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Bon Appétit

Gochujang-Butter-Braised Tofu

4.8

(17)

GochujangButterBraised Tofu in a stainless steel pan placed on top of a wooden surface
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Gerri Williams

Rust red, thick, and sticky, gochujang carries this dish on its back. It’s a potent paste, made of fermented soybeans and chiles, and smells faintly of cereal and overripe plums. Its soy-rich tang melds with butter and jarred bouillon paste, another umami-rich staple, for a sauce so savory and well-rounded it’s hard to imagine the entire thing took less than 30 minutes to cook. Look for gochujang paste (rather than “gochujang sauce,” which is an entirely different product) sold in plastic tubs rather than glass jars as they tend to be more vibrant in color and flavor.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    20 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. chicken or vegetable bouillon paste (such as Better Than Bouillon)
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. fish sauce
1 14-oz. block firm tofu, drained
1 small white or yellow onion, cut into ½"-thick wedges
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Seasoned toasted seaweed snacks and cooked rice (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk 3 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste), 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. chicken or vegetable bouillon paste, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 2 tsp. fish sauce, and 1 cup water in a medium high-sided skillet to combine.

    Step 2

    Slice one 14-oz. block firm tofu, drained, in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 6 sections to create 12 squares. Arrange in pan in a single layer (you can shingle slightly if needed). Scatter 1 small white or yellow onion, cut into ½"-thick wedges, 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, and 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, on top. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, spooning sauce over tofu occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about a third, 5–7 minutes.

    Step 3

    Remove pan from heat. Add 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil and remaining 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and stir gently and swirl pan until butter is melted and incorporated into sauce.

    Step 4

    Crush seasoned toasted seaweed snacks into large shards and scatter over tofu. Serve with cooked rice alongside.

TagsDinnerMainDairy FreeNut FreeBraiseTofuKoreanEast AsianAsianEasyQuick30 Minutes or LessBon Appétit

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