Shredding tofu and baking or air-frying it to draw out excess moisture creates a unique texture that almost resembles ground meat. This shredded tofu bulgogi bowl is cooked down in a sauce that’s spicy, savoury, a little sweet, and oh-so flavourful. It’s a delicious tofu recipe you can prepare to serve over rice.
WHAT KIND OF TOFU IS BEST TO USE?
Using extra firm tofu or tokwa is key for this recipe. There are types of extra firm tofu that come pre-pressed and in vacuum-sealed pouches that are great because they're really super firm and hold up well.
Firm tofu might work too but it can easily crumble. Silken or soft tofu will most definitely not work since it won’t be able to hold up when shredded.
SHREDDED TOFU
I first stumbled upon this shredded tofu technique on Tiktok and don’t recall exactly whose video i saw but was really intrigued and decided to give it a try. I love how the tofu comes out almost like minced meat, texture-wise, since baking or air frying it really draws out extra moisture from the tofu.
I cooked mine until golden brown and crisp on the edges while some pieces are still white and soft so when you add everything together, you get a really nice mix of textures.
The shredded tofu itself is a great vessel for any kind of sauce or marinade you like but I opted for a bulgogi style sauce.
BULGOGI SAUCE
This bulgogi sauce is inspired by Korean bulgogi. I love to use gochujang because of its distinct heat with a nice hint of sweetness and of course it’s umami. It’s also thick so helps bring the sauce together.
I added some grated Asian pear (grated Fuji apple works amazing too) for extra sweetness to the sauce.
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS TOFU RECIPE
You can find the full printable recipe in the card below! :)
TOFU
- extra firm tofu (I love using pre-pressed tofu like this one!)
BULGOGI SAUCE
- grated asian pear or apple
- soy sauce
- gochujang
- sesame oil
- sesame seeds
- dark soy sauce
- sugar
- grated ginger
- minced garlic
TO SERVE
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Steamed rice, I used short grain or Japanese sushi rice
STEPS
FOR THE SHREDDED TOFU
- Remove the tofu from the water and drain from any excess water. Using a cheese grater, carefully grate the tofu into shreds.
- Meanwhile, preheat your air-fryer or oven to 350F/180C.
- On a lined baking tray or air fryer basket (I used parchment paper), place the shredded tofu and try to spread it out as thin as possible.
- For air-frying, air-fry for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown - do not overcook since it can easily harden and become too dry.
- You can flip the tofu halfway through cooking. It’s also okay not to get even browning and even have the tofu still white, since this can add to the different textures of the overall tofu dish.
- If baking, you may need to bake the tofu for 25-30 minutes.
SAUCE AND MARINATING
- While the tofu is cooking, prepare the sauce by mixing everything together. Feel free to adjust to your taste.
- Want it really saucy? You can double the sauce!
- Once the tofu is lightly golden brown and crisp on the edges, transfer it to the sauce. Mix well to coat.
COOKING THE SHREDDED TOFU BULGOGI
- In a medium wok or pan, add in the shredded tofu and sauce. Cook down over medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and absorbed by the tofu. The sauce will also slightly thicken from the sugars in the sauce.
- Taste the tofu and feel free to season more, if desired.
- Turn off the heat.
SERVE AND ENJOY!
Serve this hot with rice and garnish with some chopped green onions & sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!
This is best enjoyed freshly cooked! :)
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Shredded Tofu Bulgogi Rice Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
Tofu
- 17.5 oz extra firm tofu or tokwa (I love using pre-pressed tofu like this one!)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup grated asian pear or Fuji apple, (I peeled mine before grating)
- 1-2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1.5 tsp finely grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
To Serve
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Steamed rice , I used short grain or Japanese sushi rice
Instructions
SHREDDED TOFU
- Remove the tofu from the water and drain from any excess water. Using a cheese grater, carefully grate the tofu into shreds.
- Meanwhile, preheat your air-fryer or oven to 350F/180C.
- On a lined baking tray or air fryer basket (I used parchment paper), place the shredded tofu and try to spread it out as thin as possible.
- For air-frying, air-fry for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown - do not overcook since it can easily harden and become too dry.
- You can flip the tofu halfway through cooking. It’s also okay not to get even browning and even have the tofu still white, since this can add to the different textures of the overall tofu dish.
- If baking, you may need to bake the tofu for 25-30 minutes.
PREPARE THE SAUCE
- While the tofu is cooking, prepare the sauce by mixing everything together. Feel free to adjust to your taste.
- Want it really saucy? You can double the sauce!
ADD THE TOFU TO THE SAUCE
- Once the tofu is lightly golden brown and crisp on the edges, transfer it to the sauce. Mix well to coat.
COOKING & SERVING
- In a medium wok or pan, add in the shredded tofu and sauce. Cook down over medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and absorbed by the tofu. The sauce will also slightly thicken from the sugars in the sauce.
- Taste the tofu and feel free to season more, if desired.
- Turn off the heat. Serve this hot with rice and garnish with some chopped green onions & sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!
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tried this yesterday and it was delicious! have you tried using TVP instead of the shredded tofu? i feel like it has a similar texture + you wouldn’t have to bake/air fry it before using
I’ve tried TVP with other recipes but not this, though yes it should work well too! I just don’t like how TVP has a distinct flavor at times but if you don’t mind then it shouldn’t be a problem ◡̈
Okay I never leave comments but this was sooo delicious!!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks so much Justine! Appreciate you leaving this review ◡̈
Tried it, loved it! Brilliant idea to shred the tofu an cook it first in the air fryer. Also I prepared the sushi rice which adds a little ‘je ne sais quoi’. Great recipe, thank you!
Thanks so much Laurence! ◡̈
Flavorful, but not much of a sauce. Seems like it all got absorbed by the tofu. Followed the instructions, but felt like I did something wrong or forgot an ingredient. Ended up with dry, flavored tofu. Not saucy. What did I do wrong?
Hi Dennis! The tofu might’ve absorbed much of the sauce leaving you with not much left. This can vary depending on how cooked your tofu is and how much water is left inside – since the more it’s dehydrated, the more it can absorb the sauce. If you want it extra saucy you can double the sauce recipe to mix with the tofu upon cooking. You can also always adjust the seasoning to your taste. Hope this helps!
Really delicious. Full of flavor, and the chewy, crispy, soft tofu texture was amazing. I used firm tofu instead of extra firm, after pressing between clean dish towels for about 30 minutes. It was crumbly, but it shredded well enough. Will make about 50% more sauce next time, because I like saucy bulgogi. I’m sure this will become a household favorite! It was so easy!
Yay thanks Mary! And making more sauce is a great idea! ◡̈