
Being a solo entrepreneur I like to make quick meals for lunch that require thirty minutes or less to cook. This week I went into my vegan recipe vault, it’s really just a three-ring notebook and prepared a weekly favorite I like to eat. Video included down below with recipe and instructions.
Braised Tofu
To make the braised tofu you will need one pack of extra firm tofu, carrots, red onion, yellow onion, green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Use sesame seeds and more of the sauce to sprinkle on top of the finished meal.
I like to enjoy this meal because it’s the right amount of salty, crunchy, and sweetness. It’s a serving for two people, but if you have left over the tofu tastes great the second day as well.
Because of various dietary requirements the ingredients can change depending on your personal dietary preference. This braised tofu meal is another perfect beginner Korean dish for novices such as myself to cook.

The recipe I will be referencing is from The Korean Vegan, you can see her recipe, get the ingredients, instructions and video here.
Related Reading: Korean Vegan Products
Substitutions
If you’re a meat lover you can substitute the protein for chicken or pork. *Please be aware the cooking times may vary. Depending on what veggies you have in the fridge you can use just green onions and a yellow onion if you don’t have the carrots and red onion. and the meal still tastes really good. *If you have used any other vegetables other than the ones that I’ve mentioned I would love to read about them in the comments down below.

Braised Tofu Instructions
Prior to cooking take out your tofu and remove from the packaging. Place the tofu on a plate with two paper towels on the top and bottom of the tofu block. Wait at least 30 minutes, longer if possible. Just remember to check to the tofu block every 10 to 15 minutes and drain the water that has gathered at the bottom.
While you’re waiting for the tofu to drain begin with cutting the veggies. For the green onion, yellow and red onions you’re going to thinly slice each of them into bite-sized pieces.
If you don’t like the skin on your carrots, peel one to two carrots ( depending on size). Cut the dirt off the front/back of each carrot. Set the initial peeling aside to be composted or thrown in the trash. Continue peeling the carrots to create thin long pieces. Once you’re done peeling the carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Once the tofu is ready, preheat a nonstick skillet with cooking oil. Wait for the oil to get hot and sizzles. Add your tofu to the pan and make sure they don’t touch. * They like to stick together and it will make it hard to flip. Cook for 7 minutes and then flip. Add your yellow onions to the pan so they can caramelize and cook add extra flavor to the tofu.
Cook another 7 minutes and then drain the excess oil out of the pan. Add your veggie and soy sauce mix. Cook for another 3 – 5 minutes. If you want to add 1/4 vegetable broth to the pan you can cook the tofu longer and let the sauce marinate a while longer.

Time to enjoy.
Ingredients
1 pack firm tofu
2-3 minced garlic
2 green onions/scallions
½ red onion
½ yellow onion
1 carrot
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar (white, red, apple or plum)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Optional
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp red pepper paste (gochugaru)
1 green chili (remove the seeds)
1 tbsp of water
Pairings
You can serve with slices of cucumbers, or spicy cucumber salad if you like the heat, and a steaming bowl of white rice.
Allergy Aware
This recipe has two of the major allergens: soybean, and sesame from the top nine allergens. Depending on your food allergy or dietary preference you can substitute the ingredients as needed.
Recipe Notes
I want to share this recipe with everyone that I found because sometimes I feel that it can be overwhelming while learning to cook. Especially with tofu and trying to learn how to drain or remove the excess water.
If you try this recipe or have any additional tips that you want to share with the community I would love to read about them in the comments down below.
Have you checked out the Korean Convenience content creator cooking challenge?
This Cooking Challenge is a fun way for content creators to join together, cook, and share recipes! The Korean Convenience community gets to see how we enjoy Korean food, the changes we make, ingredients we add, and more.
If you like this recipe then you might also like these recipes: kimchi jeon or green onion pancakes . Or if you like to buy your snacks and appetizers check out the blog posts on How To Read Korean Food Labels, Where To Buy Korean Food, and Maangchi: Korean Grocery Store Blog.
If you’re looking for more information about Korean snacks and grocery products check out our product page where we provide the top nine food allergies, vegan and gluten information, ingredients, weight, calorie, and cross-contact information whenever available.
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