Onion Gochujang (고추장): The Irresistible All-Purpose Sauce
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This is an all-purpose sauce recipe made with onions and gochujang (고추장) that brings out sweetness and umami without added sugar. It's perfect for mixing with rice or serving with tofu and lettuce wraps.
📝 Editor's Notes
This all-purpose sauce, made with just onions and gochujang (고추장), can be whipped up in 10 minutes.
It's an irresistible "rice thief" sauce that boasts deep sweetness and umami without any added sugar.
Its perfectly sweet and spicy flavor is excellent when mixed with hot, freshly cooked rice, or served alongside plain tofu or fresh lettuce wraps, making a complete meal without any other side dishes.
It's especially delicious when made from spring to fall when onions are in season.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
Onions, the star of this recipe, are the key ingredient for determining the sauce's sweetness.
Choose onions that are firm, have tight, glossy skins, and feel heavy in your hand; these are typically fresh and high in sugar content.
For gochujang (고추장), you can use a product that suits your family's taste, but it's best to choose one that is moderately spicy and savory rather than overly spicy or sweet.
For seasoned soy sauce, store-bought varieties are fine, but using homemade seasoned soy sauce can yield an even deeper flavor.
🔄 Substitution Guide
Instead of gochujang (고추장), you can use doenjang (된장) to create a savory and mild sauce.
However, doenjang (된장) can be saltier than gochujang (고추장), so it's best to adjust the amount of seasoned soy sauce or add a little more water.
If you don't have minced garlic or don't prefer its aroma, you can omit it or add a small amount of minced ginger for a different flavor.
If seasoned soy sauce isn't available, you can use regular soy sauce mixed with a bit of plum extract or oligosaccharide, but note that the unique umami of seasoned soy sauce might be slightly reduced.
For an even nuttier and more aromatic flavor, substitute sesame oil with perilla oil.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most crucial cooking point for this sauce is the process of stir-frying the onions.
Make sure to preheat the pan, add cooking oil, and quickly stir-fry the onions over high heat for about 3 minutes.
This maximizes the sweetness and umami of the onions, resulting in a clean flavor without any greasiness.
The second point is when simmering the sauce.
After adding all the ingredients and it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring with a spatula to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
Simmer for about 7 minutes until the sauce slowly comes back together after you draw a line through it with a spatula – this is the perfect consistency.
Finally, add the sesame oil *after* turning off the heat to prevent its nutty aroma from dissipating, ensuring a richer flavor.
Keep these three points in mind, and you'll be able to make a delicious sauce without fail.
👨🍳 Directions
Peel and wash 2 onions. Finely dice them into approximately 0.5 cm (about 1/4 inch) cubes.
Preheat a wok or pan over high heat, then add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Add all the diced onions and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
To the stir-fried onions, add 500g gochujang (고추장), 2 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp seasoned soy sauce, and 200ml water. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium. Continue stirring with a spatula to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and simmer for about 7 minutes, or until it reaches the desired consistency.
Turn off the heat, then add 2 tbsp of sesame oil and mix lightly.
Transfer the finished onion gochujang (고추장) sauce into a clean glass jar and store it in the refrigerator.
💡 Tips
If your eyes sting while dicing onions, place them in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes before cooking, or use a sharp knife to minimize the dispersion of pungent compounds.
It's crucial to stir-fry the onions over high heat in a preheated pan. This fully develops their sweetness and umami, and prevents the sauce from becoming greasy.
Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom, adjusting the consistency. The ideal consistency is when the sauce slowly comes back together after you draw a line through it with a spatula.
Add sesame oil after turning off the heat to preserve its nutty aroma. If you're cooking for one or find the quantity too much, you can halve all ingredients, using 250g gochujang (고추장) and 1 onion as a base.
📦 Storage & Reuse
Ensure the finished onion gochujang (고추장) sauce is completely cooled before transferring it to a clean glass jar or airtight container and refrigerating.
It can be stored fresh in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
If you wish to store it longer, it's a good idea to portion it out and freeze it.
When frozen, it can last for about 1 month.
To thaw, simply move it to the refrigerator or gently microwave it.
Any leftover sauce is also delicious when used as a seasoning for fried rice or stews.
🥢 Who This Is For
This onion gochujang (고추장) sauce is especially recommended for busy professionals or those living alone.
When there are no side dishes available, simply mixing it with rice makes for a satisfying and delicious meal.
It also makes an excellent dish to bring along with ssam (쌈) vegetables for camping or outdoor activities.
Enjoy it as bibimbap (비빔밥) with a fried egg on top, or serve it with boiled tofu or steamed cabbage wraps for a healthy and tasty meal.
🔥 Nutrition Info
Based on the entire recipe yield, this onion gochujang (고추장) sauce is estimated to contain approximately 1,500 calories.
Since gochujang (고추장) and onions are the main ingredients, it is high in carbohydrates and provides sufficient energy from the natural sweetness of onions without added sugar.
Gochujang (고추장) contains capsaicin, which boosts metabolism, while onions are rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber, aiding in immune system strengthening and digestion.
Sesame oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, contributing to healthy fat intake.
This recipe yields a quantity that can be enjoyed over several servings, so please be mindful of your portion size per meal.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. What ingredients do I need for Onion Gochujang (고추장): The Irresistible All-Purpose Sauce?
- Main ingredients include gochujang (고추장), Onion, Cooking oil, Minced garlic, Seasoned soy sauce. Onions, the star of this recipe, are the key ingredient for determining the sauce's sweetness. Choose onions that are firm, have tight, glossy skins, and feel heavy in your hand; these are typically fresh and high in sugar content. For gochujang (고추장), you can use a product that suits your family's taste, but it's best to choose one that is moderately spicy and savory rather than overly spicy or sweet. For seasoned soy sauce, store-bought varieties are fine, but using homemade seasoned soy sauce can yield an even deeper flavor.
- Q. What are the key tips for making Onion Gochujang (고추장): The Irresistible All-Purpose Sauce?
- The most crucial cooking point for this sauce is the process of stir-frying the onions. Make sure to preheat the pan, add cooking oil, and quickly stir-fry the onions over high heat for about 3 minutes. This maximizes the sweetness and umami of the onions, resulting in a clean flavor without any greasiness. The second point is when simmering the sauce. After adding all the ingredients and it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring with a spatula to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Simmer for about 7 minutes until the sauce slowly comes back together after you draw a line through it with a spatula – this is the perfect consistency. Finally, add the sesame oil *after* turning off the heat to prevent its nutty aroma from dissipating, ensuring a richer flavor. Keep these three points in mind, and you'll be able to make a delicious sauce without fail.
- Q. How should I store leftover Onion Gochujang (고추장): The Irresistible All-Purpose Sauce?
- Ensure the finished onion gochujang (고추장) sauce is completely cooled before transferring it to a clean glass jar or airtight container and refrigerating. It can be stored fresh in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. If you wish to store it longer, it's a good idea to portion it out and freeze it. When frozen, it can last for about 1 month. To thaw, simply move it to the refrigerator or gently microwave it. Any leftover sauce is also delicious when used as a seasoning for fried rice or stews.
- Q. How many calories are in Onion Gochujang (고추장): The Irresistible All-Purpose Sauce?
- Based on the entire recipe yield, this onion gochujang (고추장) sauce is estimated to contain approximately 1,500 calories. Since gochujang (고추장) and onions are the main ingredients, it is high in carbohydrates and provides sufficient energy from the natural sweetness of onions without added sugar. Gochujang (고추장) contains capsaicin, which boosts metabolism, while onions are rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber, aiding in immune system strengthening and digestion. Sesame oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, contributing to healthy fat intake. This recipe yields a quantity that can be enjoyed over several servings, so please be mindful of your portion size per meal.
- Q. Can I substitute ingredients in Onion Gochujang (고추장): The Irresistible All-Purpose Sauce?
- Instead of gochujang (고추장), you can use doenjang (된장) to create a savory and mild sauce. However, doenjang (된장) can be saltier than gochujang (고추장), so it's best to adjust the amount of seasoned soy sauce or add a little more water. If you don't have minced garlic or don't prefer its aroma, you can omit it or add a small amount of minced ginger for a different flavor. If seasoned soy sauce isn't available, you can use regular soy sauce mixed with a bit of plum extract or oligosaccharide, but note that the unique umami of seasoned soy sauce might be slightly reduced. For an even nuttier and more aromatic flavor, substitute sesame oil with perilla oil.
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