This fermented staple ingredient adds spiciness, color, and sweetness to many Korean dishes. It’s sometimes labeled as “red pepper paste” in English on the package. Most people buy it in a Korean grocery store, but in Korea it was traditionally homemade (my recipe is here). Homemade gochujang has a rich complex flavor that’s much deeper than store-bought.

Keep in the fridge after opening and use within 3 months. The top of the paste may become darker or dry out, but it’s still edible.

gochuchang

gochujang

gochujang

gochujang

hot pepper paste

Recipes that use hot pepper paste (gochujang):

146 Comments:

  1. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    emily,
    I use either sunchang or haechandeul.

  2. hey maangchi today i brought gochujang the box sayx sunchang gochujang is it the same which you use?

  3. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Fang,

    gochujang (hot pepper paste) is used for bibimbap.

    Doenjang (soy bean paste) is not spicy. If you like to make spicy doenjangjjigae, add some hot pepper paste to your jjigae.

    The sauce you had for broccoli sounds like “chojang”
    check out my hwedupbap recipe. I posted the recipe for chojang.
    https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/hwedupbap

    The sauce for bbp pork must be ssamjang. Check out my grilled beef recipe video. I’m demonstrating how to eat it. And also I posted ssamjang recipe there.
    https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/grilled-beef

    thank you very much!

  4. Hi Maangchi, i have so many questions for you.it’s all about the sauce.first, is gochujang for most of the spicy dishes, is it the sauce for pibimbap too??? is doenjang spicy, i want to make doenjang chi gae, and what other sauce i have to put besides doejang? when i was in Korea, i ate the steam broclies with a dipping sauce,it is little spicy/sweet, what kind of sauce is it? also there is a sauce usually come with the side dieshes when i eat the BBQ pork, i don’t know if it’s the same.
    thanks so much, i love your videos! hope you understand what i’m talking about

  5. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Hot pepper paste and soybean paste are used in many Korean dishes, you can find them by searching my website. A lot of people ask me where they can use these ingredients, I think I will make some links from ingredients to recipes soon.

    Thanks for your interest in my recipes!

  6. Hi!! I must say firstly that I absolutely love all that you are sharing on your website! I have recently bought a box of red papper paste and soy bean paste because i went to a korean grocery store and just had to buy it since it is so common in korean cooking and i love korean food! I made kimchi chigae a few days ago but was wondering what other dishes i can use these two pastes for? (sorry if you’ve already mentioned it, as i am new to your site)
    THANKS!

  7. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Judy,
    I don’t know about the fermented chili paste. This Korean hot pepper paste is also fermented. You can ask the question on the forum on my website here. Someone else may give you good answer.

  8. Um.. does it matter if I bought fermented chili paste? i couldnt afford the regular one.. and i bought a cheaper one thats fermented…. is it ok to use that in the kimchi soup?

  9. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    I think they use red bell pepper instead of red chilly pepper for those who can’t tolerate hot spicy taste.

  10. Hi! Sometimes I have side dishes in Korean restaurants which I expect to be spicy because they have chili flakes or chili paste in them, but they aren’t spicy at all. Are there different types of chili paste and flakes that aren’t hot? Or are they using red pepper flakes instead?

  11. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Laura,
    Why don’t you ask this question in Forum on my website? I am interested in learning about it from a food expert. I always keep my hot pepper paste in the refrigerator after opening it.

  12. I had Gochujang before and because I use it rarely, when I put it in refrigerator it became hard and I couldn’t eat it anymore. It okay if I don’t store it in refrigerator?

  13. hi.how are you. can i make“Hot pepper paste (gochujang)” and how to make? please tell me.

  14. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    lisa,
    Of course it’s edible. But next time you make your kimchi, use hot pepper flakes.
    Send me the photo of your next kimchi so that I won’t be worried about your kimchi making. : ) I will post your kimchi photo on my website.

  15. I have already used the gochujang instead of red pepper powder in my kimchi making.is that edible?

  16. Hi Maangchi,

    I’m a malaysia. Love your blog very much. Its very helpful in my korean cooking. And i would say hot pepper paste is the best ingredient in Korean cooking. Way up. Do blog more about Korean cooking.

  17. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Tami,
    I don’t think so, Tami. Chili paste is different from hot pepper paste. Hot pepper paste is sold at a Korean grocery store.

  18. Hi hi..i’m from Malaysia. I wanna ask if i can replace this with chilli paste? Will it taste the same? OMG I’m gonna make kimchi soup tmr using ur recipe!! Wish me luck!

  19. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Luthien
    oh, it’s very nice of you! I hope Sue is reading this! Thank you very much!

  20. Dear Maangchi
    This is to help Sue who posted her message on July 16th, 2008 at 2:40 am.

    In Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, there is a Korean town where one can find lots of Korean food products. Directions to get there can be found here: http://k-popped.com/2008/02/k-popped-visits-koreatown-malaysia.html

    Or Sue can email me at iguana565@yahoo.com for further questions.

    Thanks
    Luthien

  21. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    luke,
    Sorry, I can’t show you how to make hot pepper paste and bean paste for some reasons. First of all I don’t have tools such as a huge earthen pot and other ingredients here in New York, and I don’t have space for the pot and don’t have time to check on it everyday for 1 month. To make bean paste, it takes months and months.
    However, I will keep it in mind.

    Check this out
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doenjang

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gochujang

  22. hi!
    my name is luke, im so happy to see your website, its very informative and delicious could you please post a video on how to make gochujang and doenjang paste thanks and happy cooking! take care! :)

  23. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Sue,
    I’m sorry to hear that you can’t find a korean grocery near you. If you are living in a big city, I’m sure you will find it though. I know many koreans are living in Malaysia. How about hot pepper flakes? I think it’s also not available if hot pepper paste is not available there. All I can say is that you should check out some Korean communities and ask them about this ingredient. You must feel frustrated and I’m sorry I can’t give you any good solution at the moment.

  24. I’m in Malaysia, I don’t think hot pepper paste is available here, what’s the ingredient inside, can I make the paste by myself? Any other solutions?

    Regards,
    Sue

  25. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    sourapril,
    Yes, you can keep hot pepper paste for months until it’s gone in the refrigerator.

  26. do you have to refrigerate it after you open the box? how long does it keep? thanks!

  27. Thanks, I checked out the recipe again just now.

    ruth

  28. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Ruth,
    Yes, the green container must be mixture of hotpepper paste and bean paste. Did you see my grilled beef video? I think I made it there. Check out the video, and you will see how I eat it and make it. Oh, it’s called “ssam jang”. Of course making your own ssam jang is better and its taste is much better than the green container.

  29. Hi Maangchi, this red pepper paste package is red and the soybean paste is brown. I bought the green one and understand it’s a mix of the two paste, am I correct? Is it true that it’s unnecessary to buy this green one as one can just mix the above two paste together? I actually don’t know how to use it or what to cook it with, will u teach me please.

    ruth

  30. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Hi, anonymous,
    Yes, you can add hot pepper paste in doenjang jjigae. But don’t forget to use bean paste (doen jang).

  31. Hi maangchi,
    can i use the hot pepper paste to cook the spicy tofu soup? Will it taste the same?

  32. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    hi,confused, : )
    Yes, hot pepper flakes and hot pepper paste are different.
    You need hot pepper flakes or powder to make kimchi. NO hot pepper paste.
    Check it out my ingredient blog to find out the difference between those 2 ingredients.

  33. Hello! Is the hot pepper paste the same as the powder you use in your Kimchi video? Or are those two different ingredients?

  34. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Hi,
    You could use other brands.
    Thanks, you are the first commenter here. : ) I made
    this ingredient blog for those who have no idea what the ingredients look like. I went to my favorite grocery store and took all these pictures.

  35. Wow. Thanks for all of the pictures. Does it have to be these brands or could they be other brands?

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