Bibimbap
A spoonful over rice with vegetables and egg. Mix only at the table, so each layer stays recognisable.
Plain paste
Gochujang: which one to pick?
Korean chilli paste β pronounced go-choo-jang. Sweeter and milder than sambal, and the base under bibimbap, tteokbokki and Korean marinades.
- 18 varieties
- from €0,88 per 100 g
- 5Γ halal Β· 11Γ vegan
What is gochujang?
Gochujang is a fermented paste of red chilli powder, rice or wheat, fermented soybeans and salt. It is thick enough to spoon, and tastes sweet-salty-savoury rather than sharp.
In Korean cooking it is a base paste, the way tomato purΓ©e is here: rarely eaten straight, almost always the base of a marinade, stew or dipping sauce. Months of maturing give it its savoury depth. The sweetness comes from somewhere else β nearly every jar is sweetened as well, usually with a rice or corn syrup that sits high in the ingredients list.
Pronunciation Β· go-choo-jang Β· Korean Β· κ³ μΆμ₯ Β· literally βchilli pepper pasteβ
Is gochujang hot?
Somewhat β but less than you would think, and differently from sambal.
Gochujang is lightly hot with a clear sweet, savoury undertone. Only a small part of the jar is chilli β the rest is rice or wheat, soybean and something sweet β so spoon for spoon it is milder than sambal oelek. Where sambal stings, gochujang fills.
- Soy sauce
- Gochujang
- Sriracha
- Gochugaru
- Sambal oelek
Indicative β heat depends on the recipe, above all on how much chilli powder is in the jar. For 8 of our 18 jars we have a level recorded: 7Γ medium and 1Γ mild. Where we have nothing recorded, we do not guess.
How do you use gochujang?
Four ways to put the jar to work.
Tteokbokki
Rice cakes in a thick, sweet-hot sauce. Sugar and stock turn the paste into a sauce.
Paste or ready-made sauce
Marinade
With soy sauce, garlic, pear and sesame oil into a glaze for chicken, pork or aubergine.
Plain paste
Dipping sauce
Let down with vinegar and sugar it becomes chogochujang β fresh and thin, for raw vegetables and seafood.
Chogochujang
Which gochujang suits you?
The four questions customers ask us most.
- Halal certified 5
- Vegan 11
- Mildest 1
Our picks
See all 18 βBest all-rounder
CJ Haechandeul Gochujang Red Pepper Paste 500g
€0,94 / 100 g
β¬4,70
VeganHalal
For a milder jar
Daesang O'Food Gochujang Red Pepper Paste Less Spicy 500g
€0,93 / 100 g
β¬4,65
Ready-made for bibimbap
Daesang O'Food Bibimbap Sauce 300g
€1,22 / 100 g
β¬3,65
VeganHalal
For cooking Korean often
CJ Haechandeul Gochujang Red Pepper Paste 1kg
€0,89 / 100 g
β¬8,90
VeganHalal
Gochujang, chogochujang or a ready-made sauce?
Search engines mix them up; the kitchen does not.
Gochujang κ³ μΆμ₯
The plain paste. Thick, sweet-salty, lightly hot. This is what a recipe means when it says βgochujangβ.
Use it for: stew Β· marinade Β· soup
11 products
Chogochujang μ΄κ³ μΆμ₯
Let down with vinegar and sugar. Thinner and tangy β a dipping sauce, not a cooking base.
Use it for: raw vegetables Β· cold noodles
2 products
Ready-made sauce
Already seasoned for one dish: bibimbap, tteokbokki, bulgogi. Saves a step.
Use it for: straight to the table or the pan
5 products
Which size do you need?
A level tablespoon is enough for two people, so a jar goes further than it looks. The list below shows how many dishes each size works out to.
- 170 g 1 product about 9 dishes
- 200 g 2 products about 11 dishes
- 290 g 2 products about 16 dishes
- 500 g 4 products about 27 dishes
- 1 kg 2 products about 55 dishes
What a jar really costs is the price per 100 g, and a sale can change that order at any time. It is listed for every product in the comparison below.
Storing it
Unopened
Cool, dry and out of direct sunlight, until the date on the packaging.
After opening
In the fridge with the lid closed, and follow the storage advice on the packaging. The colour slowly darkens over time β that is the paste carrying on maturing.
Keeping it clean
Always use a clean, dry spoon and close the jar properly. That lowers the risk of contamination and mould.
Frequently asked questions
Is gochujang the same as sambal?
No. Sambal is fresh or fermented chilli with salt and is mostly sharp. Gochujang is a matured paste with rice and soybeans: thicker, sweeter and more savoury, and considerably less hot.
Can you replace gochujang with sriracha?
For colour yes, for flavour no. Sriracha is thin, sour and garlicky. If you are stuck, mix miso with chilli powder and a little sugar β that comes closer.
Is gochujang vegan?
Usually. Ready-made sauces can contain fish or meat, so there it pays to read the ingredients. The comparison on this page shows which of our jars are registered as vegan.
Which gochujang is halal?
The jars with a certificate from a recognised body. The comparison on this page shows which ones we have registered as halal; the packaging itself is the final word.
How long does an opened jar keep?
Follow the storage advice and the date on the packaging β that is the maker's instruction, not ours. Keep it cold, keep it closed, always use a clean, dry spoon, and throw the jar away if you see mould or notice an off smell, a swollen lid or any other sign of spoilage.
How much do you use per dish?
Reckon on a level tablespoon for two people in a stew or marinade. Gochujang is salty β taste before you add more soy sauce.
Is gochujang gluten-free?
No β that is not something we can say. Many gochujang recipes use wheat, and jars made on rice instead can still carry a wheat warning on the packaging. In the EU βgluten-freeβ is a claim with a legal threshold (20 mg/kg in the food as sold) and a measurement behind it, under Regulation 828/2014, and we do not have that measurement. So if you must eat gluten-free, do not rely on this page: always read the label on the packaging. Per-jar allergens are listed in the comparison on this page.
All 18 side by side price per 100 g and allergens Open +
Allergens come from the label on the packaging. Recipes can change β if you have an allergy, always read the label on the product you have at home.
Ready to choose?
Every variety in one place, with price per 100 g, allergens and stock.
Allergens and storage advice come from the label on the packaging. Recipes can change β if you have an allergy, always read the label on the product you have at home. The photos under βHow do you use gochujang?β are serving suggestions.
