Can't Find Gochujang? Here's A Suitable Replacement For That Spicy Taste

Gochujang can be found inside of any Korean or Asian food store, where it's usually sold on the shelf in lidded containers. Sometimes, however, you'll find it in the refrigerator with its fellow fermented (not pickled) foods. Usually, if you see kimchi, miso paste, or tempeh, gochujang won't be far away. But if for whatever reason you can't find it, there is a suitable replacement you can use. For that familiar combination of funky umami flavor and heat, look no further than a bit of miso paste, sugar, and your choice of hot sauce.

Gochujang is traditionally made by fermenting a mixture of glutinous rice, soybean powder, gochugaru, and salt — and miso paste (also made from fermented soybeans) essentially fulfills the role as the base of your makeshift gochujang. However, to achieve that signature element of sweet heat gochujang provides, it has to be combined with the right ingredients. To get this, you'll want to opt for the right type of miso paste, with white miso being the sweetest and most mild. Miso is also significantly saltier than gochujang, so you'll still need to add a bit of sugar to your recipe and, of course, some element of heat. Sriracha is a great choice, however you can also opt for a chili powder.

Stirred together by hand, your makeshift gochujang will be ready to use immediately. However, just like the real stuff, it will only taste better with time. You'll find that the longer it sits, the more nuanced its flavors will become — but just know it will go bad eventually.

Truth be told, the ways in which people cook with gochujang are about as complex as the paste's taste — and the same goes for your makeshift version. The first thing you really need to understand, however, is that gochujang alone is not a sauce. It's only an ingredient, but a key ingredient nonetheless. Used as the base in popular Korean dishes like sundubu jjigae (Korean tofu stew), kimchi, and bibimbap, gochujang is an indispensable condiment in Korean cooking thanks to its depth and complexity.  

Fortunately, given to the fermented nature of the miso paste used as the base in your makeshift recipe, your replacement can be used in everything from soups to stews. It can even be diluted with a splash of rice vinegar or soy sauce and combined with garlic and ginger to be used as a dipping sauce or marinade. But while a combination of miso paste and sriracha or chili powder is likely the most straightforward alternative, you could also experiment with using similar yet different ingredients to evoke some more unique or less traditional flavors.

As mentioned before, you can use your go-to hot sauce to make the makeshift gochujang — with sriracha being recommended for its complimentary combination of sweet and garlicky flavors. However, you could also reach for chili garlic sauce or harissa paste for something slightly different. Other ingredients, like Korean ssamjang and doenjang, would also work well in place of the miso paste in your gochujang alternative. Feel free to experiment till you find a substitute that works for you.