Dishes
Sauces & Seasonings 소스·양념
8 Korean sauces and seasonings explained — what's in each one, how spicy it is, and how to order it.
Korean cooking rests on fermented pastes and sauces: gochujang (chili paste), doenjang (soybean paste) and ganjang (soy sauce), plus gochugaru chili flakes and sesame oil. At the table you meet them as dips — ssamjang for BBQ wraps, vinegar chili sauce for raw fish, salted sesame oil for grilled meat.
Good to know
Gochujang is sweet and spicy; doenjang is salty and earthy; ssamjang mixes the two with garlic and sesame. The pastes and sauces here are usually vegan, but jeotgal (fermented seafood) is not, and gochujang and soy sauce are often made with wheat — check the label if you avoid gluten.
Questions about Korean sauces
What is the difference between gochujang, doenjang and ssamjang?
Gochujang is a sweet, spicy fermented chili paste. Doenjang is a salty fermented soybean paste. Ssamjang is a dip made by mixing the two with garlic and sesame, used for lettuce wraps.
Is gochujang gluten-free?
Not always. Many gochujang brands use wheat or barley as well as rice, so check the ingredient list if you need to avoid gluten.
Which Korean sauces are not spicy?
Not spicy: Doenjang, Ganjang, Sesame Oil, Jeotgal.