Homemade Sesame Gochujang Sauce (For Buffalo Chicken Wraps)

Oh man, this sauce is all kinds of awesome! It’s got that spicy, sweet, smoky, tangy, and pungent kick to it. I keep adding more and more until my taste buds are dancing with delight, knowing that the flavor is unmatched and won’t leave me with that unbearable burning sensation like some other hot sauces do. But it’s totally worth it ’cause it tastes so epic on anything. Consider this recipe more like flexible guidelines—it always turns out perfect. Made with gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil, it’s just perfect for glazing meats and veggies. You can find gochujang paste in hot or mild versions and use it in marinades, sauces, soups, salads, fried rice, you name it! It gives every dish this crazy sweet and spicy kick.

Here are some tweaks you can make:

• Instead of regular sugar, feel free to swap in honey, agave, or brown sugar.
• Add 1-3 tablespoons of strawberry jam. If you’re out of strawberry jam, apricot or peach jam works great too. Personally, my husband’s all about that peach jam, so we go for 3 tablespoons of it.
• Some folks like to throw in a bit of ketchup when adding to fried chicken, but I’m more of a purist. But hey, if you’re into it, just toss in a tablespoon along with the other ingredients.
• And for an extra kick, add a tablespoon of unseasoned rice wine vinegar. It’s perfect for adding an extra zing to dishes like Gochujang Buffalo Chicken Wraps!

Where to find gochujang paste:

You can grab gochujang paste at most Asian markets or any Korean grocery store—it’s usually shelved alongside sauces and condiments. And if you’re lucky, your regular grocery store might have it in the Asian food section since it’s gaining popularity. If all else fails, you can always find it online.

This delicious gochujang sauce recipe is sourced from Cynthia McTernan’s book ‘A Common Table‘ with additional inspiration from Jamie at Drive Me Hungry. Thank you, Cynthia and Jamie for sharing your delightful recipes!

Robin Ward

Homemade Sesame Gochujang Sauce

This epic sauce, bursting with spicy, sweet, smoky, tangy, and pungent flavors, elevates any dish with its perfect blend of gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil—ideal for glazing meats and veggies, and versatile enough for marinades, sauces, soups, salads, fried rice, and more!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course: #condiment, dipping sauce, sauce

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup gochujang paste
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
• 2 Tbsp sugar (or honey)
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (*See note below if yours aren't toasted.)
• 1 tsp garlic, minced finely chopped (1 clove, optional)
• 1 to 2 tsp water, or as needed for thinning (optional)

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, whisk the gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, and garlic (if using) until smooth. Add water as needed to thin the sauce to your desired consistency. The sauce will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Notes

• For storage, keep the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge where it will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
• When reheating, note that the sauce tends to thicken when cooled. To warm it up, microwave it covered for 20-second intervals, stirring in between until it’s heated through. Alternatively, gently heat it in a saucepan over low heat. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can thin it out with a little water.

How to quickly toast a small batch of sesame seeds:

• Heat a small skillet over medium heat.
• Add sesame seeds and let rest for 30 seconds.
• Stir occasionally until toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Mine started to pop.
• Remove from heat and cool before using.

 

 

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