This Sweet & Spicy Korean Sauce is the perfect balance of flavours making it incredibly addictive. The spicy gochujang and sweet honey work perfectly together in this irresistible sauce.
A simple & delicious Korean inspired sauce
I have been making this sweet & spicy Korean sauce for years and it is still one of my favourites. Although it features Korean ingredients, I do not claim that it is authentic but more inspired by Korean flavours.
This sauce is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy and could not be easier to make. It is as simple as adding all of the ingredients to a pan and letting them bubble together for a few minutes before serving.
what is gochujang?
Gochujang is a fermented sweet and spicy red chilli paste made from chilli powder, glutinous/sticky rice, fermented soy beans and salt. It has a very thick, sticky texture with a vibrant red colour.
As it is quite spicy, I always recommend using sparingly until you know how spicy you like things. This sauce is mild to medium but you can definitely adjust to your tastes.
Once you have made these, you will also want to try my Korean Beef Bibimbap and Spicy Korean Pork Stew.
where to buy the sauce ingredients
Gochujang is becoming more widely available. It used to only be available in Asian supermarkets but I have now seen it in the world food aisle of large supermarkets.
If you cannot find it where you live, you can always buy it online at places like Amazon. I still prefer to buy it from an Asian supermarket but it is great that there are alternatives if you don’t have one local to you.
MSG is an ingredient that you would need to buy from an Asian supermarket or online. It is a fantastic flavour enhancer that I really do think makes a difference.
However if you can’t find it, or would prefer not to add it, you can leave it out.
The rest of the ingredients are very easily found in any supermarket.
How spicy is this Gochujang honey sauce?
I have intentionally kept this sauce more on the mild side than Korean sauces can sometimes be. Having said that, I would class this as a mild to medium sauce.
However this sauce is very easy to adjust to your spice tolerance. The only ingredient adding spice is the gochujang so you can add less if you are serving this to children or people more sensitive to heat.
You can also add more gochujang and even some gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) if you want to make it spicier. I would recommend to add more in small amounts so you don’t make it too spicy.
How to make this korean sauce vegan or gluten free
Unfortunately most gochujang has wheat or barley added in the manufacturing process so it isn’t gluten free. If you are lucky enough to find a gluten free version, the only other ingredient you would need to swap is soy sauce to tamari.
If you can’t find a gluten free gochujang, you could use sriracha. Although sriracha isn’t a Korean ingredient, it is the most suitable alternative that will provide a similar taste.
To make this sweet & spicy Korean sauce vegan you will need to swap the honey. Maple syrup, agave syrup or brown sugar should all be good alternatives.
How long will this sauce keep for?
I tend to make this sauce and use all of it the same day as it is so quick and easy.
However if you have leftover sauce or you want to make a larger amount, it will keep in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for at least a week.
How to serve this sweet & spicy Korean sauce
There are so many ways you can serve this delicious gochujang honey sauce. Using it to make Dakgangjeong (Korean fried chicken in a sweet & spicy sauce) is probably the most obvious use for this sauce.
The simplest way to serve it is to drizzle it over any grilled meat or fish. I absolutely love to use it to make my air fryer korean wings.
As well as wings, you could toss crispy tofu or vegetables like cauliflower and aubergine in this delicious sauce.
This sauce is very similar to what I use in my Korean beef bibimbap, Korean pork lettuce cups and sticky Korean cocktail sausages so you could easily make a larger amount and use it in these recipes too.
You could also drizzle it over my gochujang chicken rice bowl instead of the lighter gochujang and honey dressing.
I have also used it to add more flavour to instant noodles for a quick and easy lunch. The possibilities really are endless!
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Sweet & Spicy Korean Sauce
This Sweet & Spicy Korean Sauce is the perfect balance of flavours making it incredibly addictive. The spicy gochujang and sweet honey work perfectly together in this irresistible sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 50 g ketchup
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp garlic puree
- 2 tbsp water
- pinch MSG optional
- ½ tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
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Add 1 tbsp gochujang, 50g ketchup, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 3 tbsp runny honey,1 tbsp garlic puree, 2 tbsp water and pinch MSG (if using) to a small pan
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Put the pan on a medium heat and stir to combine the ingredients
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Leave to slowly bubble for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Be careful it will be very hot
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Add ½ tbsp sesame seeds and stir through before serving
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is given as a guide only and may vary.
Lesley says
I made this sauce and brushed it over some chicken thighs – wow a real flavour bomb. Next up I’m trying it with chicken wings.
Janice says
I made your Air fryer Korean Chicken wings with this sauce and they were epic!
Chloe says
Love Korean inspired sauces, i added this to some pork bao buns, really good!
Sisley says
I had this sort of sauce at a restaurant recently and have been desperate to make it at home. This was delicious!