GRILLED GOCHUJANG TOFU TACOS

Grilled Gochujang Tofu Tacos image

Korean-style tacos don't have to be for meat eaters only. This version with tofu and vegetables will satisfy anyone craving a KBBQ taco. You can sub the Cotija cheese for one that's plant-based to make this recipe completely vegan. The smoky-sweet sauce for the tacos is made with gochujang, a Korean fermented hot pepper paste that's as savory as it is spicy.

Provided by Jet Tila

Time 25m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1/2 cup Japanese-style dark soy sauce
1/4 cup gochujang (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup sugar (see Cook's Note)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
One 16-ounce package firm tofu in water, drained
1 small onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick tiles
3 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for cleaning the grill or grill pan
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Ten to twelve 6-inch corn tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps:

For the sauce/marinade: Combine the soy sauce, gochujang, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is smooth. You can make this a few days in advance and store it tightly covered in the refrigerator.
For the tacos: Cut the tofu in thirds horizontally. Blot dry with paper towels then transfer to a large bowl. Add the onion, zucchini, canola oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.
Heat a large grill pan or grill over high heat for about 3 minutes. Decrease to medium heat and wipe the grill pan or grill grates with a lightly oiled towel right before cooking to remove any char and debris. (This will give you great grill marks and help the food from sticking.)
Carefully grill the tofu, onion, and zucchini until you see char marks on one side, 2 to 3 minutes for the tofu, and about 2 minutes for the vegetables. Flip and repeat until the other side is grilled.
Move the grilled food to a cutting board. Cut the tofu into medium dice and transfer to a large bowl. Cut the onion and zucchini into small dice and add it to the bowl. Pour in about half of the gochujang sauce (reserve the rest for serving) and toss to combine.
Spray the tortillas lightly with nonstick spray. Grill for about 30 seconds on each side and place on a platter.
Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the tofu-vegetable mix. Garnish each taco with a few teaspoons of the reserved gochujang sauce, 1 teaspoon of the Cotija, and some cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges.