Gochujang sauce is most often used in Korean recipes, but its sweet, spicy umami flavor is so delicious that you'll want to drizzle it over everything!
As far as flavor goes, there’s nothing like gochujang sauce. I first made it to drizzle over homemade bibimbap, but once I had it on hand, I began topping it onto everything from roasted veggies to avocado toast! A traditional Korean sauce, it has a bold sweet/spicy/umami flavor with an underlying funk. This delicious, distinctive taste comes from gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste made from glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, red chili pepper flakes, and salt. It’s pretty assertive on its own – even small amounts add intense flavor to whatever you’re cooking.
That’s where this gochujang sauce comes in. Instead of using the paste on its own, I mix it with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and pure maple syrup. The resulting hot sauce is smoother and mellower than the paste, but its taste is just as complex. Add it to Korean food or spoon it over a simple rice bowl, but whatever you do, make it! If you like hot sauce, you’re going to love this recipe.
Gochujang Sauce Ingredients
For how flavorful this sauce is, it’s unbelievably easy to make! You just need these 4 ingredients:
- Gochujang paste– Find it at a Korean market or in the Asian section of your grocery store. Different brands vary in potency, so start with less and add more, to taste, depending on how spicy you like your sauce.
- Sesame oil –It cuts the heat of the gochujang paste and gives the sauce a nutty complexity.
- Rice vinegar– For tang!
- Pure maple syrup – Many brands of store bought gochujang sauce contain corn syrup, but I like to sweeten mine naturally with pure maple syrup. It makes this sauce deliciously savory and sweet.
Add the ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Use the sauce right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
How to Use Gochujang Sauce
If you’re already familiar with gochujang sauce, you likely know it from eating bibimbap, a traditional Korean rice bowl (pictured above). But this tasty condiment is so much more than just bibimbap sauce! For starters, it’d be fantastic on any rice or veggie bowl. Swap it in for the sauce in any of these recipes:
You can also use it as a sweet and spicy dipping sauce for sweet potato fries or grilled veggies, mix it into a stir fry, or even slather it onto a veggie burger!
How do you like to use gochujang sauce? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Sauce Recipes
If you love this recipe, try one of these flavorful sauces next:
Gochujang sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Serves 4
If you like hot sauce, you won't be able to get enough of this gochujang sauce! It has an incredible sweet and spicy flavor that's delicious on bibimbap, roasted veggies, veggie burgers, and more.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons gochujang paste*
- 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang paste, vinegar, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Use less gochujang paste for a mild sauce, use more for a spicier sauce.
Spoon onto bibimbap bowls, or use as a dressing for any veggie rice bowl.
Notes
*I use Mother in Law's Gochujang which I get at Whole Foods. Other brands may vary in flavor and spice level.
FAQs
From bibimbap and spicy, cheesy buldak chicken to stir-fried anchovy banchan, bossam, and crispy skillet rice, these are our favorite ways to enjoy the sweet heat of gochujang.
Why is gochujang so addictive? ›
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.
How to use Trader Joe's gochujang sauce? ›
Slather on fish, spread it over a veggie burger, use it to dunk veggie sticks, chips, or TJ's Organic Chicken Nuggets for a snack, dress an array of salads with this recipe… Yum!
What is Gochujang sauce good for? ›
According to a Pusan National University study, gochujang can be conducive to weight loss. The study aimed at treating fat cells with gochujang extract. The results showed a decrease in fat accumulation. This food can also help reduce the risk of contracting coronary heart disease due to its low cholesterol.
Is gochujang good for gut? ›
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.
Does gochujang go bad if not refrigerated? ›
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.
Is gochujang bad for weight loss? ›
In addition to revving up fat loss, gochujang and its components could also speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight fast. To maximize your weight loss and amp up your metabolism, make sure you're also following a balanced diet and getting in regular exercise.
Is gochujang a laxative? ›
Gochujang alleviated constipation by increasing defecation frequency and water content in feces by reducing AQP3 mRNA expression.
Is gochujang hotter than sriracha? ›
It's like sriracha but has a deeper flavor profile with less vinegar and more sweetness. Gochujang is also less spicy than sriracha, so if you like sweet-spicy combinations then gochujang will be the perfect addition to your kitchen pantry.
What's the difference between gochujang and Gochujang sauce? ›
Gochujang, the Korean fermented red pepper paste, is thick and glossy with a spicy savoriness that lingers. Thin it out with soy sauce and vinegar to create a gochujang sauce, or swirl it into brown sugar and butter for cookies.
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.
Do you add water to gochujang? ›
Blend together until smooth, adding water a little at a time to thin into a paste (see photo for texture). Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add more pepper flake for spice, coconut aminos for depth of flavor, maple syrup for sweetness, garlic for “zing,” or salt for saltiness.
Is gochujang anti-inflammatory? ›
Gochujang contains aflatoxins and probiotics, along with other ingredients (such as capsaicin, isoflavones, and probiotics) and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects in other diseases [9,[23], [24], [25]].
Does gochujang have MSG? ›
We never use MSG in our products so that the flavor you get is the true, natural flavor of fermentation. Does gochujang have tomato in it? No, gochujang does not contain any tomato.
Why add sugar to gochujang? ›
You're likely to see gochujang cut with another ingredients, like sesame oil, crushed garlic, sugar, and/or soy sauce, any of which help to balance some of its intensity.
How do Koreans eat gochujang? ›
Gochujang is a fermented red pepper paste that is a staple ingredient in Korean cuisine. This spicy paste is salty, savory and slightly sweet, and can be used in many ways including in soups, stews, marinades and sauces.
What drink goes well with gochujang? ›
Outside of a syrup, Park says infusing a spirit like gin with gochujang could yield an easy base for a spicy Gibson. Infused into vodka, it could “enhance the fiery qualities of a Bloody Mary,” while coupled with similarly earthy tequila, it could bring nuanced heat to a spicy Margarita.
Is gochujang salty or sweet? ›
It is made from a combination of fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, red chili pepper powder (gochugaru), and salt. The result is a savory, spicy, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor that is truly one-of-a-kind. The process of making gochujang is quite involved but gives this condiment its distinct taste.
Is gochujang paste very spicy? ›
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. If you want to see Korean chefs bristle, tout gochujang as the “next Sriracha.”
