Buttery Gochujang Tofu and Broccoli 

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated January 28, 2026

Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
Ready In
45 min
Rating
5(743)
Comments
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Awaken the palate with this boldly seasoned, gochujang-spiked tofu and broccoli dish. With its signature smoky sweetness, tangy heat and deep fermented flavors, the gochujang glaze becomes viscous and silky thanks to butter and sticky maple syrup. Dusting the tofu in cornstarch gives it more body, with a crisp, crusted exterior that readily absorbs the full bodied sauce, while the interior remains tender and moist. The broccoli florets also carry this sauce confidently, though you could substitute with another hardy, crisp vegetable like cauliflower, green beans or green cabbage. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½ cup cornstarch

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into ½-inch slices

  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 pound broccoli, cut into small 1-inch florets

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 tablespoons gochujang paste

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup 

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

  • 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped 

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • Toasted white sesame seeds, for topping

  • Rice, to serve

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

42 grams carbs; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 586 calories; 18 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 38 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 989 milligrams sodium; 26 grams protein; 10 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

    1. Step 1

      Place the cornstarch on a large plate or small rimmed sheet pan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper and toss to combine. Coat both sides of the tofu in the cornstarch mixture, shake off any excess and set aside on a large plate or platter.

    2. Step 2

      Heat a large (12-inch) skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, add the broccoli, season with salt and pepper and toss until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes, or longer if preferred. Transfer to a bowl.

    3. Step 3

      With the heat still on medium-high, drizzle the skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil. Working in two batches, add half the tofu in a single layer, and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the large plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cook the remaining tofu. Transfer the final batch of tofu to the plate. 

    4. Step 4

      Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic and ginger, and cook until the butter has melted. Add 3 tablespoons of water and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tofu and broccoli and gently toss until lightly coated. 

    5. Step 5

      Top with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve with rice.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
743 user ratings
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Comments

François Dionne

Excellent. I used my usual method to cook the tofu: I tear it into bite-size pieces, toss them with some potato or corn starch, then with a tablespoon of oil, and bake at 385 on a cookie sheet for about 30 min. Not sure the butter brings anything discernible, but the result is tasty. Heat will vary depending on your gochujang.

K8

I grew up in rural Missouri where “chickpeas” were considered an exotic imported food and the nearest Walmart was about an hour away. A “country store” version of gochujang can be whipped up with a combination of ketchup, hot sauce, soy sauce, and chili flakes. It ain’t the same thing, but it’ll work. In a way, it’s in the same spirit of Korea’s postwar cuisine.

Kate

This is a delicious and easy weeknight meal. I would skip the cornstarch step - you get just as good a crust on tofu when you pan fry without it and once you add the sauce the cornstarch makes the crust soggy. Added 1 T rice vinegar and 1.5 tsp toasted sesame oil to the sauce, which added some nice depth.

Meg

I enjoyed this quite a bit, and I have a few thoughts. More veggies would be a wonderful addition! I added 12 ounces of shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly, but bell peppers or carrots would be good, too. I think I will try baking the tofu in the oven, if only to give more time for the skillet to cool down before making the incredible sauce. Before I’d double the sauce, which is A LOT of Gochujang—and I buy mine in two-pound containers at the H Mart—I would try making the sauce in a cooler pan, because it seemed to disappear in the heat.

Gibby

Flavorful dish--but two blocks of tofu to one pound of broccoli makes no sense. I used one large (16 oz) block, baked the tofu instead of frying, with better results than I get when I fry. I also halved the maple syrup, and could have reduced it even further, I think. And I reduced the butter to the small chunk I had, which was probably about 2 tbs; I could taste it just fine. Other modifications: I threw in a couple of stringbeans (my broccoli only weighed 14 oz) & some onion chunks. Yum.

Moeymirb

Love this recipe! To extend the sauce I added the juice of an orange . Next time I will add more veggies- edamame and sliced red bell pepper perhaps…

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