Vegan Baked Korean BBQ Tofu Recipe

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 05/10/22
Baked tofu in Korean barbecue sauce

The Spruce

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Korean barbecue without the meat? This Korean BBQ tofu recipe boasts some big flavors with protein-packed tofu.

Korean barbecue sauce makes an excellent marinade for baked Korean BBQ tofu—just thin it out a bit with water. Don't have any Korean barbecue sauce on hand, but craving that unique spicy, salty and sweet combination that only Korean food can provide? Try this Korean barbecue sauce-inspired marinade for baked tofu. It is vegetarian and vegan, and, if you use a gluten-free soy sauce, it is free of gluten and wheat, too.

Amounts provided are approximate, so feel free to adjust to your liking. Scroll down for more easy ways to make ​baked tofu. New to cooking with tofu? Try this Korean BBQ Tofu recipe first—it's so scrumptious you may want to try tofu in more recipes.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons ketchup, hoisin, or barbecue sauce

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce, or Sriracha sauce

  • 1 block extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes, triangles, or slabs

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Ingredients for baked tofu in Korean barbecue sauce
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  2. First, prepare the tofu. Like most vegan tofu recipes, this one will taste best if you press the tofu first. Pressing allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavorings and seasonings which you add to it. Not sure how to do that? See this easy step-by-step guide on how to press tofu. Cut into cubes or triangles.

    Prepare the tofu
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  3. Whisk together all the ingredients except for the tofu to form a marinade.

    Whisk together
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  4. Place the tofu in a wide shallow container and cover with marinade, making sure each piece of tofu is coated well. Allow tofu to marinade for at least 20 minutes.

    Place in container
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  5. Lightly grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray or use a bit of oil, any kind, if you don't have nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 400 F.

    Lightly grease baking sheet
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  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

    Bake for 20 min
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  7. Then use a spatula to turn the tofu pieces over and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes. Tofu pieces should be lightly crisped and not soft and squishy, but not charred.

    Turn tofu
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About Korean BBQ Sauce

Typically, Korean BBQ sauce is made from combining soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar,  rice wine vinegar, chile-garlic sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper. Depending on where you go, there are different variations of this sauce. Don't expect it to taste like the typical bottled barbecue sauce—Korean barbecue sauce has a taste all its own. 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
163 Calories
9g Fat
10g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 163
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 811mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 336mg 26%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 254mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)