Gochujang Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is gochujang sauce made of? ›

We've got you covered. What is it? Gochujang, a fundamental ingredient in Korean cooking, is a thick and spicy-sweet crimson paste made from red chile pepper flakes, glutinous rice (also known as sticky rice), fermented soybeans, and salt.

Try it as a baste on chicken wings or pork ribs, or added to soup broths like in my Spicy Pork Miso Noodle Soup. Gochujang can also be used in marinades for meat dishes like Korean bulgogi, stirred into dipping sauces, or used to punch up stews.

The most authentic gochujang replacement combines miso paste and sriracha with a little pinch of sugar. If you try to just swap in another Asian sauce like sriracha or sambal oelek as a 1:1 gochujang substitute, your dish will be spicier and more acidic than intended. Hot sauces contain vinegar, and gochujang does not.

They are not the same thing. Gochujang paste is the base for gochujang sauce, but the sauce needs a few other ingredients to "dilute" the aromatic paste. Gochujang paste turns into a sauce when it's mixed with vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, a sweetener, and some other ingredients you might want to add.

Sure, gochujang has heat — depending on the brand, it can be extraordinarily spicy — but it also has a salty, almost meaty depth and a slight sweetness. In other words, it's not a one-note hot sauce that you add to a dish after the fact.

Fermented soybeans in Gochujang makes it a great source of probiotics that can boost healthy gut microbiomes. Probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial for digestion and overall gut health. However, it's important to note that Gochujang also contains chili peppers, which can be spicy.

Before opening, gochujang and gochujang sauce do not need to be refrigerated. Once opened, a lot of people recommend keeping the sauce and the paste in the fridge to help them retain freshness.

So, what does gochujang taste like? To compare it with two popular sauces that almost always comes up in the same breath, gochujang is like the love child of sriracha and miso—spicy like the former, pungent like the latter—with a hint of sweetness.

Although it is rarely, if ever, used as a finishing sauce, gochujang can be used straight from the tub. In fact, many Koreans will eat it as is as an accompaniment to raw vegetables (like crudité) and dried anchovies.

Unlike a lot of hot sauces, which are made mainly with chilies and vinegar, gochujang also contains — along with gochu (Korean hot peppers) — sticky glutinous rice, fermented soy beans and salt, which is what gives it that addictive, umami taste.

Is hoisin sauce the same as gochujang? ›

Hoisin Sauce: While hoisin sauce is not as spicy as gochujang, it can still substitute for a similar umami-rich flavor. Hoisin sauce is a thick, dark sauce made from soybeans, garlic, sugar, and various spices. It has a slightly sweet and tangy taste that can add depth to stir-fries, marinades, and glazes.

On paper, harissa paste shares a lot in common with gochujang paste. It's thick, sweet, spicy and packed full of flavor. The problem is, it's the wrong flavors. Harissa paste contains spices like cumin and caraway seeds, which just don't feature in Korean food.

Arsenault tells me that Potluck's gochujang is made by small producers throughout South Korea, and has no preservatives or added sugars. Of course, doing it this way means the price is much more expensive — $18 to H-Mart's $5 — but the difference in flavor couldn't be clearer.

Gochugaru is ground Korean chili pepper, while gochujang is a chili paste. Both are staples of Korean cooking and even derive from the same pepper; however, they are distinct ingredients.

Gochujang is like a more flavorful tomato paste, and by cooking it for about 1 minute before deglazing the hot pan, you can take its layers of flavors to a whole new level.

How to Store Gochujang. Once opened, gochujang should be stored in the refrigerator. Like miso, it has quite a long shelf life, as long as it hasn't dried out or changed in color. Should you find yourself with a lot of gochujang leftover, remember that it can be used up in lots of different ways.

It's not spicy but it is very intense and pungent with a fermented kick.

If you aren't using it very often then it may be a good idea to wrap the box tightly in some clingfilm (plastic wrap) to help prevent the paste from drying out. If there is no date on the box then we would suggest using the paste within 3 months of opening, provided it is refrigerated.

What Does Gochujang Taste Like? Gochujang is spicy, salty, earthy and sweet. It has a texture that is thick and sticky. The paste is spicy because of the Korean red pepper flakes, but the exact level of heat will depend on the cultivar used—spiciness can range from medium to very hot.

Is gochujang sauce Healthy? Gochujang is made from red chili peppers, sticky rice, soybeans, and salt. It is a fermented food, which is a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamins. Fermented food can also be beneficial to gut health and aid digestion.

What are the ingredients in Gochujang paste? ›

Gochujang Classic - 1kg & 3kg: Red pepper mixed seasoning (red pepper powder, water, salt, garlic, onion), corn syrup, brown rice, water, fermented soybean paste (soybean, salt) salt, isomaltooligosaccharide, alcohol (to preserve freshness), red pepper powder, sweet brown rice flour, yeast extract powder (flavour ...

The major ingredients of gochujang products include red pepper powder, glutinous rice powder, powdered soybeans, grain syrup, malt, salt, and water.