This easy Gochujang Aioli has a balanced creamy, sweet, and umami flavor that you can make more mild or spicy. With just 5 ingredients and one bowl, you can even whip up a batch that will be ready in under five minutes!
For other delicious Korean sauces, try my kimchi mayo or my spicy garlic sauce.
Jump to:
About this recipe
Easy Korean Sauce: one thing I'm always looking out for is new Korean sauces to add to my rotation. This gochujang aioli is the perfect all-purpose sauce, great for dipping or drizzling, as well as slathering on burgers; it's creamy, savory, salty, and satisfying.
East Meets West: most uses for gochujang are savory and fermented, so this American mashup of gochu-mayo is both unique and delicious.
Which Mayo to Use: In the US I like using the organic stuff from Whole Foods, but in Korea, Kewpie mayonnaise was my go-to, and its uniquely creamy flavor cannot be beat.
Ingredients
Mayonnaise: while you could make a homemade gochujang aioli from eggs, a safer and much faster option is to use Kewpie Mayo or your favorite store brand and mix it with the other ingredients below.
Gochujang Paste: this hot ingredient is the key to great kimchi as well as spicy gochujang brussels sprouts, and to adding flavor to this creamy Korean sauce.
Fresh Raw Garlic: using minced fresh cloves of garlic adds umami flavor to the creamy gochujang sauce, though you can also use granulated garlic powder in a pinch.
Maple Syrup: this is a fantastic way to get a bit of sweetness into your sauce without going overboard. Another more Korean-style alternative would be brown rice syrup or honey.
Rice Vinegar: this small quantity of the mildly sweet rice vinegar helps balance out the overall flavor of the gochujang mayo, and cut through any fried dishes you eat it with.
How to make gochujang mayonnaise: step-by-step instructions
Step 1. Put everything but the mayonnaise in the food processor and blend well, until the garlic is starting to mince, after about 30 seconds (you'll want to mince your garlic ahead of time if you know you have a weak food processor).
Step 2. Then add the mayonnaise and blend well for another minute, until the garlic is completely macerated and the sauce is a brilliant pink color. Pour it into a sauce container and enjoy!
Recipe notes & tips
Making it Vegan: double check that your gochujang is vegan-friendly (traditional Korean brands are), and the only swap you need to make is using an eggless vegan-friendly mayo.
Customizing the Heat Level: While this creamy gochujang aioli may look spicy, that actually depends more on how hot your gochujang is. In Korea there are 5 different grades of heat at which gochujang is sold, so the heat in a level 1 paste will be barely detectable compared to a level 5.
I recommend buying a level 3 if you're good but not great with heat. And if you're completely new to cooking with gochujang, I suggest starting with just the 2 tablespoons the first time you make this (and trust me, you'll wanted make it again & again!).
How Long to Store: this gochujang mayonnaise sauce is made with refrigerator-stable ingredients, so it will stay good in the fridge for up to a week in a well-sealed container.
What to serve with gochujang aioli
- baked or sir fried chicken wings
- roasted sweet potatoes
- pork tenderloin
- air fryer french fries
- crispy onion rings
Homemade Gochujang Aioli Recipe Card
If you like the recipe, I really appreciate a 5 star review or comment!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Gochujang Aioli (in 5 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayo of choice kewpie is a house favorite, but use whatever you enjoy
- 2 teaspoons gochujang +/- a teaspoon depending on your spice tolerance
- 1 clove garlic alt. ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup alt. honey
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar alt. lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Put everything but the mayonnaise in the food processor and blend well, until the garlic is starting to mince, after about 30 seconds (you'll want to mince your garlic ahead of time if you know you have a weak food processor).
- Then add the mayonnaise and blend well for another minute, until the garlic is completely macerated and the sauce is a brilliant pink color. Pour it into a sauce container and enjoy!
Comments
No Comments