Korean braised tofu is quick to make yet loaded with irresistible flavors! This delicious one-pan meal features fried tofu cooked in a spicy braising sauce to be served over a bowl of steamed rice or noodles. Enjoy this flavorful dish in the comfort of your home using this simple recipe.
What is Korean Braised Tofu?
Dubu Jorim (두부조림), also known as spicy braised tofu or stewed tofu, is a popular Korean tofu dish that is served often as a side dish (banchan) to be enjoyed with a bowl of steamed rice alongside other side dishes or stews.
Although there are a countless variety of Korean side dishes, this is one of my favorites to make during the weekdays as it is quick and simple to prepare and calls for simple ingredients that are always available in my kitchen.
Tofu is one of the most essential ingredients in Korean cuisine as it is an incredible source of protein and other essential nutrients, in which its neutral flavor profile makes it an ideal ingredient to be used in a wide variety of dishes.
The braised tofu recipe that I’ll be sharing with you today is one of the most flavorful and satisfying ways to dress up a block of tofu, as it’s coated in a spicy and savory braising sauce that’s loaded with spice and aromatics.
Its bold flavors make it an excellent standalone dish to be served with a bowl of steamed rice, and can also be served both hot or cold which makes it the perfect meal for any occasion, even for picnics!
How do you make Korean Braised Tofu?
On the busy weekdays when I am particularly short on time, Korean braised tofu is often my go-to choice as it’s quick and easy to prepare yet loaded with big flavors to instantly wake up my appetite.
This Dubu Jorim recipe calls for a simple two-step process of quickly frying the tofu until golden brown, then braising them down in a spicy sauce that’s loaded with delicious aromatics.
This easy process results in flavor-packed pieces of tofu that are crisp around the edges but tender and juicy on the inside.
As it is loaded with vegetables and protein, this Korean tofu dish makes for the perfect alternative to meat and seafood that is extremely convenient to prepare with tons of health benefits!
Best of all, this easy side dish is prepared all in a single pan, which makes cleanup a breeze! Let’s be honest, we are all struggling with an endless amount of dishes, and simple recipes like this are truly a breath of fresh air. 🍃
I personally love dishes that are quick to make yet have striking flavors, and this is a much healthy alternative to most other dishes that serve the same purpose.
What do I need to make Korean Braised Tofu?
As mentioned earlier, one of the best parts about this recipe is that it calls for simple and accessible ingredients that can be easily found in your kitchen.
Here is everything you will need for this easy braised tofu recipe:
- Tofu: using firm or extra-firm tofu is ideal for this recipe, as it will hold its shape during the pan-frying process.
- You can also use medium-firm or soft tofu, but you will have to be extra careful to prevent them from disintegrating too much in the sauce.
- To prepare, slice the block of tofu in half then into 1/4 inch thick pieces, pat them dry to remove excess moisture, then lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes): for the sauce.
- Although Korean chili flakes are ideal for this recipe, you can also use crushed red pepper or paprika to add spice to the dish, if that’s all you have at hand.
- If you have a lower spice tolerance, I recommend adding half the amount to start and adding more to taste at the end to ensure that it’s catered to your preference!
- Garlic, onion & green onion: for the aromatics. For the extra spice and crunch, I also like to add some chopped chili peppers to the sauce, but this is completely optional.
- Sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds: for garnish.
And that’s it! Everything you’ll need to make your own batch of Korean braised tofu.
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious stewed tofu recipe, and please feel free to leave a comment below or message me on Instagram for any questions!
Other easy Korean recipes you may like:
- Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)
- Rabokki (Tteokbokki with Ramen)
- Korean Marinated Eggs (Mayak Eggs)
- Dakdoritang (Spicy Korean Chicken Stew)
- Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)
Easy Korean Braised Tofu (Dubu Jorim)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 package (1 lb) firm tofu or medium-firm
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 green onion chopped, divided
- 1 chili pepper chopped, optional
- 1/2 tsp each sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Sauce
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or crushed red pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Slice tofu in half then into 1/4 inch thick pieces and pat dry to remove excess moisture. Lightly season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Add garlic, onion, white parts of green onion, and chilies if using, and mix to combine.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the tofu pieces and fry both sides until golden brown, for about 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the tofu. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce is reduced.
- Finish with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and reserved green onion and serve with a bowl of rice or noodles. Enjoy!
Notes
♥ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a 5-star rating or leave a comment below to share your experience, or tag @cookerru on Instagram to showcase your creations!
40 comments
Hi, do you have to press the tofu to remove all the extra liquid or do you just lightly pat it dry?
Hi Reehana! You could press it if you prefer an extra crispy exterior, but it isn’t necessary. Just cutting them in slices and pat drying the excess liquid is enough, as demonstrated in the video!
This tasted so incredible.. easily the best tofu I’ve ever had. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
That makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing your experience Grace! x
The sauce was phenomenal. However, I’ve been trying to like tofu but it’s just not working for me.
Next time I’ll make with boneless chicken thighs or beef
I have the exact same problem! Unfortunately, I just can’t like tofu… But as it’s a side dish, I would recommend to serve it along with some korean stew with chicken or other meat.
Fantastic. Easy to make and my hubby loved it he practically had the whole thing to himself. Definitely making a bigger batch next time! Hah!
Amazing!! Haha definitely a bigger batch next time! 😉
Easy and straightforward to make and super tasty!
So easy to make and so flavorful! Will definitely make again (and again)
Hahaha it’s one of my staples too! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This was delicious! We added steamed vegetables to our dinner. My partner really really loved it! Will be making again 🙂
Sounds like a perfectly balanced meal 🙂 I am so thrilled that you enjoyed it – thanks for sharing! x
Thank you for this recipe! Didn’t even know how easy it was to make until I tried it using your method. I used to buy them cooked at my Korean grocery store. Now I can make this anytime since the ingredients is pretty much my fridge and pantry staple. This is wonderful to make when you want to eat a little lighter or on meatless Mondays! Thank you for sharing!
That makes me so happy Maggie!! Homemade is truly the way to go! This dish is truly the only way I can devour a whole block of tofu. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us!
This looks beautiful!
So excited to try it. I sadly don’t have access to the Gochugaru here in Sweden, but I did get my hands on some Gochujang! Is there any chance I could use this instead? If so, should I just replace it with the same quantity, or less/more? I never tried korean chili so I’m nervous! Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Johanna! I believe it will work as long as you adjust the amount of soy sauce and sugar to taste, to balance the added seasoning in the Gochujang! I’ve had another reader opt for Gochujang and it turned out well for them. I’d love to hear how it goes if you give it a try! x
I stumbled across this tofu dish randomly and decided to make it for dinner last night and it was delicious!
We had it with white rice and steamed broccoli. Looking forward to trying more recipes on your site 🙂
Yum! I am so happy you enjoyed it Elana ♡
This was sooo amazing! Even my boyfriend, who claims to “hate” tofu, LOVED IT!
Awesome!! This is a great way to introduce tofu to your diet for sure 🙂 So glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed it Kylie! ♡
Really good, easy Monday night meal, my whole family enjoyed. Served with brown rice, roasted veggies, and a little sliced avacado!
That sounds like the perfect meal! Thanks for sharing Ali 🙂
This Korean Braised Tofu recipe is so delicious and flavorful; its colorful too! The kids even loved it. I bought the Gochugaru, Korean soy sauce and mirin at Karman Foods, to make sure I bought only the authentic one. The taste is absolutely fantastic!
Truly appreciate you going out of your way to honor the authentic recipe! I am so happy you enjoyed it, more delicious Korean recipes to come! 🙂
This recipe is a new weeknight favourite in my household. It’s so tasty, but also super quick and simple. Thanks for sharing it! I must try some more Cookeru recipes soon.
So glad you enjoyed it Helen! Welcome to the community! 🙂
This is my new go-to tofu recipe! So easy, so flavorful! Thank you!!!
That makes me so happy Mimi! Hope you have a great day! 🙂
I can’t get hold of Gochugaru what can I substitute it with bearing in mind I can’t handle a lot of chili ?
Hi Lyn, you can use regular chili flakes and just decrease the amount used. If you prefer to replicate the traditional flavors though, Gochugaru is the way to go!
Made this twice. Actually I’m eating it now. I can see this becomeing one of my go-to recipes. So good and easy. Thank you!
I’ve made this like 4 times and it’s just so good every single time! I always hold back and wait til the next day to eat it because the tofu will have absorbed all the flavors and sauce overnight, making it taste so much better than right out of the pan!! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Oh wow this turns out to be surprisingly delicious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Perfect as an entree with rice (for me since I’m a vegan) & even better as a side dish (for my family who is not vegan). Instead of sugar, I used monk fruit (powder) or date syrup. Still tasted delicious!
This looks very interesting. I’m wondering if tempeh would work. It’s a texture that my husband prefers.
Easy and absolutely delicious. A winner with the family
Delicious! I’ve made this about 4 times now and it’s a delicious vegan dinner! We eat meat, but I’m always on the lookout for tasty meatless options. This is so, so, soooooo good. I never have mirin or the gochugaru powder, but I’ve subbed for rice vinegar and gochuchang paste and it’s amazing.
Easy. Yummy and also kinda fast. I mean I will try it more than just once. 안녕~
Very tasty.