The spicy dipping sauce that makes everything taste better: Gochujang Sauce! Commonly known as Bibimbap Sauce, this bright red flavorful sauce is essential with Korean rice bowls. An easy and delicious recipe that can be made in 5 minutes. Spicy, tangy, slightly sweet — a perfect balance that gives everything a spicy kick of flavor!
What is Gochujang Sauce?
Gochujang Sauce is a popular Korean condiment that is spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet. At Korean restaurants, you’ll see a tall squeeze bottle filled with bright red sauce served with Bibimbap. In Korean homes, it is enjoyed as a sauce or dip with pretty much everything!
The flavor base of this spicy sauce comes from Gochujang or Korean red pepper paste. Gochujang is a thick paste and one of the building blocks of Korean cuisine. A fermented product, it contains complex flavor with lots of umami flavor. It’s not just spicy — it is also deeply savory, vibrant with bold flavor, and slightly sweet.
As a bonus, Gochujang Sauce is easy to make. Simply mix the fermented Korean chili paste with a few simple ingredients: sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vinegar. The vinegar is especially important. In fact, the Korean name for Gochujang Sauce is “Cho Gochujang.” “Cho” means vinegar, which gives it that bright, tangy depth of flavor. It also makes it smooth and pourable.
In Korean cuisine, the traditional way to enjoy Gochujang Sauce is as a dip, sauce, or salad dressing. Similar to ketchup or ranch, it can be enjoyed multiple ways. Most people add it to Bibimbap or any kind of rice bowl. But it is also great with veggies (cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, shishito peppers), meat (boiled chicken or beef), and seafood (shrimp cocktail or squid).
In the modern kitchen, Gochujang Sauce can be enjoyed with anything that needs a kick of spice! Use it like a hot sauce and drizzle on top of scrambled eggs, avocado toast, french fries, nachos, hashbrowns, pizza, tacos — everything!
Ingredients:
- Gochujang (affiliate). Korean fermented chili paste made from red pepper flakes. The main ingredient and a Korean staple. The flavor is spicy, savory, and little smoky and sweet.
Look for Gochujang at Korean Grocery Stores. Korean red pepper paste can also be found in the international food aisles at regular grocery stores. Make sure to read the label as Gochujang can have a spice level, ranging fron 1-5.
- Vinegar. Essential for that bright and tangy flavor. Also to make it smooth and pourable. I alternate between Rice Vinegar and Apple Vinegar. The Rice Vinegar is more acidic and tangy. The Apple Vinegar is more fruity and floral. Also, white vinegar works fine if you don’t have either.
- Sugar. Sweetness rounds out all the intense flavors. Regular white granulated sugar works great. Can be swapped with maple syrup or honey.
- Soy Sauce. Add more umami richness with a little bit of soy sauce. Note: do not use low-sodium soy sauce! I find it leaves behind a weird metallic taste.
- Sesame Oil. Makes Gochujang Sauce smooth and pourable. Also adds an aromatic fragrance and a unique, nutty flavor.
How to make Bibimbap Sauce:
- Mix. Add ingredients to a medium bowl and mix until smooth and runny.
- Serve. Pour, drizzle, and dip this versatile sauce onto everything!
Serve with:
- Bibimbap – Drizzle all over Bibimbap or your favorite rice bowl. A fried runny egg on top is a must!
- Korean BBQ – Use as a sauce for grilled meats. Swipe onto lettuce wraps, like Ssamjang.
- Raw veggies – Serve with raw veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, shishito peppers, lightly steamed broccoli or cauliflower, etc. I grew up eating vegetables this way in my Korean American home.
- Seafood. Cho Gochujang tastes great with shrimp cocktail, boiled squid, and lobster. Serve in place of cocktail sauce.
- Salad. Commonly used as salad dressing for Hwe Dup Bap. Drizzle on top of any greens with a bowl of rice.
Variations:
- Add garlic. Add 2 minced garlic cloves for deep, savory flavors.
- Add sesame seeds. Add 1 Tbsp sesame seeds for a thicker texture and nutty flavor.
How to store:
Leftover sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Make sure it’s tightly covered so it doesn’t dry out.
- Glass Jar. Find a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the coldest part of the fridge. When ready to use, remove from the fridge and stir. If it’s too thick, add more sesame oil to make it runny and pourable. If the flavor is flat, add a little more vinegar.
- Squeeze bottle. Double the recipe and add to a squeeze bottle. Make sure the tip is tightly covered. Shake before drizzling!
FAQ:
Gochujang Sauce is similar to Sriracha because they are both spicy. But they are not the same. The flavor is quite different. Gochujang Sauce is more spicy, tangy, and sweet than Sriracha.
To find out if your brand of Gochujang is gluten-free, look at the ingredient list. Every brand differs. Some will contain small amounts of wheat flour or malt barley, which contain gluten.
Gochujang is an essential ingredient in Korean cooking. A scoop of raw Gochujang can be added to make soups, stews, fried rice, tteokbokki, Spicy Chicken Rice Bowls, and meat dishes like Gochujang Chicken. Look at the list below for more inspiration.
More recipes with Gochujang:
- Gochujang Jjigae (Tofu Soup)
- Spicy Gochujang Chicken Thighs
- Gochujang Ground Pork Rice Bowls
- Slow Cooker BBQ Gochujang Pulled Pork
- Roasted Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks
More sauces and condiments:
Easy Korean Gochujang Sauce (Bibimbap Sauce)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Gochujang Korean fermented chili paste
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (white vinegar also works)
- 1 Tbsp sugar (honey or maple syrup also work)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds *optional (don't add if storing in a squeeze bottle)
Instructions
Notes
- Gochujang Sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Make sure it’s tightly covered so it doesn’t dry out. Two ways to store:Â
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- Glass Jar. Store in the coldest part of the fridge. When ready to use, remove from the fridge and stir. If it’s too thick, add more sesame oil to make it runny and pourable. If the flavor is flat, add a little more vinegar.
- Squeeze bottle. Double the recipe and add to a squeeze bottle. Make sure the tip is tightly covered.
Would this be good as a stir fry sauce? Rice, chicken, veggies?
I’ve never tried it as a stir fry sauce, as it will probably easily burn (gochujang burns easily). But you could drizzle all over a rice bowl and mix it up while it’s hot. Or drizzle over chicken that’s been already cooked. Enjoy!
This is my new favourite sauce, so good!
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Tasted great. Added fresh green onion and a little hoison (wife it a little spicy).