Gochujang Sauce - Korean Red Pepper Paste Sauce

gochujang sauce boiling in a pot and dripping off of a spoon

5 from 197 votes

Gochujang Sauce - Korean Red Pepper Paste Sauce

This gochujang sauce is sweet, spicy, savory, and tangy! It's perfect as a Korean fried chicken sauce (also called yangnyeom sauce) or as a glaze to brush on protein! Gochujang is a fermented Korean red pepper paste made with Korean peppers, soybeans, and other spices. Try this sauce to enjoy the flavor of gochujang!

Prep Time5

Cook Time3

Total Time8

Course: Dips, Glazes, Sauces

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Servings:

Calories: 134kcal

Ingredients

¼ cup gochujang
¼ cup sugar
3 Tablespoon strawberry jam - use the seedless variety
2 ½ Tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
6 Tablespoon water
2 cloves garlic - minced
½ teaspoon ginger - grated
½ teaspoon salt
small pinch five spice powder - (optional)
1 Tablespoon ketchup - (optional) See Note 3

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a sauce pan and set it over medium high heat.
Stir the sauce occasionally and wait for it to come to a rolling boil with lots of bubbling. The sugar content in this sauce allows it to easily burn so keep an eye on it. This should take about 2 minutes.
Once the sauce comes to a boil, test that it is properly reduced and thickened up. Drizzle a small amount onto a plate and let it cool. If it's too thin, let it boil more. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon more water at a time and turn off the heat.
Once cooled taste the sauce and adjust for seasoning if needed. Makes slightly over 1 cup of sauce.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: The sauce will thicken up once cooled. Microwave it while covered for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until it's warmed through. Or heat it over low heat in a saucepan. You may need to add a bit of water if it's too thick.
Ketchup: When using this as a Korean fried chicken sauce, some variations include ketchup, which gives this sauce a sweeter, more tangy flavor. If desired, feel free to add 1 Tablespoon of ketchup along with the other ingredients.

Nutrition