Gochunjang sauce is a Korean condiment made with Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru) glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It has a spicy, salty, and slightly sweet, savory flavor that isn’t just for Korean food anymore.
Made with simple ingredients this sauce can be used for so much more than just Korean cuisine.
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This versatile sauce can be used as a condiment for your favorite grilled or fried chicken sandwiches or as a spicy dipping sauce for fried chicken tenders or chicken nuggets.
I like to think of gochujang sauce as a Korean BBQ sauce. With the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, it will add a depth of flavor to barbecued pork ribs, beef ribs and chicken.
To push the boundaries of Korean cooking, toss chicken wings in the sauce to make Korean-style hot wings. The bold, spicy flavors are going to send your taste buds into a frenzy!
Ingredients to Make Gochujang Sauce
Gather the ingredients needed to make our Korean Gochujang Sauce recipe. In culinary terms, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I change up the recipe?
Absolutely. It’s easy to adjust the flavors to your taste preference.
Add more honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar for a sweeter sauce. For a tangier sauce, add additional rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or gochujang paste. To turn up the heat, add gochugara red chili pepper flakes, chili powder, red pepper flakes, or your favorite hot sauce to the mixture.
You can substitute fresh grated ginger or finely minced fresh garlic inplace of the powdered versions. Cut back the amounts by half and add more if needed.
To add more umani flavor, add soy sauce to the recipe, just remember to cut back the salt a bit. A squeeze of lime juice will add a bit more tanginess with citrus undertones.
How to Make Gochujang Sauce
- Add the gochujang paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey to a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk to combine the ingredients,
- Add the garlic powder, ginger powder, and sesame oil to the paste mixture.
- Whisk together to combine.
*If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water and whisk together; continue until the sauce has achieved the desired consistency - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of the sauce for added flavor and texture.
- Stir to combine.
Transfer the Gochunjang sauce to a clean, air-tight jar or container and refrigerate for two hours to allow the flavors to build before using. For best results, store it overnight before using, the flavor will be much more pronounced.
Leftovers should be stored refrigerated for up to two weeks. The sauce can be kept frozen for up to three months. Pour the sauce in an ice cube tray and when fully frozen pop out the cubes and store them in a ziplock bag.
Recipe FAQ’s
Check with your local Korean markets or Asian grocery stores. It can also be found at Amazon and Walmart.
It can be used as a marinade for meats, as a dipping sauce for pot stickers, dumplings and veggies.
It can be added to stir fries to kick up the flavor of the sauce and drizzled over rice bowls.
The spicy sweet, savory flavor profile makes it perfect as a BBQ sauce or a glaze for grilled meats.
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Gochujang Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce regular or low sodium
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds -optional
Instructions
- Add the gochujang paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey to a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk to combine the ingredients.
- Add the garlic powder, ginger powder, and sesame oil to the paste mixture and whisk to combine.*If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water and whisk together, continue until the sauce has achieved the desired consistency
- Taste the sauce and adjust the flavors as needed. You can add more honey or brown sugar for a sweeter sauce. For a tangier sauce, add additional rice wine vinegar or gochujang paste. You can also add gochugara flakes to turn up the heat.
- Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of the sauce for added flavor and texture. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the Gochunjang sauce to a clean, air-tight jar or container and refirgerate for two hours (or overnight) to allow the flavors to build before using.
- Store the gochujang sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks
Notes
- Gochujang can vary in spiciness, so adjust the amount according to your heat preference.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Store the gochujang sauce in the refrigerator. It will last for several weeks.
- Enjoy the sauce as a condiment, marinade, or dipping sauce for various Korean dishes such as Bibimbap, bulgogi, or kimchi fried rice.
- This sauce can also add a spicy kick to non-Korean dishes like dumplings, sandwiches, tacos, and grilled meats.
Henry T says
This was a great sauce! I used it for my barbacue chicken thighs this weekend! A great combination of sweet and heat. Gonna use this for wings next time! Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m glad you liked it, its one of our favorites!