gochujang

noun

go·​chu·​jang ˈgō-ˈchü-ˈjäŋ 

: a spicy paste used in Korean cuisine that is made from red chili peppers, glutinous rice, and fermented soybeans

With Ms. Kim's encouragement, I made a version of her Korean bouillabaisse by sautéing kimchi with gochujang, soy sauce and fish sauce, then adding stock and a mix of shrimp, scallops and mussels. The gochujang added flavor and served as a thickener.

—Jane Black

Korean supermarkets, like H Mart in Manhattan, carry not only all manner of foods—like gochujang, three-layered pork belly, and Korean snacks—but also a range of practical (affordable) kitchen and home goods.

—Lauren Ro

Examples of gochujang in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His signature there paired crispy octopus with silky-funky gochujang aioli, a riff on a marquee course at New York’s pioneering modern Korean restaurant Jungsik, where Kim once worked. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026

While carrots are roasting, add honey, butter and gochujang to a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until butter is melted. —Irene Kim, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2025

Her gochujang burger from Blue Moon Tavern at the Park was kimchi-light, while the stuff was practically spilling out of mine. —Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Each ball should then be rolled in about a teaspoon of gochujang until the exterior of each dough ball is fully covered. —Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 July 2025

Arlington Burger At The Salt Line Hudson Valley, this burger is dressed in Cabot white cheddar, thick cut bacon, gochujang and scallion aioli on a sesame seed potato roll. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025

The store also offers a smorgasbord of Asian ingredient staples — from soy sauce to gochujang to bulk bags of rice. —Rachel Schlueter, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2025

The fries and tenders are tossed in a variety of buffalo, BBQ, Korean gochujang and garlic Parmesan sauces. —Irene Milanez, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2025

For mains, there’s a 12-ounce ribeye with royal oyster mushrooms, peppercorn sauce and golden hasselback potatoes ($48); a lamb rack glazed with spicy gochujang and chimichurri ($39); and roasted Atlantic salmon with baby carrots, asparagus and tarragon beurre blanc ($28). —Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Korean kojujang, from koju "red pepper" + chang "paste made from soybean and other ingredients" (borrowed from a Middle Chinese antecedent of Beijing Chinese jiàng "soybean paste")

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above