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Gochujang

Gochujang is a thick, fermented Korean chili paste used in sauces, marinades, stews, and dipping preparations.

Gochujang — illustrative ingredient image

About Gochujang

Gochujang is a thick, fermented Korean chili paste used in sauces, marinades, stews, soups, dipping preparations, rice dishes, and mixed seasonings. It can be stirred directly into a dish or diluted with liquids and other ingredients. Commercial and traditional versions differ in chili intensity, sweetness, thickness, and fermentation character.

Its flavour is layered, combining spiciness and savouriness with sweetness, saltiness, and fermented grain or bean notes. The consistency is smooth to slightly textured, and the paste has a deep red colour. Formulation and fermentation conditions influence how strongly these flavours and textural qualities are expressed.

Gochujang is commonly sold as a ready-to-use paste in sealed tubs or other containers. It may be used thick, diluted, or blended with oil, sugar, broth, or other ingredients. Dilution loosens the paste and makes it spread or pour more readily, while mixing disperses its colour and flavour through sauces, marinades, soups, or seasoned dishes.

Ingredient type
paste

Forms & related ingredients

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Where gochujang appears

17 linked foods

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Main dishes

Sides

Soups

Salads

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 gochujang

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

gochujang

English

Gochujang, Korean traditional type

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

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

Gochujang nutrition & diet

Gochujang nutritional value

Reference: Gochujang

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

Calories
205kcal
Protein
3.7g
Carbs
51.8g
Fat
1.4g

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 the exact gochujang recipe and serving context, since fermentation, solids, sweeteners, salt, and dilution vary by brand. A spoonful used in a sauce is not equivalent to the paste alone, and cooking may redistribute it across a larger dish.

Compare the right form: Reference must match the branded fermented Korean chili paste, including recipe, dilution, and whether it is measured alone or in a finished dish.

Diet considerations

Gochujang is a fermented plant-based-style paste, but compatibility is recipe-dependent rather than universal. Brands may include fermented cereal ingredients, soy, sweeteners, fish, or other animal additions. Sauces and marinades can create a more portion-dependent carbohydrate pattern than the undiluted paste.

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

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    May be compatible
  • Vegetarian
    May be compatible
  • Pescatarian
    May be compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Depends on the version
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Vegetarian · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Pescatarian · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Depends on the version
Optional or variable recorded ingredients: Fermented Soybean Paste; Glutinous rice. Recorded common ingredients: Soybean. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ.
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 — R0050010009a ↗. 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: .