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

• Bossam (Korean Boiled-Pork Wraps)

  

  Thin slices of velvety boiled pork belly are dunked in spicy salted shrimp-soju dip and wrapped in cabbage leaves with gochujang-flavored preserved radish kimchi and a healthy dollop of ssamjang. For those keeping track, that's two gochujang-enriched condiments in one tasty parcel. Hi, score!

  See Also

  The Best Gochujang Substitute (Authentic Taste!) - FoodessWhat is Gochujang? Is it good or bad for digestive health | - Times of IndiaWhat Is Gochujang & How Do I Use It?Gochujang Sandwich (Tofu Gochujang Banh Mi)

  Bossam (Korean Boiled-Pork Wraps)

• Homestyle Bibimbap

  

  An assortment of banchan (side dishes), a dollop of gochujang, and a drizzle of sesame oil makes this homestyle bibimbap a perennial favorite.

  Homestyle Bibimbap

• Ssamjang (Korean Barbecue Dipping Sauce)

  

  Gochujang is the backbone of this Korean barbecue sauce. The paste is mixed with the savory flavors of doenjang (fermented Korean soybean paste), along with garlic, scallions, and toasted sesame oil and seeds. The result is a condiment with layers of complex flavor. The best way to enjoy ssamjang is by spreading it on lettuce before piling on grilled meat, seafood, and vegetables. In addition to bossam, pictured above, check out Sunny's Thanksgiving-inspired turkey ssam, which includes a wonderfully sweet-and-spicy roasted squash ssamjang.

  Ssamjang (Korean Barbecue Dipping Sauce)

• Kimchi-Brined Fried Chicken Sandwich

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  Kenji's Kimchi-Brined Fried Chicken Sandwich

  With pickle-brined fried chicken being as popular as it is, we decided to use the same technique with a different kind of pickle: kimchi. The kimchi brine gives the chicken flavor and helps it stay juicy, while also lending some texture to the dry dredging mixture. After frying the chicken until it's crispy and golden brown, it gets slathered with a gochujang-based sauce that incorporates more heat from gochugaru and more sweetness from honey. We can't think of a better way to serve this than on Stella’s flaky black sesame buttermilk biscuits.

  Kimchi-Brined Fried Chicken Sandwich

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• Stir-Fried Anchovy Banchan (Myeolchi Bokkeum)

  

  The ideal midday snack should be sweet, savory, crunchy, and irresistible all at once, just like this stir-fried anchovy banchan. Baby anchovies are coated in a glaze made up of gochugaru, soy sauce, fish sauce, and gochujang. The recipe comes together in minutes and keeps well in the fridge. So next time you're craving a certain je ne sais quoi, you can count on myeolchi bokkeum to satisfy your every last craving.

  Stir-Fried Anchovy Banchan (Myeolchi Bokkeum)

• Grilled Korean Bulgogi Burgers With Kimchi Mayo and Pickled Daikon

  

  These burgers get much of their flavor from what's on the outside, not the inside. While grilling, they're brushed with flavorful bulgogi sauce that includes soy sauce, brown sugar, and gochujang. They get another coating of the sauce after grilling, and then are loaded with spicy kimchi mayo and pickled daikon radish before being sandwiched between toasted sesame buns.

  Get the recipe for Grilled Korean Bulgogi Burgers With Kimchi Mayo and Pickled Daikon

• Korean Kimchi Barbecue Sauce

  

  A sauce that combines the funky Korean flavors of kimchi and gochujang with the sweet tang of a barbecue sauce? Say no more. We use a blender to create a purée out of the kimchi and its juices, along with extra onion, garlic, and ginger. Then, we move to the stove and combine this mixture with ketchup, rice vinegar, gochujang, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses and simmer until the sauce has thickened and all the flavors have combined. The result is a flavorful sauce that pairs well with grilled chicken, pork, and shellfish like shrimp.

  See Also

  If You Like Sriracha, You Need to Know Gochujang

  Korean Kimchi Barbecue Sauce

• Sweet and Spicy Chile Sauce For Korean Fried Chicken

  

  The crisp crunch of Korean fried chicken combined with this sweet and spicy sauce is a match made in fried chicken heaven. Here, gochujang is whisked together with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Because the thickness of gochujang can be inconsistent, you may need to add up to two tablespoons of water until the sauce is thin enough to spread easily, yet thick enough to cling to the crispy outer layer of the chicken.

  Sweet and Spicy Chile Sauce For Korean Fried Chicken

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• Korean-Style Fire Chicken (Buldak) With Cheese

  

  Forget Buffalo wings: Fire chicken is the ultimate game-day treat. To make the Korean bar food, start by marinating chicken thighs in a spicy gochujang-spiked sauce. In addition to the gochujang, this sauce gets an added layer of depth from gochugaru (Korean chili powder), red chile peppers, and black pepper, along with a surprise addition of Sprite. In order to keep the chicken from drying out, we grill the thighs whole before cutting them into bite-size pieces. Finally, the chicken is covered in mozzarella cheese and broiled until bubbling. Game day or not, this is one delicious treat that'll be gone in no time.

  Korean-Style Fire Chicken (Buldak) With Cheese

• Homemade Shin Cup-Style Spicy Korean Ramyun Beef Noodle Soup

  

  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. We suggest topping your bowl with mushrooms, scallions, kimchi, and a soft-boiled egg.

  Homemade Shin Cup-Style Spicy Korean Ramyun Beef Noodle Soup

• Crispy Cheese- and Kimchi-Topped Skillet Rice

  

  Fried rice isn't the only answer to your leftover rice problem. Loaded with an array of flavors and textures, there’s no question that this cheese- and kimchi-topped skillet rice should be added to your rotation. The rice gets mixed thoroughly with gochujang, soy sauce, and rice vinegar before moving to the skillet. Both mozzarella and Gruyère find their way into the dish in between layers of the rice, which is then cooked and broiled in the oven. Adding kimchi and cotija during the last two minutes of broiling helps the skillet rice char nicely. Before serving, you can finish the dish with a generous amount of sliced scallions for an added crunch.

  Crispy Cheese- and Kimchi-Topped Skillet Rice

• Korean Spicy Marinated Pork With Chiles and Kimchi (Jaeyook Kimchi Bokum)

  

  This easy stir-fry is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Strips of pork shoulder are marinated in a mixture that gets its subtle sweetness from gochujang and Asian pear, an ingredient that also helps tenderize the meat. After sitting in the marinade for at least two hours (but up to eight for maximum flavor), all that's left to do is cook the meat with onions, green chili pepper, scallions, and kimchi. Serve with lettuce leaves and rice for a secretly easy, but supremely flavorful dinner.

  Korean Spicy Marinated Pork With Chilies and Kimchi (Jaeyook Kimchi Bokum)

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• Crispy Bulgogi-Filled Scallion Pancakes

  

  This Korean spin on quesadillas brings together flaky Chinese-style scallion pancakes with bulgogi-style steak and two types of cheese. Gochujang makes its way into the marinade, along with ingredients like soy sauce and brown sugar. After preparing both the meat and the scallion pancakes, the rest is all about assembly. Top two scallion pancakes with bulgogi meat, as well as shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, then close it off with the remaining pancakes. Once the cheese is melted and the pancakes are browned, you can drizzle the quesadillas with additional gochujang and top with scallions and cilantro.

  Crispy Bulgogi-Filled Scallion Pancakes

• Dwaeji Bulgogi (Korean-Style Spicy Grilled Pork)

  

  If you want to throw a Korean barbecue feast at home, make sure to include this spicy, char-grilled pork. The marinade uses a full cup of gochujang, plus some extra gochugaru for good measure.

  Dwaeji Bulgogi (Korean-Style Spicy Grilled Pork)

• Birria de Res (Beef Birria)

  

  Octavio's recipe for this classic braised beef dish from Jalisco features a complex consomé flavored with a blend of chiles, achiote paste, and the unexpected addition of gochujang, which adds a funky, sweet, and savory element.

  Birria de Res (Beef Birria)

• Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)

  

  This spicy and intensely savory stew gets its flavor from a dried anchovy-kombu stock, pork belly, ripe, extra-fermented kimchi, plenty of gochugaru, and a big spoonful of gochujang. Once the pork-kimchi broth is bubbling, silken tofu is stirred in, along with a four eggs, which fortify the stew with their runny yolks. File under "sinus-clearing comfort food."

  Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)

June 2020