A Hearty Banh Mi Style Spicy Sweet Gochujang Sandwich! A perfect summer lunch! It has an amazing flavor from gochujang baked tofu, sweet mango, cilantro and zesty pickled cucumber carrot jalapeño.
It’s a banh mi-style summer sandwich with a delicious gochujang marinade. I love this marinade for tofu, and the sandwich is topped with lots of fresh, crunchy vegetables marinated in the same gochujang marinade with some extra vinegar for tang.
Index
This makes a wonderfully fresh summer sandwich! You can also make it into a wrap or salad bowl.
Because we use a modified version of the tofu marinade to quickly pickle the vegetables, this sandwich comes together with less food! But is still packed with flavor. I like to serve any leftover marinade on the side for sandwich dipping! Trust me you will want to lick all that. This is a quick lunch that your family will make again and again.
Why you’ll love this sandwich
- Easy to make
- Super flavorful with a gochujang marinade
- A hearty and satisfying banh mi style sandwich
- Two words: pickled vegetables!
- Summer fresh-crusted sandwiches
More vegan gochujang recipes
Recipe card
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Gochujang Tofu Sandwich
A Hearty Banh Mi Style Spicy Sweet Gochujang Sandwich! A perfect summer lunch! It has an amazing flavor from gochujang baked tofu, sweet mango, cilantro and zesty pickled cucumber carrot jalapeño.
Serving: 4
Calories: 234kcal
material
For the marinade:
- 3 table spoon I am Willow Or tamari for gluten-free
- 2 table spoon Gochujung
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Bell pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Maple syrup
For the tofu:
- 14 ounce (396.89 g) Firm or extra firm tofu Press for at least 15 minutes, then cut into 1 1/2-2 inch squares or 1/2″ cubes or any other shape you like.
For the vegetables:
- 1/2 a cucumber Thinly sliced, you can peel it a bit and then slice it.
- 1/2 the cup (80 g) Thinly sliced onion
- 1/2 the cup (64 g) julienned carrots
To marinate the vegetables:
- Leftover marinade from above
- 1 table spoon White vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2-3 table spoon of water
For the sandwich:
- 4 ciabatta rolls or soft rolls
- Lettuce Cut, as needed
- 1 ripe mango Peel and chop
- 1/4 the cup (4 g) Or more chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño Thinly sliced, optional
instructions
Make Gochujang Tofu:
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Add all the ingredients listed under the marinade to a large, shallow bowl and mix really well. Add a tablespoon of water to the marinade. Depending on the consistency of your gochujang sauce, you may need another tablespoon of water so that the marinade is not too thick. Then add your sliced tofu to the marinade, tossing gently to coat all sides of all the slices. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes, then transfer the tofu to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp and dry to your liking.
Marinate the vegetables:
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You will have some marinade left in the bowl. If there is not enough marinade, you can add another tablespoon of soy sauce and gochujang. Add the vinegar, salt, sugar, and 2-3 tablespoons of water to the bowl to make enough marinade mixture to coat the veggies. Add all the chopped and julienned vegetables to this bowl and toss to coat. Let the vegetables sit to marinate for 5-10 minutes while the tofu bakes.
Assemble the sandwich:
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Prepare your bread by slicing it. You can toast the bread if you want. Then add a layer of lettuce to the bread. Remove the tofu from the oven, and use as many slices as will fit on your sandwich over the lettuce. Add a layer of mango or any other fruit of your choice.
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Add marinated vegetable mixture on top. Pile it really well, because you want the sandwich to be nice and juicy. Then top with jalapeño and cilantro and serve with other bread slices. Serve with any leftover marinade on the side for dipping.
Comment
This recipe is nut free.
to make it gluten free, make this whole sandwich on gluten-free bread or in a lettuce wrap. Use tamari and be sure to use gluten-free gochujang.
It’s really hard to make this soy-free, as gochujang will usually contain some soy, even if you don’t need soy sauce.
nutrition
nutrients
Gochujang Tofu Sandwich
No. per job
calories 234
63 calories from fat
% Daily Value*
thick 7 grams11%
1 gram of saturated fat6%
Sodium 729 mg32%
potassium 335 mg10%
carbohydrates 32 grams11%
3g of fiber13%
13 grams of sugar14%
protein 14 grams28%
Vitamin A 3345IU67%
Vitamin C 24 mg29%
calcium 207 mg21%
iron 3 mg17%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Components and Substitutions
- Marinade Ingredients – The marinade is a mixture of gochujang paste, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Tofu – Tofu is the “meat” in this sandwich. It is marinated in a flavorful marinade and then baked to chewy perfection.
- Pickled Vegetables – Make a quick pickle by marinating thinly sliced cucumbers, julienned carrots and onions with vinegar, salt and sugar.
- ciabatta rolls or soft rolls – you want this sandwich on hearty bread, because it’s so fluffy! Ciabatta or soft rolls will hold all that sauce without getting too soggy. Gluten-free ciabatta or rolls are best used in lettuce wraps or served
- Mango – Thinly sliced mango brings a nice sweetness to this recipe. If you do not get ripe mangoes, you can use other fruits
- Cilantro and Lettuce – Zesty cilantro and crunchy lettuce bring so much freshness to this sandwich!
- jalapeno – chopped jalapeno heat up. You can remove the seeds or omit the jalapeño for a less spicy sandwich.
advice
- To make this sandwich gluten free, use gluten free bread or lettuce wraps. Be sure to use gluten-free gochujang and tamari
- This gochujong sandwich is very bland, so it will get soggy as it sits. Combine it just before serving.
- You can make the pickled vegetables and bake the tofu a day ahead if you like.
- Serve any leftover gochujong marinade on the side for dipping!
How to Make Gochujang Tofu Sandwiches
Mix all marinade ingredients in a large, shallow bowl. Add a tablespoon of water to get a nice, smooth sauce.
Add your sliced tofu to the marinade, tossing gently to coat all sides of all slices.
Marinate the tofu for at least 15 minutes, then remove the tofu from the fish and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400° F (205° C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp and dry as desired.
You will have some marinade left in the bowl. Add the vinegar, salt, sugar, and two to three tablespoons of water to the bowl to make enough marinade mixture to coat the vegetables.
Add all the chopped and julienned vegetables to this bowl and toss to coat. If there is not enough marinade to coat the vegetables, you can add soy sauce, water and gochujang.
Let the veggies marinate for five to 10 minutes while the tofu bakes.
Slice your bread and toast it if you like, then add a layer of lettuce to the bread.
Remove the tofu from the oven, and use as many slices as will fit on your sandwich over the lettuce. Add a layer of mango or whatever fruit you are using.
Add marinated vegetable mixture on top. Pile it really well, because you want the sandwich to be nice and juicy. Then top with jalapeño and cilantro and other bread slices.
Serve your gochujang banh mi immediately with extra marinade on the side for dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gochujang is a spicy-sweet sauce that’s a great marinade for plant-based proteins like tofu, seitan, and tempeh. It’s also great with veggies like cauliflower or eggplant!
Gochujang paste is safe to eat raw, but I don’t recommend it. The flavor is very strong and is best when combined with other ingredients to make a pouring sauce.
Yes! Gochujang is made from rice and soybeans fermented with spicy red pepper. Always check the ingredients, but in general, Gochujung is vegetarian friendly.
Gochujang is a spicy-sweet-tasty chili paste. It has a strong flavor on its own and is a delicious addition to sauces and marinades!
This recipe is nut free. To make it gluten-free, make this whole sandwich on gluten-free bread or make it in a lettuce wrap and use gluten-free tamari and gochujong. It’s really hard to make this soy-free, because gochujang will usually contain some soy, even if you don’t need soy sauce.