Ssamjang Ssam Sauce (Korean Dipping Sauce)
Savory, garlicky, and utterly addictive Ssamjang -- the essential Korean Dipping Sauce! A popular favorite with lettuce wraps, grilled meat, and vegetables. A combination of soybean paste and chili paste delivers an irresistible explosion of umami. An easy 5-minute sauce that's thick, rich, and absolutely delicious!
Servings: 4
Calories: 115kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Doenjang (Korean fermented soy bean paste)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 green onions (minced)
- 1 green fresno pepper (can be subbed with jalapeno, if you can't find it)
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp Maesil Cheong (Korean green plum syrup) (can be subbed with maple syrup)
- 1-2 tsp Gochujang (Korean fermented chile paste, depending on spicy level)
- 1 tsp rice vinegar (white distilled vinegar or apple vinegar also works)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
To serve:
- jalapeno slices
- (raw) garlic slices
- black pepper
- small drizzle sesame oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix well.
- Transfer to a small serving dish or portion into 4 individual dishes. Garnish with an additional drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. You can also add thin slices of raw garlic, jalapeno, and a few cranks of black pepper if desired.
- Serve with Korean BBQ: lettuce wraps, green onions, grilled meat, and rice. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
*Ssamjang keeps for a long time in the fridge, tightly covered. About 1-2 weeks. Make sure there's no cross-contamination.
PRO Tips:
- Finely mince green onion, garlic, and chili pepper. The texture is a big part of the addictiveness of Ssamjang. Don't make it overly chunky but mince finely into same-sized bits. I use a microplane to mince the garlic. For the green onion and chili pepper, I cut into half lengthwise then mince finely.
- Garnish. Right before serving, add a drizzle of sesame oil, a few grinds of black pepper, and several slices of raw garlic and jalapeno. A classic Korean finishing touch!
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.5mg