Gochujang—Korean Hot Pepper Paste (2024)

FAQs

Is Korean hot pepper paste the same as gochujang? ›

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

On its own, gochujang is quite pungent, so it's usually mixed with other ingredients to balance its intensity.

This spicy paste is salty, savory and slightly sweet, and can be used in many ways including in soups, stews, marinades and sauces. Traditional Korean dishes that include gochujang are bibimbap, a mixed rice dish, tteokbokki, a spicy rice cake street food, and Jeyuk Bokkeum, a spicy marinated pork stir-fry.

Anywhere a recipe calls for chili garlic sauce, you could experiment substituting gochujang for more complex flavor. One of the most famous uses of gochujang is in the delicious Korean rice and veggie bowl known as Bibimbap.

Health Benefits of Gochujang

Gochujang contains the digestive enzymes amylase—which breaks down starches, and protease—which breaks down proteins. This makes Gochujang a great digestive aid, especially when consumed with other foods such as meat.

What does gochujang taste like? ›

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.

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.

As probiotics, fermented foods have various beneficial effects to health by maintaining gut health and by recovering disease-related gut microbiota dysbiosis [9]. Gochujang, a Korean traditional fermented food (KTFF), contains multiple microbiota, such as Bacillus (B.) amyloliquefaciens, B. licheniformis, and B.

Gochujang - While different in texture, gochujang can provide the red color and balanced heat of Gochugaru. Use about half the amount of Gochugaru.

Sempio - Hot Pepper Paste, 500 Gram

Korean-style red chili paste, also known as Gochujang. It is a savory, sweet and spicy fermented condiment used in Korean dishes such as bibimbap, tteokbokki, and a variety of soups and stews.

There is really no good substitute for doubanjiang. However, if you really can't find the sauce, you can use other bean paste such as miso or Korean chili paste gochujang and mix it with chili oil to create the spicy and umami profile in a pinch.