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Gochugaru

Gochugaru is Korean chili pepper flakes or powder used for heat, color, and seasoning in Korean cooking.

Gochugaru — illustrative ingredient image

About Gochugaru

Korean chilli pepper flakes are dried Korean peppers crushed or ground into a seasoning, commonly corresponding to gochugaru. They season kimchi, marinades, dipping sauces, soups, stews, braises, and stir-fries, adding red color as well as pungency.

Their flavor is usually fruity and mildly smoky or earthy, with heat and sweetness varying by pepper and processing. Coarse flakes provide a different mouthfeel from moderately fine powder, while seed content and heat grade also affect the result.

They range from coarse red flakes to a moderately fine powder and may contain visible seeds. The flakes may be used dry, mixed into a paste or sauce, or briefly fried in oil; products differ in grind, seed content, drying method, and heat grade.

Ingredient type
seasoning

Forms & related ingredients

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Where gochugaru appears

13 linked foods

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Main dishes

Sides

Soups

Noodle dishes

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for gochugaru

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Korean chilli pepper flakes

English

gochugaru

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Gochugaru nutrition & diet

Gochugaru nutritional value

Reference: Red pepper, Powder

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the named reference form.

Calories
319kcal
Protein
13.3g
Carbs
60.6g
Fat
8.4g

Per 100 g edible portion. Rural Development Administration, Korean Standard Food Composition Database 10.4 (2026). Original reference food and preparation are shown; product recipes and moisture can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use a reference for ground dried Korean chilli pepper flakes, distinguishing them from whole dried peppers, fine powder, chili salt, or a seasoning blend. Match the amount added to kimchi, sauces, stews, or marinades and account for oil, sugar, salt, and other ingredients in the recipe.

Compare the right form: Match ground dried Korean chilli pepper flakes, specifying grind, seed content, and whether the package contains salt or blended seasonings.

Diet considerations

Plain Korean chilli pepper flakes are plant-derived. Compatibility changes when the product is blended with fish, shrimp, animal fats, dairy, or other seasonings. Kimchi and sauces may contain seafood, cereal ingredients, or sugar; the recipe and portion matter more than the pepper name alone for the final diet pattern.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Korean Standard Food Composition DB 10.4 — R0070000005a ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .