If you love sauces, particularly ones with a kick of sweet and spice you’re going to love Korean Gochujang sauce. It’s a savory, sweet and spicy sauce that is a staple in Korean cuisine and a popular table top condiment.
Korean Gochujang Burgers
Gochujang sauce is a rich red chili sauce condiment that can be used on anything and everything: vegetables, seafood, chicken, pork, beef and probably even ice cream. If not on ice cream now, it will probably show up at a food festival or fair near you. Gochujang sauce is usually in paste or sauce form and found in every Korean market. There’s so many options, it can be intimidating when a whole aisle in the Korean market is filled to the brim with Gochujang sauce. Yup, it’s that vital to Korean cuisine and down in our Southern California Korean supermarkets, there’s never ever a shortage of different brands and variations. There’s so many to choose from, it can be dizzying and dreamy all at once.
Flavorful Sauce
We were at a food festival and free bottles of Gochujang sauce were being passed around like free shots of Bourbon. Everyone was grabbing what they can and obviously, there was quite an obsession to this sauce. Two of the companies that were handing it out were calling it “Spicy Sweet Korean Ketchup”, which is aptly named because it’s pretty much spot on. These two bottles were developed and packaged more for the Western palate because it’s “squeezable” and it was in 8 oz bottles, which is significantly smaller than most gochujang tubs found at Korean Markets. Either way, we were addicted to the sweet and spicy flavors on fries, vegetables and of course, burgers!
Bibigo Gochujang Sauce: this is a sauce we use and enjoy. It’s darker and thicker than most gochujang sauces and is similar to bbq sauce in flavor & texture. So we see it as more of a Korean bbq sauce than the typical Korean “ketchup”.
Chung Jung One Gochujang Sauce: this is brighter red in color and brighter in flavor. The red chili flavors come through just enough without being too spicy. Equally delicious, just different from the Bibigo.
Kim Chi Topping
The sauce is marinading inside this Korean Gochujang burger before grilling and then drizzled on-top again after grilling is outstanding. The flavors are screaming out of each bite and it’s no wonder these Korean flavors are so popular in grilling. Topped with some extra Korean kimchi pickles for the extra flavor and now this burger has become a grilling favorite. Sure, you don’t have to kimchi on the burger. You can always add your own favorite slaw or crisp lettuce and tomato. With the gochujang sauce on top, you won’t really need any other ketchup or mustard. Trust us, the flavors from the sauce on top is enough to make you crave another round of Korean burgers the following weekend. It’s a great way to serve up burgers that’s different and flavorful, especially if you’re friend are daring enough to enjoy the heat and the pungent kimchi.
In medium bowl, mix ground beef, garlic, gochujang sauce and black pepper. Divide into 3-4 portions and shape burger patty.
Heat grill over medium-high heat (if you have that option) and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until cooked.
Assemble the burgers: lay bottom bun, lettuce, patty, extra gochujang sauce, kim chi and green onions on top. If you want, add any of your favorite burger toppings.Place the top bun on the burger and enjoy!
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Great recipe! I used Gochujang paste. Burgers tasted terrific. My son had a request. His burger had peanut butter on the bun instead of mayo and he LOVED it.
Hope I could find this Gochujang sauce at the supermarket to make this burger. Luckily I have kimchi in the fridge. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Gonna try it soon.
This Gochujang sauce gave this burger such an amazing kick. I also really loved the kimchi you added.
Great recipe! I used Gochujang paste. Burgers tasted terrific. My son had a request. His burger had peanut butter on the bun instead of mayo and he LOVED it.
These are delicious!
Thanks so much! We love the flavors so much too.
Hope I could find this Gochujang sauce at the supermarket to make this burger. Luckily I have kimchi in the fridge. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Gonna try it soon.
Amazing recipe, It looks like easy and delicious. Thanks for Sharing.