Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

gochugaru 고춧가루

Flavor and role: Ground red chilies dried in the sun or with hot air; medium heat with sweetness and a vivid red colour. Coarse flakes are for kimchi and dressed dishes, fine powder for gochujang and seasoning pastes.
Typical dishes and uses: Kimchi, kimchi jjigae, yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), tteokbokki, all kinds of dressed dishes and seasoning sauces. In this book: kimchi jjigae and menemen (instead of pul biber).
Substitutes: 1 tbsp gochugaru = 2 tsp paprika + ½ tsp cayenne pepper (for colour and heat). Aleppo pepper (pul biber) is the closest.
Storage: Light and heat quickly dull the colour and aroma. Sealed and refrigerated or frozen, it keeps its bright colour and aroma for about 1 year.
Main countries: Korea
Used in this book: Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)Mapo Tofu Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)Menemen (Turkish Tomato Scrambled Eggs)Beef Empanadas Baechu Kimchi (Napa Cabbage Kimchi)Bossam (Korean Boiled Pork Wraps)Budae-jjigae (Korean Army Base Stew)Dakbokkeumtang (Korean Spicy Braised Chicken)Dakgalbi (Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken)Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)Gamjatang (Korean Pork Bone and Potato Stew)Haemul Pajeon (Korean Seafood Scallion Pancake)Jeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Korean Stir-Fried Pork)Jjamppong (Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)Kimchi Jeon (Korean Kimchi Pancake)Yangnyeom Chicken (Korean Fried Chicken)Mul-naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles in Icy Beef Broth)Sundubu Jjigae (Spicy Soft Tofu Stew)Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)Anchovy-Stock Pear Gimjang Kimchi Miso-Kombu Vegan Mak-Kimchi Gochujang Chimaek Beer-Can Chicken Dolsot Bibimbap with Crispy Rice and Beef Gochujang Market-Style Thick Bindaetteok in Pork Fat Koryo-saram Kimchi Borscht Spiced Bossam with Sweet-Spicy Radish Garlic-Soy Bossam Rice Bowl Korean Haemul-tang Bouillabaisse with Gochujang Rouille Budae Jeongol with Brisket Broth and Aged Chilli Paste Budae-jjigae Rosé Penne Budae Fried Rice Cheese Gratin Cast-Iron Sirloin Bulgogi with Scallion Salad Bulgogi Cream Cheese Doria Kimchi Carbonara Udon Gochujang Kimchi Chili Perilla Chimichurri Soy Steak Lettuce Wraps Kimchi Pork Belly Chow Mein (Korean x Chinese)Red Wine Jjimdak (Korean Braised Chicken)Gochujang chicken and mozzarella coxinha (Korean dakgalbi style)Hand-Cut Dak-kalguksu in Clear Chicken Broth Khao Soi-Style Coconut Curry Dak-kalguksu Seared Chicken Thigh Dakbokkeumtang with Homemade Chilli Oil Rosé Dakbokkeumtang (Gochujang Tomato Cream Chicken)Dakbokkeumtang Pot Pie Pear-Marinated Crispy-Skin Iron-Pan Dakgalbi Dakgalbi Cheese Quesadillas Dakgalbi Sweet Potato Cheese Gratin Beef Brisket Doenjang Jjigae with Rice-Water Stock Rich Perilla Gamjatang with Seasoned Napa Greens Mala Gamjatang (Sichuan-Spiced Pork Rib and Potato Stew)Gamjatang Potato Gratin with Perilla Cream Gochujang Goulash with Korean Rice Cakes Kimchi Jambalaya with a Jammy Fried Egg Crispy Japchae Rice Paper Dumplings Pear-Marinated Smoky Jeyuk Bokkeum Jeyuk Tacos with Lime Slaw Jeyuk Onigirazu (Korean Rice Sandwich)Crispy-Skirt Kimchi Pork Potstickers Smoky Seafood Jjamppong with Homemade Chili Oil Rosé Jjamppong with Bacon Fiery Jjamppong Seafood Fried Rice Yangnyeom Kelewele: Gochujang-Honey Glazed Plantain (Ghanaian x Korean)Crispy Aged-Kimchi Jeon with Pork Belly Aged-Kimchi Pork Belly Jjigae with Anchovy Broth Kimchi Jjigae Cheesy Crispy Fried Rice Kimchi gochujang bulgogi lahmacun Gochujang Rosé Lasagna Soup Bibim-naengmyeon Gimbap Gochujang Pork Nikujaga with Glass Noodles Cheesy Dakgalbi Oyakodon Gochujang Pork Potjie Gochujang Chicken Pozole (Korean-Mexican)Gochujang Pulled Pork Tacos with Kimchi Slaw Kimchi Bacon Quiche Jeju-Style Thick-Cut Pork Belly with Anchovy Dip Kimchi Gochujang Shakshuka Seafood Sundubu with Scallion Chili Oil Tom Yum Sundubu Jjigae Sundubu Cheese Rice Gratin Beef Brisket Tteokbokki with Chili Oil and Jammy Eggs Bacon Parmesan Rosé Tteokbokki Crispy Honey-Gochujang Rice Cake Bites with Cheddar Dip Gochujang Butter Yogurt Pasta

Updated 2026-10-10