Maybe you’d like that one if you don’t get around to making your own.
  
  Reply
Kittee Bee says
April 19, 2016 at 11:08 pm

Gojujang contains gluten and sugar and it makes me want to cry! I love it so much.
Your tofooos are beautiful, we would be good friends if we had the chance.

xo
kittee

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:31 am
  
  Aw, that’s such a bummer! I didn’t realize that it has gluten in it. My tofu would have liked to be friends with you too. xo
  
  Reply
Tracey says
April 20, 2016 at 5:34 am

Yum! Where do you get your kimchi? Is there a particular brand you like?

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 20, 2016 at 6:29 am
  
  Thanks, Tracey! I buy it at my regular natural grocery store. They sell 3 different vegan & raw kimchi brands there, actually! The one that I buy and have been loving is Sunja’s.
  
  Reply
  - Tracey says
    April 21, 2016 at 5:37 am
    
    ok, thanks!!!
    
    Reply
Kristina says
April 20, 2016 at 9:52 am

we LOVE gochujang! I know Jason and I will both love this – cannot wait to try!

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:31 am
  
  That’s great! I hope you and Jason enjoy it!
  
  Reply
Jess says
April 21, 2016 at 6:24 am

Ummm, well since this bowl is all about kimchi and I can’t seem to get enough of it, I’m all over this! Might just have to go grab a bite of it from the fridge to tide me over until I can get out and look for gochujang later today…

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:32 am
  
  Ha! I’ve totally snacked on kimchi or sauerkraut, and I don’t even have pregnancy as an excuse! Good luck with the gochujang search. 🙂
  
  Reply
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition says
April 21, 2016 at 8:11 am

Ooh this looks delicious! I am very into kimchi as well and go through a jar every week or so. I didn’t realize how much I liked Korean food until visiting Franchia too. Since then I’ve been looking for vegan Korean recipes. Can’t wait to try this!

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 21, 2016 at 9:34 am
  
  Oh, wow! Franchia is making fans of Korean food right and left. 🙂 The next time I’m in NYC, it will be a must, and I can’t wait to try their other restaurant, Hangawi. Terry Hope Romero has a bibimbap recipe in Vegan Eats World that you might enjoy as well. I’m eager to buy a stone bowl at some point, so that I can have a true bibimbap/stone bowl experience at home. 🙂
  
  Reply
Kris says
April 21, 2016 at 5:24 pm

Pickle it I will eat it. Make it hot and spicy, even better. This recipe needs to happen in my kitchen sooner rather than later. Although, after seeing the Strawberry rhubarb pie at Modern Love tonight I may be making a road trip there first : } Oh yes us poor vegans suffering from lack of good eats.

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 22, 2016 at 8:18 pm
  
  I feel the same way about pickled foods. I can’t get enough. Let me know if you make the bulgogi tofu! I totally understand if it needs to take a back-burner, though, while you travel to Modern Love. Strawberry rhubarb pie is a very worthy distraction. 🙂
  
  Reply
Kathy says
April 4, 2019 at 7:37 pm

This is probably the most delicious tofu I’ve ever tasted. Other than the time spent marinating, it comes together very quickly. I actually let mine marinate anywhere from overnight to up to 48 hours! Then I grill it in my grill pan and have to stop myself from eating the entire block of tofu. I will always, always have all these ingredients on hand so that I can make it on a regular basis. The gochujang can be found at Whole Foods, or online of course.

Reply
- Cadry says
  April 5, 2019 at 7:30 am
  
  I am so thrilled to hear that you loved this tofu, Kathy! Thanks for the glowing review. You made my day.
  
  Reply