Bulgogi tofu sandwich with kimchi (vegan)

This bulgogi tofu sandwich doesn’t shy away from flavor.

It includes:

• Sweet & savory grilled tofu marinated in gochujang
• Bold kimchi
• Creamy vegan mayo
• Always delcious avocado
• Toasted marbled rye

With fermented cabbage as a layer & rye bread encasing it, you could almost say it’s Korean reuben fusion.

It’s a great way to use any leftovers from a bulgogi tofu bowl.

Or if you’re just looking for a way to cure any cravings you may have for a savory sandwich that doesn’t pull any punches, make this sandwich all on its own!

In this post:

Vacuum-packed tofu is best for this recipe, because it is firm enough to hold up to the grill. It also doesn’t require pressing.

I use Trader Joe’s high protein tofu, which is one of my favorite Trader Joe’s vegan products.

Wildwood also makes vacuum-packed tofu. It’s available at a lot of health food stores.

If you don’t have vacuum-packed tofu, no worries. You’ll just need to press water-packed tofu first.

To make up for the difference in water weight, use a 14-ounce package of water-packed tofu.

(Here’s a helpful post on how to press tofu.)

Kimchi is sold in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores. It’s often by the sauerkraut.

Kimchi is made by fermenting cabbage with vegetables, garlic, and chili peppers.

Some brands include fish sauce as well. So when you’re looking for kimchi, be sure to turn that label around and check for fish sauce.

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

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

It adds a full-bodied flavor that’s reminiscent of miso meets Sriracha.

Gochujang is sold in tubs at Korean grocery stores and Trader Joe’s. You can also find it in jars & bottles at many natural grocery stores.

One jar or tub lasts a long time in the refrigerator since you just need a little bit for a lot of flavor.

If you’re not using leftover bulgogi tofu, then the first step is to marinate the tofu.

(If you are using leftover bulgogi tofu, then obviously you can skip this step!)

Cut 10 ounces of vacuum-packed tofu into half-inch slices.

Make the marinade with:

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

Allow the tofu to marinate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. The longer the tofu marinates, the more flavorful it will become.

Be sure to flip the tofu halfway through, so that every part is evenly coated.

After the tofu is fully marinated, bring the outdoor grill to 500 degrees.

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

No grill? No problem! You can grill the tofu on an indoor grill pan or even a skillet instead.

Spread non-dairy butter on each side of the bread. Then brown it on each side for a couple of minutes.

You can toast it in a skillet, grill pan, or outdoors on the grill. Your call!

If you’d like melty non-dairy cheese on your sandwich, add it to two of the bread slices, cover the grill, and allow it to melt.

I recommend a smoked gouda-style vegan cheese.

Compile those sandwiches

Now it’s time to put the sandwiches together.

Slather the bread with vegan mayo.

Top with slices of bulgogi tofu, drained kimchi, avocado, and the last layer of bread.

Serve right away alongside oven baked french fries or a pile of sesame kale.

📖 Recipe

Bulgogi tofu sandwich with kimchi (vegan)

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 6 votes

Think of this sandwich as a Korean-inspired spin on a reuben. Savory bulgogi tofu that has soaked in a gochujang marinade is the main event. Then it's topped with kimchi and your choice of non-dairy smoked gouda or avocado slices.

Be aware that the time listed here is for making the sandwich with leftover bulgogi tofu. (Link to the recipe below.) If you're making the bulgogi tofu from scratch, you'll need to allow extra time for marinating & grilling it.

Print Pin Rate

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: Korean, Vegan

Keyword: bulgogi, grilled sandwich

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ Non-dairy butter for buttering bread
• ▢ 4 slices rye bread
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise I like Vegenaise
• ▢ 1 batch bulgogi tofu
• ▢ ½ cup kimchi divided**
• ▢ 1 avocado pitted and cut into slices, or 2 slices of non-dairy smoked cheese*

Instructions

• ▢
  Heat outdoor grill to 500 degrees. Use a knife to spread non-dairy butter on each side of bread.
• ▢
  Grill bread on one side for a couple of minutes, until grill marks have formed. Flip bread and top two of the bread slices with non-dairy smoked cheese, if using. (If you're using avocado, you'll add that later.)
• ▢
  Grill for a couple more minutes with the grill lid closed, so that the cheese melts. Once grill marks have formed on the second side, remove bread from grill.
• ▢
  Now it's time to compile the sandwiches.

  Slather vegan mayo onto each of the slices. Top each sandwich with two slices of bulgogi tofu.

  Squeeze the kimchi with your hands over the sink to remove any excess liquid. Place ¼ cup of kimchi on each sandwich.

  Top with a few slices of avocado, if using, and the last layer of bread. (That's the one with the melted cheese, if using.)

  Serve immediately.

Notes

*You may have extra avocado left over. 

**Some brands of kimchi aren’t vegan. Be sure to read the label and look out for fish sauce.

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Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg

Content updated January 18, 2023. Originally posted April 22, 2016.