Korean pan fried tofu is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Pan fried Korean tofu slices are a healthy, protein rich, vegan side dish and an appetizer. It is served with spicy sauce. And to make it a gluten free recipe use gluten free sauces.

In Korean, dubu means tofu and buchim means pan fried. Dubu buchim means pan fried tofu and is a popular banchan (side dish) in Korean homes. Dubu is bland, hence serve it with yangnyeomjang, a spicy seasoned sauce.

The base for spicy sauce is soya sauce. Seasoning for the sauce is scallions, gochugaru, garlic and honey. For additional flavor, throw in some jalapeno peppers or red chilies, sesame seeds and maybe some rice vinegar too.

Plate of pan fried Korean tofu with a spicy sauce.

Tofu is an excellent source of plant based protein. Pan fried tofu slices are a common banchan among home cooks. Though it is a common side dish, it is so versatile that it makes a great appetizer and a vegetarian main dish.

Unlike other banchans such as Sukju Namul Muchim (beans sprouts salad), Sigeumchi Namul (spinach salad) and my favorite OiMu Chim Namul (cucumber salad), dobu buchim goes well with just plain rice. Thus making it a great plant based main dish.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Serving
Storage
Tips
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Tofu - use firm tofu and pat dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel to remove excess water content before pan frying.
Soya sauce - is the base for the seasoning sauce and use gluten free sauce for a gluten free recipe. I prefer regular or light soya sauce and find dark a bit strong.
Sesame - Sesame oil gives the sauce a nice flavor and the seeds give a nutty flavor. Although sesame seeds are optional, using sesame oil is a must to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
Gochugaru - is Korean chili flakes/powder. It is slightly sweetish, mild or spicy. I usually substitute it with Indian chili powder or paprika.
Scallions - use lots of them.
Other ingredients - oil for frying tofu, garlic and sugar or honey are other ingredients. If you do not like raw garlic, feel free to skip it and adjust chili powder accordingly.

Instructions

There are two steps to the process. First prepare the sauce and keep it aside. This gives enough time for scallions and garlic to soak in the sauce. Second step is to prepare and fry tofu.

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, except tofu and cooking oil. Whisk or mix to combine everything and, keep aside until ready to use.

Block of slice tofu and slicing another block of tofu on a wooden cutting board.

Step 2: Wash and press tofu between palms to remove excess water. Cut the block into two, lengthwise and cut each piece into 10-12 slices, 10 pieces is ideal.

Few slices tofu on a wooden cutting board and pat drying few more slices between two paper towels.

Step 3: Pat dry sliced tofu pieces on paper towels or a kitchen towel to remove excess water.

Step 4: Heat a wide pan with oil. Gently place all the slices in the pan, without over crowding.

Pan frying tofu in a wide pan and flipping tofu with a wooden spatula.

Step 5: Fry for 5-7 minutes on medium - medium low flame until light brown. Gently flip each slice and continue to fry.

Step 6: Fry for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil from tofu.

Serving

Drizzle spicy sauce and serve as a side dish or with some steaming rice with any Korean meal. Dobu buchim is a side dish but it also makes a great starter. I like it both as a side dish and as an appetizer.

Storage

Store leftover dubu and sauce in an airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Serve cold or bring tofu to room temperature before serving. Store these separately and drizzle the sauce just before serving.

Tips

Tofu - Use firm tofu and press slices on a paper towel to remove excess water before pan frying. Do not skip this step for crispy tofu.
Soya Sauce - Use good quality soya sauce and use either regular or light soya sauce. I find dark soya sauce a bit strong for this sauce. This is my personal preference.

Bowl of rice with pan fried tofu on the top.

📖 Recipe