Hello hello! Coming atcha just minutes from making this recipe for the 500th time in the past few weeks.
I’m so so so excited for you to try it, friend. Seriously.
Gochujang! Are you familiar with it?
It’s a Korean fermented chili pepper paste that’s thick, salty, spicy, a little sweet, and umami-y, and wow. It’s kind of popping up everywhere these days!
I got my first taste of gochujang at a bibimbap restaurant in Portland a few years ago. My bibimbap was drizzled with a sauce made primarily of this sweet-spicy paste, and after one bite, I asked for extra because I loved it so much. Love at first bite!
I’m a big spice fan, but I find that gochujang is a little more special than a typical hot sauce. It’s fermented, so there’s a pronounced funk (in the best way possible) thanks to the fermented soy in the paste. It’s also thicker –– it’s a thick paste versus something you can shake, drizzle, or pour into your food.
If gochujang has never been in your fridge before and you’re feeling a little bit ambitious, check out this recipe for a homemade version from Hyosun of Korean Babsang! Otherwise, I suggest checking out your local Asian or Korean markets to see what you can find. If you’re in Pittsburgh like me, you can try heading to a place like Sambok Korean Groceries.
From my understanding, gochujang comes in a variety of heat levels, and the spiciness of the gochujang you’re using will obviously affect the final flavor of this two-ingredient recipe. I suggest starting with a small amount of gochujang and working up to a point that works for you.
This Gochujang Maple Sauce, unsurprisingly, is made from just two ingredients: gochujang and maple syrup. That’s it! It’s definitely spicy, but not blow-your-face-off spicy thanks to the smoky-sweet hit of maple syrup.
My go-to ratio is 1 part gochujang to 2 parts maple syrup. I wrote the recipe for a whole batch of these tofu nuggets, but scale up or down based on your needs.
When the sauce coats these crispy tofu nuggets, it’s sort of reminiscent of a BBQ sauce. Smoky, sweet, and spicy, but with a little more depth. You will LOVE it!
And yep, I truly do make this recipe all of the time! Pretty much weekly. It’s my go-to tofu nugget sauce these days, and I can’t get enough. Gotta love a recipe as simple as this!
PrintGochujang Maple Tofu Nuggets
A spicy, smoky, sweet sauce to top your perfect crispy baked tofu nuggets! This sauce uses the Korean fermented chili pepper paste, gochujang! It’s vegan and oh-so good.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 batch Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons gochujang*
- Optiona toppings: sesame seeds, cilantro, green onion, etc.
Instructions
- Make the tofu nuggets according to the instructions.
- In a large bowl, whisk your maple syrup and gochujang. Taste, and adjust as needed. If you need it thinner, feel free to whisk in a small bit of water.
- When the tofu nuggets are hot, toss them in the gochujang maple sauce. Top with your desired toppings, and enjoy hot!
Notes
*From my understanding, gochujang comes in a variety of heat levels, and the spiciness of the gochujang you’re using will obviously affect the final flavor of this two-ingredient recipe. I suggest starting with a small amount of gochujang and working up to a point that works for you.
Thank you so much for posting! This was absolutely delicious and easy – perfectly balanced flavors! So happy to know more about making crisp tofu for other recipes too!