16 Recipes That Get a Spicy-Sweet Kick From Gochujang (2024)

FAQs

How do you use gochujang kick? ›

Gochujang can do more than serve as a base for sauces and marinades. Here, it finds its way into instant noodles by adding flavor to both the short ribs and the broth. If more spiciness is desired, you can always add more gochujang, especially after dividing the soup into individual bowls.

The cool thing about gochujang is it's not spice-your-face-off spicy. It's more of a subtle spice because it's balanced with other flavors. Plus, you can control the spice level when you make your own! So even if you're typically averse to spicy food, give this one a try!

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.

Before opening, gochujang and gochujang sauce do not need to be refrigerated. Once opened, a lot of people recommend keeping the sauce and the paste in the fridge to help them retain freshness.

According to a Pusan National University study, gochujang can be conducive to weight loss. The study aimed at treating fat cells with gochujang extract. The results showed a decrease in fat accumulation. This food can also help reduce the risk of contracting coronary heart disease due to its low cholesterol.

It's safe to eat gochujang paste raw, but I don't recommend it. The flavor is very strong and is best when combined with other ingredients to make a pourable sauce.

Gochujang is a red chili paste that also contains glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, salt, and sometimes sweeteners. It's a thick, sticky condiment that's spicy and very concentrated and pungent in flavor.

Although it is rarely, if ever, used as a finishing sauce, gochujang can be used straight from the tub. In fact, many Koreans will eat it as is as an accompaniment to raw vegetables (like crudité) and dried anchovies.

Gochujang takes the place of tomato paste in this recipe, providing a subtle sweetness and spice. I promise, you will love this fun twist on a classic recipe that comes together just as easily and quickly as its counterpart.

What does gochujang taste like? ›

Gochujang is a fermented soybean and chile pepper paste, and one of the building blocks of Korean cuisine. It has funk, salt, umami, spice and a hint of sweetness. “It's like hot sauce, Korean hot sauce, but it's really not,” said Deuki Hong, a Bay Area-based chef and author of the upcoming “Koreaworld” cookbook.

On its own, gochujang is quite pungent, so it's usually mixed with other ingredients to balance its intensity. In Korea, it's typically stirred into marinades for meat, stews, and stir-fries, or cut with vinegar or oil so it can be served as a sauce.

Sambal oelek, the most popular brand of which is also produced by Huy Fong, is an obvious replacement thanks to its thick texture and spicy, garlicky flavor profile.

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.

My Gochujang sauce is very spicy. How can i make it less spicy? You can dilute it with water, broth, or vinegar. Or you can neutralize the spice with the addition of a cream like yogurt, coconut milk, or sour cream.

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.

Just remember, a little goes a long way. It's best to start with a teaspoon of gochujang, and work your way up from there according to taste.

Stir in the gochujang and soy sauce, and cook for one minute to boil off some water. The mixture will be thick and syrupy. Add the chicken broth and shredded rotisserie chicken, then let the broth come to a boil. Add the ramen noodles into the broth and cook according to package directions (usually about 3 minutes).

It's safe to eat gochujang paste raw, but I don't recommend it. The flavor is very strong and is best when combined with other ingredients to make a pourable sauce.