23 Easy Gochujang Recipes With a Fiery Kick

With its complex mix of sweet, salty, spicy, and umami flavors, these fiery gochujang recipes are sure to get your juices flowing.

Made with fermented soybeans, red chili pepper flakes, glutinous rice, and salt, this authentic Korean red chili paste will spice up even the most basic dinner recipe.

Its unique flavor and thick texture make it an ideal base for sauces, marinades, soups, and stews.

And it’s extra tasty on these baked Korean chicken wings!

But it doesn’t stop there! You’ll find everything from scrumptious Korean fried chicken to spicy noodles on this list of easy gochujang recipes.

So, grab a glass of water; it’s about to get hot!

1. Easy Tteokbokki – Spicy Korean Rice Cakes

Teokbokki is the no. 1 street food in Korea, and if you’ve had it, you’ll understand why.

These bite-sized spicy rice cakes are wonderfully chewy and loaded with sweet, spicy, and umami flavors.

On their own, the rice cakes don’t really have a taste, which is why they’re coated with gochujang.

Together, these two create one of the most addictive snacks known to man.

2. Kimchi

Kimchi is a staple Korean side dish made of napa cabbage and Korean radish.

Once it’s fermented in salt and seasonings, it’s an acquired taste that you either love or hate.

Personally, I can’t get enough of it! If you’re on team kimchi, too, this recipe is perfect for you.

It takes a bit of work, but you’ll be rewarded with a wonderfully pungent side dish you can enjoy for months.

3. Korean Meatballs with Gochujang Drizzle Sauce

Looking for a recipe that elevates classic meatballs? Look no further than this recipe.

These meatballs are flavored with garlic, ginger, and gochujang, giving it a bit of sweetness and some spicy kick.

Kissed with a sweet and saucy gochujang glaze, you’ll definitely want to have this with lots of rice. 

4. Korean Fried Chicken

Korean fried chicken is crunchy and covered in a sweet and spicy glaze.

So, if you’re bored with the usual fried chicken, this recipe will certainly liven up your dinner.

Crunchy skin plus tender meat equals fried chicken heaven. Then, the gochujang sauce takes it over the top.

5. Korean Fried Cauliflower Air Fryer (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

Here’s something for our dear vegetarian readers!

After all, just because you can’t have meat doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Korean fried chicken…sort of.

This recipe is inspired by Cheesecake Factory’s Korean fried cauliflower.

Sure, it doesn’t have the same amazing textures as chicken, but the flavors are all there.

It also scores major points for being a cinch to make. 

6. Beef Bibimbap

Bibimbap is a colorful rice bowl topped with sweet strips of beef, crunchy vegetables, kimchi, and a fried egg in the middle.

The ingredients are tossed in gochujang, which does a wonderful job of tying the flavors together.

What’s great about this dish is it’s tasty, hearty, and also nutritious! It’s a perfect addition to your weekly meal rotation.

7. Slow Cooker Korean Beef

This dish has tender and succulent chunks of chuck roast bathed in a sweet and savory sauce.

The meat is good, but the true star of this dish, in my opinion, is the sauce.

A mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, ginger, and vinegar, it’s bursting with wonderfully complex flavors.

8. Korean Beef Bulgogi

Here’s another Korean beef dish packed with tons of flavor.

Marinated for at least two hours, every bite of bulgogi creates an explosion of flavors.

Besides gochujang, the marinade also contains pears, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.

9. Korean Bulgogi Tacos with Kimchi Salsa

There’s nothing wrong with traditional tacos, but if you’re in the mood for something new, try giving the Tex-Mex dish a Korean twist.

Just use beef bulgogi instead of ground beef and throw in some kimchi and Sriracha mayo.

Together, these components make a lovely balance of flavors.

10. Kimchi Fried Rice

Give classic fried rice a Korean flair by tossing in some kimchi, bean sprouts, and gochujang. 

Serve it up in a bowl with a sunny-side-up egg and beef bulgogi and you’ve got yourself one mouthwatering dinner.

11. Cheese Dakgalbi (닭갈비 Korean Spicy Stir Fry Chicken)

Cheese Dakgalbi is a drool-worthy stir fry featuring marinated chicken and vegetables finished with tons of melty mozzarella.

The contrast between healthy chicken and veggies and the rich mozzarella gives this dish a wonderful balance of flavors.

12. Saucy Gochujang Noodles

This simple dish of noodles tossed in gochujang sauce might just become your new favorite.

It combines hearty rice noodles and spiralized zucchini for balance making it rich, but refreshing at the same time.

The sauce has gochujang and hoisin in it, which is why it has such bold flavors. But a splash of lime juice and a bit of garlic provides the perfect contrast.

13. Kimchi Stew Recipe

Kimchi fans, this stew’s for you. 

Overflowing with fresh ingredients like shrimp, fish, spinach, mushrooms, kimchi, and udon, this soup is undeniably nutritious.

The broth is exceptional as well with its combination of dashi, soy sauce, fish sauce, mirin, and gochujang.

Together with the kimchi, its flavors and textures are really quite spectacular.

14. Korean Style Ground Pork Soup

If you’re a ramen person, this Korean soup is a must-try.

Filled with springy noodles, well-seasoned ground pork, soft-boiled eggs, bok choy, and a seriously delectable coconut broth, it’s pretty darn irresistible.

15. Speedy Korean Style Spicy Pork Mince

Here’s another ground pork recipe I’m sure you’ll love. 

Cooked with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, mirin, sesame oil, and gochujang, this pork mince is undeniably flavorful.

It’s sweet, salty, savory, and spicy all at the same time.

Serve this with rice and vegetables for a hearty and wholesome meal.

16. Roasted Butternut Squash with Gochujang 

Take classic roasted butternut squash to a whole new level of awesomeness with gochujang!

It’s a simple addition, but it gives the squash a major upgrade.

The sauce compliments the sweetness of the squash and gives it a spicy and savory kick, as well.

17. Korean Sweet Potatoes

Every time I dine at a Korean restaurant, I always ask for a second helping of their sweet potatoes. 

I can’t get enough of this sweet and perfectly caramelized side dish!

I love the flavor, but the chewy and fluffy texture is really what makes me so addicted to it.

18. Korean Tofu with Spicy Korean Ketchup

As surprising as it may seem, you can make a pretty delicious meal with just tofu squares cooked in gochujang and ketchup.

It’s such a simple recipe, but its flavors will make your taste buds jump up and down for joy.

Vegetarians can use this dish as a meat replacement, but it also goes well with bulgogi and beef stew. 

19. Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)

Budae Jiggae is a classic Korean stew.

Invented after the Korean War in the 1950s when food was scarce, it used up an abundant supply of American processed meats from US military bases.

Also called “army stew,” it’s fully loaded with bite-sized hotdogs, potatoes, bacon, Spam, tofu, mushrooms vegetables, and a sweet and gochujang broth.

20. Gochujang Chicken

Boneless thighs are marinated for hours in a mixture of gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil before going to the grill.

How could it get any better?

Serve this ridiculously tender, juicy, and saucy dish with rice for a hearty meal, or make lettuce wraps for a lighter option.

21. Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles)

Are cold noodles your thing? If so, you’ll surely fall in love with bibim guksu.

It’s a dish of cold noodles topped with fresh vegetables and a sweet and fiery gochujang sauce.

It’s basically the noodle counterpart of bibimbap, and it’s just as delicious.

22. Spicy Gochujang Mayo

This combo of gochujang, mayo, and lemon juice is the ultimate Korean dip! 

You’ll love the balance between rich and creamy mayo, sweet and spicy gochujang, and tangy lemon. 

Use it as a dipping sauce to chips and fries or as a dressing to grilled meats, sandwiches, and salads.

23. Korean Pork Ribs with Gochujang Glaze

These pork ribs are so moist and tender they fall off the bone.

Glistening with gochujang glaze, their flavor is as equally to die for as their texture.

Don’t even bother serving this with a knife and a fork. These ribs are meant to be eaten with your hands!