Crunchy fire sauce tofu inspired by Samyang Fire Noodle Sauce. This spicy crispy tofu will transform any meal into a flavour bomb dish!
I recently tried the ever so popular Samyang Fire Noodles and wow, have I been missing out. I get the hype now and I’ve just been craving it (a little too) much that I wanted to create a homemade sauce where I could use it for things like tofu, tempeh and my own noodles… just for the sake of my wallet and health.
Now, I’ve seen the bottled sauce but going off reviews— the flavour is different than the stuff in the noodles so I based this recipe off the ingredients in the noodles.
I found a forum on a Korean site where they had general ratios of the sauce and used that as a starting base. After a couple of rounds, I’m happy to say the ratio I’m sharing here is pretty darn close and definitely satisfies my —fire noodle cravings.
I’ve been using it for noodles (of course), veggies and tofu… which brings us to todays recipe: the most addicting crispy spicy tofu recipe you’ll ever make. It’s mega crunchy, fiercely spicy but with a very subtle sweetness.
Ingredients for Fire Noodle Sauce
- Garlic
- Gochujang
- Gochugaru
- Soy Sauce
- Sugar
- Sesame Oil
- Hot sauce
- Mushroom stock powder (or dashi powder)
How to make crispy crunchy tofu
- Prep the tofu: I pressed my tofu overnight in the freezer but you can also press it with a tofu press or the good ol’ fashion way of stacking heavy objects on top and letting it sit for about 20-30 minutes. Then slice the tofu into cubes, about 3/4 x 3/4 inch pieces.
- Oil the pan: We’re using about 3-4 tbsp of oil (depending on the size of your wok). It should be enough oil to coat the entire wok. To check if the oil is hot and ready, stick the tip of chopsticks into the oil. If it bubbles, then the tofu is ready to be added in.
- Fry the tofu: Add the tofu in one single layer making sure they are not touching each other. Depending on how crispy you like you tofu, fry each side for 5-7 minutes. I like my tofu to be a little soft in the inside with a crunchy outside so I aim for a light golden brown exterior. However, if you like extra crunchy tofu (or if you plan on storing this for meal prep) then fry for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are a little past golden brown. Place the tofu on a wire rack to let any excess oil drip off.
If you prefer not to fry in oil, you can also air fry the tofu and then coat it in the sauce.
Can I make braised tofu with this fire noodle sauce?
I know there are some of you are not a fan of frying in oil so I have braised the tofu instead using the same sauce. Heres how to braise the tofu:
- Slice the tofu in half and then into slabs about 1/2 inch in thickness. Pat them dry. Add a tablespoon of oil to a large skillet and add the tofu over medium high heat and cook until lightly golden brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side).
- Add the sauce in and spoon the sauce over
- Spice the tofu in half. Then cut the tofu into ½ inch thick pieces. Pat it dry.each slice of tofu. Lift the tofu slices slightly to ensure the sauce gets under the tofu as well. Simmer for about 3 minutes over medium-medium high heat. Flip and simmer for another 2 minutes or cook until the sauce is reduced by half.
More delicious tofu recipes to love!
- Spicy Tofu Skin Salad
- Kimchi Tofu Scramble
- Kung Pao Tofu
- Cold Tofu with Spicy Chili Sauce
- Vegan Mapo Tofu
If you recreate this Crunchy Fire Sauce Tofu recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 16 oz firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (6g)
- 1/2 mushroom powder (or 1/4 tsp dashi powder or MSG)
- 1 1/2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 1/2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp Asian hot sauce of choice (I use sambal oelek or sriacha)
- 2–3 tbsp water
Garnish
- sesame seeds
- nori strips
- scallions
Instructions
- Slice the tofu into 3/4 x 3/4 inch (2×2 cm) cubes. Add salt and potato starch to a bowl and toss to coat the tofu pieces.
- To a large wok or pan add 4 tbsp of oil over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the tofu ensuring they are not touching or overlapping each other. Cook the tofu on each side for about 5-7 minutes, until golden brown, or desired crispiness. If you like like your tofu a little soft on the inside, go for a light golden brown. If you prefer very crunchy tofu then fry until edges are a little past golden brown. Remove the tofu from the pan and place them onto a wire rack to let any excess oil drip off. Repeat with remaining tofu.
- Wipe off any remaining oil and then add in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and once it thickens, add in the tofu. Turn off the heat and toss the tofu until all pieces are well coated. Add sesame seeds, scallions and/or nori strips. Enjoy!
Notes
- Helpful Equipment: large wok or pan, wire rack for oil drips
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: vegan, gluten free, korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓
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This was really good!! Really easy and quick to make especially if you have an air fryer for the tofu. The sauce was thicker than expected but nonetheless very tasty! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
This was pretty easy to make and so yummy!
Wow… this was so good! It tasted like a restaurant dish that I wouldn’t think I’d be able to recreate at home. I omitted the sriracha because I hadn’t used gochujang or gochugaru before and didn’t want it to be too hot, but I will definitely add it in next time.
Flavoursome as heck & super easy to whip together (especially if you have an air fryer 💁♀️💁♀️). I’ve tried it braised, and with an air fryer (did I mention I have an air fryer? Lol) for crispy tofu, and both methods are delicious. I always like to add veggies to my meals, added capsicum, carrots and an onion and that made me even happier. Highly recommend! Make it! Eat it!