Homemade Gochujang Sauce Recipe
Gochujang sauce is a versatile condiment with a sweet, spicy, and umami flavor that can enhance the taste of almost any dish. This homemade recipe is easy to make and a must-have in your kitchen pantry.
Gochujang is a popular ingredient in Korean cuisine with a sweet and spicy flavor. By turning plain gochujang into an all-purpose sauce, you can dress up your favorite Korean dishes and add a new level of flavor to any dish.
This versatile sauce can be used as a seasoning, marinade, or dipping sauce. Get creative and experiment with different flavor combinations to discover all the possibilities.
What is gochujang sauce?
This versatile and delicious Korean chili paste sauce has been taken up a notch with the addition of ingredients like fruits, sugar, and garlic to enhance its flavor. It’s used in many Korean dishes like bibimbap and rice dishes, as well as in marinades and dipping sauces.
You can find pre-made gochujang sauce in a bottle at the store, but making your own homemade gochujang sauce is easy and tastes much better.
Don’t be intimidated by its spiciness, it’s totally worth it to indulge in the deliciousness of Korean cuisine.
9 Ways to Use Gochujang Sauce
- Use it as a dressing for Korean rice and vegetable bowl, a popular Korean rice dish.
- Marinate thin slices of pork in the sauce to make Korean-style pork barbecue.
- Turn plain chicken into delicious chicken bulgogi by coating it in gochujang sauce.
- Add extra flavor to grilled chicken skewers or rice cake skewers by basting them in the sauce.
- Use this sauce to dress up grilled fish (as seen on my grilled red snapper)
- Use the sauce as a dressing for Korean noodles, such as nangmyeon or bibim guksu.
- Use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite vegetables.
- Drizzle over plain rice with a fried egg on top (see my Korean egg rice)
- Stir-fry with ground beef to make gochujang noodles.
Ingredient list
- gochujang (Korean chili paste): This deliciously fermented condiment that offers a mild spiciness and rich umami flavor. You can find it at Asian grocery stores, well-stocked supermarkets in the international aisle, or online.
- garlic powder and onion powder: add savory flavor to the sauce
- sugar: balances the savoriness by adding sweetness.
- Asian pear (or bosc pear) and sweet apple: bring a refreshing taste and add another layer of flavor to the sauce.
- lemon juice (or rice vinegar): for added tang!
- sesame oil and toasted seeds: provide nutty complexity to the sauce.
- corn syrup: gives the sauce a luscious texture
- gochugaru (Korean chili flakes): for more intense spiciness. You can adjust the amount depending on your heat tolerance or omit it altogether.
How to make homemade gochujang sauce
Grate a Korean pear and a sweet apple, and mix them with gochujang (Korean chili paste) in a small bowl.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, lemon juice (or rice vinegar), sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and corn syrup.
If you want a spicier sauce, add some gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) to taste.
Mix everything together well, and your gochujang sauce is ready to use!
Indulge in the deliciousness of Korean cuisine with this versatile sauce. Drizzle it over cold vermicelli or noodles to experience the refreshing taste of simple Korean dishes.
Although it may be spicy, it’s a small price to pay for the mouthwatering flavor.
Storage tip
To keep your gochujang sauce fresh, always store it in the refrigerator. It can last for up to four weeks. Avoid freezing it, as it is not recommended.
More popular Korean recipes
- 20-Minute Authentic Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cake)
- How to Make Korean Fried Chicken (Chimaek)
- Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Roll)
- LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Ribs)
Homemade Gochujang Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 Korean pear or bosc pear, peeled
- 1/4 sweet apple, peeled
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), optional
Instructions
- Grate a Korean pear and a sweet apple, and mix them with gochujang (Korean chili paste) in a small bowl. Add garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, lemon juice (or rice vinegar), sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and corn syrup.
- If you want a spicier sauce, add some gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) to taste. Mix everything together well, and your gochujang sauce is ready to use! This gochujang sauce makes about 1 cup.
- To keep your gochujang sauce fresh, always store it in the refrigerator. It can last for up to four weeks. Avoid freezing it, as it is not recommended.
Hello Holly, Just wanted to say that I never tried Korean food before, Love it!!! I made the the Gochujang Sauce and Korean Noodle with Beef Sauce it was so Delicious, My family loved it!!! I am going to try the Korean Bulgogi, can you use pork if so what type of cut?
Great to hear that you liked my gochujang sauce. It has so many uses that you can apply to.
Yes, you can use pork instead for bulgogi recipe. I would look for Pork shoulder/neck cut for this dish.
Can I also use this for bibimbap?
Yes, you can.
Thanks! =) will try it
This recipe begs the question:
What self respecting Korean cook uses garlic “powder”?!?!?
Hi Susan
Believe it or not, many Korean housewives use garlic powder in the recipe where minced raw garlic can be too strong. You can definitely use fresh garlic in this recipe if that is what you are doubting for. I sometimes use garlic powder where I prefer to taste the subtle flavor of garlic in the dish.
I am a super big fan of the spicy red sauce.
I use it for almost all my stir fries nowadays. I love it I love it I love it 🙂
Your blog is amazing! Every since I found it my culinary life has never been the same 🙂
The addiction started when I party crashed a Korean BBQ when I was living abroad in France (I’m from the Netherlands originally). It was one of the best culinary experiences ever. Now I feel like a Korean culinary missionary to the people around me by throwing Korean BBQs (with Daeji Bulgogi, home-made Kimchee etc.) or quickly stir-frying some veggies, topped with an egg and Gochujang sauce within 15 minutes.
Cooking awesome food and enjoying it (by myself or with my close friends) is one of my biggest passions. Thanks so much for being a small but significant part of it 😀
Oh, how sweet that is, Pim!
It makes me feel so happy to hear that my recipes brings a little joy into your life. There is nothing like cooking delicious food and share with family and friends. Keep cooking the great food! Please let me know if I can assist you with any Korean recipes. Cheers!
I’m going to make this sauce and put on thin pork for grilling! I can taste I already!
lucylovestoeat.com
Hello! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! 🙂 Just wondering, what if we substitute the garlic and onion powder to real garlic and onion instead? Can it last for one month too? And any other substitute for corn syrup? Thanks in advance! 🙂
This sauce looks so great. I am a big fan of Korean style spicy sauces. Will try this.
gorgeous — the recipe, food styling, and the quality of the photos 🙂
I love the fresh apple and pear in this sauce — healthy and unique!
Can you please share some food photography and styling tips?
Thanks Jeanne, I will consider to post food photography and styling tips someday.
This sounds so flavorful! I love that intense red chili color,
Gosh, this must have so much flavor! Great idea to make this up in quantity and have it on hand when you need it. Good stuff — thanks.
I really enjoy gochujang paste, and now there’s a recipe for gochujang in sauce form! It looks spicy, sweet, and delicious!