Condiment
Gochujang
고추장
Also called Korean chilli paste
What it is
A fermented Korean paste of chilli, glutinous rice, soy and salt. Sweet, hot, deep — not the same as sriracha.
Origin
Korea.
Flavour
Savoury, sweet, fermented, moderately hot.
How it is made
Traditionally fermented in earthenware. Commercial tubs are a legitimate home-cook pantry item.
How to use it
Stir into stews, dressings and bibimbap. A little goes a long way; bloom it in oil or liquid rather than eating a raw blob unless you mean it.
Storage
Fridge after opening.
Where to buy
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Can you recognise Gochujang?
Ingredient challengeQuestions about Gochujang
From this ingredient's notes in the catalogue — not a chatbot.
What is Gochujang?
A fermented Korean paste of chilli, glutinous rice, soy and salt. Sweet, hot, deep — not the same as sriracha.
How do I use Gochujang?
Stir into stews, dressings and bibimbap. A little goes a long way; bloom it in oil or liquid rather than eating a raw blob unless you mean it.
How do I store Gochujang?
Fridge after opening.
What does it taste like?
Savoury, sweet, fermented, moderately hot.
What allergens should I watch?
Soy, Wheat. Check the packet in your kitchen.
What can replace Gochujang?
chilli paste + a little miso (medium for Korean stews and bibimbap). You lose fermented sweetness. Mix a chilli paste with white miso and a pinch of sugar — it is a stand-in, not gochujang.
Nutrition
Per 100g · estimate · USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables. Values are typical, not lab tests of your shopping bag.
Allergens: Soy, Wheat
Heat: Medium heat
Recipes using it
Bibimbap
비빔밥
A Korean rice bowl of seasoned vegetables, chilli paste and a runny yolk — mixed at the table until everything is the same red-gold colour.
1 hrMedium🌶️🌶️
Kimchi jjigae
김치찌개
A bubbling kimchi stew with tofu and pork — the Korean answer to 'what is in the fridge and why is it sour'.
50 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tteokbokki
떡볶이
Chewy rice cakes in a glossy gochujang sauce — the street stall that made K-food a late-night sport.
30 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rose tteokbokki
로제떡볶이
The creamy, pink, extremely 2020s cousin of street tteokbokki — still Korean, just wearing a dairy jacket.
30 minEasy🌶️🌶️
Yangnyeom chicken
양념치킨
Twice-fried Korean chicken in a sticky sweet-chilli glaze — the reason 'chimaek' became a word.
1 hrMedium🌶️🌶️
Dakgangjeong
닭강정
Bite-size fried chicken in a sweet-soy-chilli glaze — snack-bar energy, not a whole bird.
45 minMedium🌶️🌶️
Jeyuk bokkeum
제육볶음
Spicy stir-fried pork with gochujang and gochugaru — weeknight heat with rice that you will need.
47 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dakgalbi
닭갈비
Spicy stir-fried chicken with rice cakes, cabbage and sweet potato — Chuncheon's table-grill export.
50 minMedium🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sundubu jjigae
순두부찌개
A raging bowl of soft tofu, chilli broth and a cracked egg — the stew you eat before the spoon melts.
35 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Budae jjigae
부대찌개
Army-base stew: kimchi, spam, sausages and ramyeon in a gochujang broth that refuses to be precious.
40 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Kimchi-bokkeumbap
김치볶음밥
Kimchi fried rice with a fried egg — the 10-minute argument for keeping sour kimchi and leftover rice.
18 minEasy🌶️🌶️
Gamjatang
감자탕
Pork backbone and potato in a gochugaru pot — a late-night stew you eat with your hands and a lot of rice.
1 hr 55 minMedium🌶️🌶️🌶️
Bibim-naengmyeon
비빔냉면
The same chewy cold noodles as mul-naengmyeon, but tossed in a sweet-hot gochujang sauce instead of ice broth.
30 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dakbokkeumtang
닭볶음탕
Chicken and potato braised in a gochujang pot until the sauce clings — also called dakdori-tang, still a weeknight hero.
1 hrEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tteok-kkochi
떡꼬치
Rice cakes on a stick, fried and brushed with a sweet-hot glaze — the other street tteok.
30 minEasy🌶️🌶️
General Tsos Chicken
General Tsos Chicken from China. Times were inferred from the source steps.
24 minA bit of work🌶️