Gochujang Butter Tofu Bowls

Cook time: 60-120 minutes | Makes 10 servings

Gochujang Butter Tofu ingredients: 

  • 2 blocks of firm tofu

  • 1 tbsp of sesame oil

  • 1 tbsp cornstarch 

  • 1 cup of water

  • 2 tbsp vegan butter

  • 1.5 tbsp gochujang 

  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos

  • 2 tbsp maple syrup/agave

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • Sesame seeds 

Bok Choy:

  • Bag of bok choy (~2 lbs)

  • 1 tbsp minced ginger (I use Trader Joe’s frozen ginger cubes)

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil 

  • 1 tbsp minced garlic/2 cloves 

  • Pinch of salt

Cucumber salad (inspired by kimchimari):

  • 2 cucumbers

  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos

  • 4 Tbsp rice vinegar

  • 2 Tbsp monkfruit sugar

  • 1 tsp Korean red chili powder (gochugaru)

  • 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

  • 2 chopped green onions 

Optional sides: grain (rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, burrito), veggies (spinach, bok choy, shredded carrots, red cabbage, etc)

Directions: 

  1. Drain, squeeze the moisture out of, and cube the tofu. Place in air fryer, spray with oil, and cook at 375 for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. 

  2. In the meantime, make your sauce. De-skin your garlic, then grate or mince your cloves into a small pot. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients except the cornstarch into the pot including the cup of water.

  3. Place on the stove at low to medium heat and let everything melt together, then whisk together until combined. Make a cornstarch slurry by dissolving your cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water then pour into the sauce and whisk until it thickens. 

  4. The tofu should be done. Heat up a pan or skillet with 2 tbsp of oil then add your tofu, gochujang butter sauce, and mix until each tofu is well-coated. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds and remove from the heat once you’re done. 

  5. Chop up your cucumbers into whatever shapes you like. Mix together sauce ingredients then pour it over the cucumbers and let them sit for at least 10 minutes. 

  6. For the bok choy, cut off the butts or just chop in half and wash dirt off thoroughly.

  7. In a pan with sesame oil, add ginger and garlic then saute for a minute or until fragrant. Add bok choy in and stir fry for 5 minutes until it’s wilted. Lastly, dash with salt and remove from heat. 

  8. Plate your finished items into meal prep containers and store in the fridge for up to a week! 

Note: You can also use these same ingredients and repurpose them into different meals such as salads, burritos, tacos, rice paper dumplings, etc.

Meal Prepping tips:

  1. Multi-tasking. While I air fry my tofu, we are already working on the sauce. Set timers to avoid burning any food. 

  2. Keep a food discard bowl. Have a bowl to discard your leftover unwanted bits of food right in front of you instead of running and forth to the trash can. 

  3. Make a list before grocery shopping and have everything ready before meal prepping. Like I said, we are making gochujang BUTTER tofu. Have all your ingredients ready for meal prep time so you don’t have to scramble for missing ingredients while cooking. 

  4. Save time by repurposing dishes. I’m using the pot that I will be cooking my sauce in instead of using an entirely new and separate bowl just to pour into the pot later. 

  5. Chop your veggies all at once. Before you start cooking or while something else is idly in the works, wash and chop all your veggies. This will make the actual cooking process quick and painless.

  6. Wash dishes in your down time. Nothing is more stressful than a sink full of dishes while you’re trying to cook. If you optimize your time by washing dishes in between meal prepping steps, you’ll save time at the end.

  7. Have fun! Play music in the kitchen to keep your energy up and see cooking as a fun activity to learn rather than a chore.

Bryn Yasuivegan, veganasian, meal prep