🕰️ History and origin

Gochujang comes from home cooking traditions in Korea. Historically, it helped bring flavour, preservation and gentle heat to food when fresh ingredients were harder to store. Today it’s an icon of Korean cuisine and shows up in bibimbap, stews and quick everyday marinades.

🧪 How it’s made and common types

You’ll see a few formats, but the principle is the same. A fermented chili paste with a signature sweet spicy balance.

• classic tub gochujang is a versatile base for sauces, marinades and soups
• gochujang marinades are the fast route for grill or pan cooking
• Korean chili flakes gochugaru help you adjust heat and add that typical chili aroma

For more ideas, browse Sambal and chili paste

👃 Flavour profile

• 🌶️ spicy but rounded
• 🍯 gently sweet
• 🧂 salty and umami
• 🧈 thick and sticky, it clings to meat and vegetables

✅ Tip: If it feels too hot, don’t dilute with water. Balance with a touch of sweetness and acidity and simply use less

🍳 How to use gochujang

🔥 Marinades for grill and pan

Great on chicken, pork and tofu. It works beautifully with a bit of Soy sauces and oil from Oils

🥘 Sauces and glazes

Mix the paste with a splash of vinegar and a sweetener, warm it briefly and you have a sauce for noodles or sticky meat. Explore Vinegars

🍚 Bowls and rice

Perfect for a quick sauce over rice, vegetables and egg. If you cook bowls often, start with Rice and rice products

🍲 Soups and stews

A small spoon in broth can give even a simple soup a Korean profile.

🫶 Everyday note

Chili pastes are usually used in small amounts and add so much flavour that you often need less extra seasoning. Think of gochujang mainly as a flavour tool. If you’re sensitive to heat, start with a small spoon.

✅ How to choose a good gochujang

• 🌶️ heat levels vary, start small
• 🥄 the texture should be thick and sticky
• 🍯 look for balance, not only heat
• ❄️ after opening, keep it sealed and chilled

🛒 Our picks

Three products that make Korean flavour easy and fast:

• O'Food Chili paste from brown rice Gochujang 500 g a versatile base for sauces, marinades and bowls
• O'Food Gochujang Bulgogi marinade for Pork 280 g for quick Korean style pork without mixing
• Nongshim Coarsely Ground Chili Pepper Gochugaru 454 g to boost heat and that classic chili aroma

🍗 Recipe: Korean gochujang chicken in a pan

A fast Korean style dish that tastes like a good takeaway. Sticky sauce, garlic, ginger, a touch of acidity and sesame to finish.

Ingredients

• boneless chicken thighs 450 g
• gochujang 2 tbsp
• soy sauce 1 and a half tbsp
• rice vinegar 1 tbsp
• sugar 1 to 2 tsp
• oil 1 tbsp
• garlic 3 cloves
• ginger about 2 cm
• spring onion 2
• sesame to finish
• water 2 to 4 tbsp as needed

Method

1. Mix gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and 2 tbsp water.
2. Cut chicken into larger pieces and pat dry. Salt lightly only if needed.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add chicken and sear until golden.
4. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in the sauce, stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens and clings.
6. If too thick, add a spoon of water. If too thin, reduce briefly.
7. Finish with spring onion and sesame.

✅ Tip: For the best sticky texture, let the sauce bubble for a few seconds before stirring. The paste will cling to the meat beautifully