Vegan Bibimbap with Tofu is the vegan version of the popular Korean dish. Bibimbap simply translates to “mixed rice”. It is served with an assortment of cooked vegetables, meat and spicy gochujang sauce. To make it vegan, we are replacing the meat with tofu.
Vegan Bibimbap with Tofu is the perfect main course served for either lunch or dinner. It reminds me of a Buddha bowl. If you choose your ingredients well, it can be a well balanced meal, with protein, carbohydrate, vitamin and minerals. I also like it because people can pick and choose what they like. If a family member does not like mushrooms, no worries, they can take more of the other veggies instead! This is a great dish to clean up the fridge and use up the veggies you have on hand.
There’s no denying it – this recipe has a lot of components to it because all the toppings are seasoned and cooked separately. But the simple seasonings are largely repetitive and cooked one after the other in the same pan. And you can start and stop the cooking process anytime because this dish is meant to be served at room temperature.
Components of Vegan Bibimbap with Tofu
Vegetables– The vegetables I have used in this dish are carrots, mushrooms and spinach. But as I mentioned earlier, you can really clean out the vegetables in your fridge with this dish and use what you like to eat. Snap peas, zucchini, red cabbage, bean sprouts and edamame beans would be great additions to the dish.
Pickled Radish– To make the pickle I have used red radish that is widely available in the US supermarkets. Daikon radish is more traditional, and you can use that if its available to you. Instead of radish, you can also use cucumber to make the pickle.
Tofu– Tofu is my vegan choice of protein for this dish. To provide extra flavor, it is coated in a sauce of gochujang and soy sauce and then pan fried. It provides a nice texture balance to the dish.
Gochujang sauce- Gochujang paste is a spicy- sweet Korean paste made of red dry chilies, glutinous rice, salt and fermented soybeans. Depending on the brand you buy, it can be very strong and add intense flavor to the dish. You can find it at most Asian stores or online. Since it is a thick paste, we have thinned it out with water and additional flavorings so its easier to drizzle at the end. In my opinion, it is the most important flavoring agent for Bibimbap.
Rice– Rice is an important component of the dish. Traditionally short sticky rice is used for Bibimbap, but you can use brown rice or long grain white rice also.
Why I love Vegan Bibimbap with Tofu:
Easy to prepare with tasty Asian flavors.
You can pick and choose your Bibimbap components to your liking and availability of ingredients.
Vegan.
Can be made gluten free by using tamari and gluten free gochujang paste.
Can be served at room temperature or warm.
Vegan Bibimbap with Tofu is perfect for someone who loves Asian flavors and wants to make a healthy and easy meal.
If you enjoy Asian flavors, you may want to try these recipes:
Vegan Bibimbap with Tofu
Vegan version of the popular Korean dish Bibimbap
4
servings15
minutes30
minutesIngredients
- Cooked Vegetables and Tofu
14 oz package Extra Firm or Firm Tofu
1 cup shredded carrots
4 cups packed baby spinach
4 cup button or crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon Gochujang paste
4 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari, divided
4 tablespoons cooking oil (I use Avocado oil), divided
- Pickled Radish
1 cup red radish, julienned
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- Gochujang Sauce
3 tablespoons Gochujang paste
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon Agave or Maple syrup
2 tablespoons Lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons Hot water
- To serve
2 cups Cooked White or Brown rice
4 Lime wedges
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Method
- Press down the tofu for at least an hour and remove the extra moisture.
- Pickled Radish– In a mason jar add all the Pickled Radish ingredients with 1 cup of water and put it in the fridge to marinate as you prepare the other ingredients.
- Gochujang Sauce– Mix all the Gochujang Sauce ingredients in a mason jar or bowl and set it aside to serve later.
- Cooking the Tofu– Cut the block of tofu in 1 inch pieces. In a container mix 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of Gochujang paste. Coat the tofu pieces in the sauce. Heat a nonstick pan or cast-iron pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook the tofu pieces in the hot oil till it gets a nice color on most of the sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Cooking carrots, Baby spinach and mushrooms– The same pan as used for tofu will be used to cook these vegetables separately. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and add shredded carrots to the pan. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes and add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and remove and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan and add baby spinach. Stir fry till the spinach till its wilted. Add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and remove and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan and add sliced mushrooms. Stir fry the mushrooms till it releases juices and the juices dry up. Add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and remove and set aside. - To serve– Add ½ cup of rice to a bowl. Add vegetables, tofu and pickled radishes as per your wish. Add green onions, drizzle generously with gochujang sauce, squeeze lime juice, mix and enjoy!
Tips
- Make it gluten free by using tamari and choosing a gluten free gochujang paste.
