This easy Gochujang Sauce is an irresistible blend of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, perfect for elevating any dish to new heights. Whether you're looking to add a bold kick to grilled meats, stir-fries, or even your favorite vegetables, this versatile condiment will become a staple in your kitchen.
For other spicy recipes with gochujang, try my easy gochujang eggs and gochujang butter.
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✔️ Why This Recipe is Great
Versatile Sauce: this spicy sauce is super versatile, perfect to use as a marinade for Korean BBQ, a dipping sauce for veggies, or a flavorful addition to stir-fries. It even makes a great base for fry sauce or gochujang aioli.
Easy to Make: with just a few simple ingredients, this gochujang sauce comes together in about 5 minutes on the stovetop, perfect for even those busy days.
Bold Flavors: the combination of spicy, sweet, and savory in this sauce will make your taste buds sing, while the depth of flavor from the fermented chili paste adds a unique twist to any dish.
🧄 Ingredients
Gochujang: this is the star of this spicy Korean sauce recipe, adding a hot and savory element to the dish. If you'r enot fmailiar, it's a thick Korean red chili paste that can be found in most Asian grocery stores or online.
Soy Sauce: a staple in Korean cuisine, soy sauce adds depth, salt, and umami to the dish - you can substitute dark soy sauce for a slightly sweeter gochujang sauce.
Rice Vinegar: although optional, this adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to balance out the spiciness of the gochujang.
Garlic: a key ingredient in Korean cooking, garlic adds a fragrant and robust flavor to the dish, though you can swap it for garlic powder if you want a completely smooth gochujang sauce.
Sesame Oil: a common ingredient in savory Korean recipes, sesame oil adds a nutty and rich flavor to the dish, though you cna leave it out if needed.
Honey: adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the spiciness of the gochujang; swap it for brown rice syrup or agave syrup for a vegan gochujang sauce.
See recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.
🥣 How to Make Gochujang Sauce (Step-by-Step)
Step 1) In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, sugar or honey, water, and salt until well combined (images 1 & 2). If you're sensitive to heat, start with 2 tablespoons of gochujang and add more to taste.
Step 2) Give it a taste and adjust any ingredient to your liking. If you prefer it sweeter, add a bit more honey. For a thinner consistency, stir in a little more water (image 3).
Step 3) Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat (you’ll see tiny bubbles), stirring frequently. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded together. Add extra water if needed for your desired viscosity (image 4).
Step 4) Remove from the heat and let cool. Your gochujang sauce is now ready to be drizzled over your favorite dishes!
🌟 Variations
- Extra Spicy - add up to 1 tablespoon more gochujang or a heavy dash of gochugaru (red pepper flakes) for a hotter dish.
- Kid-Friendly - swap half the gochujang for ketchup for a milder version, and make sure to get the lowest level of heat when buying your gochujang. Just know that with this swap it won't have the same authentic flavor, especially if using it in a dish like bibimbap.
For another delicious gochujang sauce, try my gochujang butter sauce.
🥘 Storage and Reheating
Gochujang sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to a week, so feel free to make it ahead of time; it's great for meal prep with a Korean twist. Just note that although the sauce doesn't freeze well on its own, if you add it to another dish, like gochujang salmon or tuna fried rice, it can freeze just fine.
👨🏻🍳 Expert Notes & Tips
Substitute for Gochujang: If you can't find gochujang, you can substitute gochujang with Sriracha or another hot sauce, however the flavor won't really be the same. Though if heat is the issue, you could swap half the gochujang for ketchup (and make sure to get the lowest level of heat when buying gochujang).
Gluten-Free Gochujang Sauce: For those who need to make a gluten-free version, make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) and your favorite brand of gluten-free gochujang.
🌶️ Other Recipes Using Gochujang
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
Gochujang sauce is made of gochujang (Korean red chili paste), soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, honey or agave, and water. These ingredients come together to create a spicy, savory, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce that is the star of this recipe.
Gochujang has a unique and distinct flavor that is often described as spicy, savory, and slightly sweet. It has a deep and complex umami taste due to the fermentation process of the chili peppers used to make it. A well-made gochujang also has a subtle hint of smokiness from the sun-dried red chili peppers.
If you can't findit, you can substitute gochujang with Sriracha or another hot sauce, like spicy harissa. However, the flavor won't be exactly the same, as gochujang has a unique taste that's hard to replicate.
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📖 Recipe
5-Minute Spicy Gochujang Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic (4g) minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, sugar or honey, water, and salt until well combined. If you're sensitive to heat, start with 2 tablespoons of gochujang and add more to taste.
- Give it a taste and adjust any ingredient to your liking. If you prefer it sweeter, add a bit more honey. For a thinner consistency, stir in a little more water.
- Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat (you’ll see tiny bubbles), stirring frequently. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded together. Add extra water if needed.
- Remove from the heat and let cool. Your gochujang sauce is now ready to be drizzled over your favorite dishes!
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