Gochujang: Korean Chili Paste, Flavor and Uses
Gochujang (고추장) is a fermented Korean chili paste made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder and salt. It tastes spicy, sweet and salty all at once and seasons dishes like bibimbap, tteokbokki and spicy stir-fried pork.
Fact sheet
- Also known as
- 고추장, Gochuchang, Kochujang, koreanische Chilipaste
- Origin
- Korea
- Taste
- scharf, süß, salzig, fermentiert herzhaft
- Substitute
- rotes Miso mit Gochugaru und etwas Honig; Sriracha oder Sambal nur für Schärfe
- Storage
- nach dem Öffnen im Kühlschrank, viele Monate haltbar, Oberfläche mit Folie abdecken
- Where to buy
- Asialaden, Asia-Regal größerer Supermärkte, online
What does gochujang taste like?
The paste is thick, sticky and deep red. You taste sweetness first, then the heat arrives, with a fermented, savory depth underneath. The heat builds slowly and lingers, but it stings less than fresh chili. Many packages show a heat level on the label, from mild to very hot.
On its own it is too thick and too strong. Almost always you stir gochujang together with other ingredients such as sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, garlic or soy sauce.
How it is made and what is in it
For traditional gochujang, Korean cooks cook glutinous rice into a porridge and mix it with gochugaru (Korean chili powder), powdered meju blocks of fermented soybeans, malt and salt. The paste then matures for months in clay pots. During that time enzymes turn the rice starch into sugar, which gives the paste its natural sweetness.
Store-bought gochujang often also contains rice or corn syrup, wheat flour or wheat koji, and alcohol as a preservative. That is why supermarket brands usually taste sweeter than homemade paste.
At an Asian grocery store you will find more varieties beside the classic paste:
- Bori gochujang: made with barley instead of glutinous rice, a little more bitter and less sweet.
- Chogochujang: ready-mixed with vinegar and sugar, for dipping and cold noodles.
- Bibimbap sauce: gochujang already mixed with sesame oil and sugar.
Do not confuse gochujang with gochugaru. Gochugaru is the dry red chili powder that goes into the paste and also into kimchi. Recipes often call for both, and then you really do need both.
Gochujang vs. doenjang
Both come from Korea and rest on fermented soybeans. In the kitchen they do different jobs.
| Gochujang | Doenjang | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | deep red | brown |
| Main ingredients | chili powder, glutinous rice, soybean powder, salt | soybeans, salt |
| Flavor | spicy, sweet, salty | salty, earthy, strong |
| Texture | smooth and sticky | coarse, often with pieces of bean |
| Typical dishes | bibimbap, tteokbokki, marinades, glazes | doenjang jjigae, soups, dips |
The two meet in the dip ssamjang. You can read more about the brown paste in the article on doenjang.
How to use it in the kitchen
- Sauce for rice bowls: For bibimbap, stir 2 tbsp gochujang with 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp rice vinegar and a little garlic.
- Braised rice cakes: Tteokbokki simmers in a broth with gochujang, chili powder and sugar until the sauce thickens.
- Marinade for meat: Jeyuk bokkeum and dak galbi depend on a marinade of gochujang, soy sauce, garlic and ginger.
- Glaze: With honey or syrup, soy sauce and garlic, gochujang turns into a sticky glaze, as in Korean fried chicken.
- Stew: In dakbokkeumtang, the paste thickens the braising liquid.
- Dip: For chojang, mix gochujang with vinegar and sugar. Koreans eat it with raw fish and blanched vegetables.
Gochujang scorches quickly because of the sugar. Cook meat in a gochujang marinade over medium heat and stir often. For soups, dissolve the paste in a little broth first.
Gochujang substitutes
There is no equal substitute. In a pinch, mix 1 tbsp red or dark miso with 1 to 2 tsp gochugaru or chili flakes and 1 tsp honey or sugar. That roughly hits the sweetness, heat and savoriness. Sriracha or sambal oelek bring heat but little depth and no sweetness, and they thin the sauce.
Allergens, buying and storage
Gochujang contains soy. Most store-bought kinds contain wheat and therefore gluten, and some contain alcohol. Gluten-free kinds exist and say so on the label.
You can buy gochujang at an Asian grocery store, and these days also in the Asian aisle of larger supermarkets and online. Red plastic tubs or tubes are typical. A small pack with mild to medium heat is enough to start.
After opening, store the paste in the fridge, where it keeps for many months. Over time it darkens and firms up on the surface. Press plastic wrap directly onto the paste and it dries out less.