Upgrade your butter game with this creamy, irresistible gochujang butter recipe! This easy, made in 5-minutes savory spread packs a punch of Korean flavor- perfect for slathering on everything from bagels and crusty bread to roasted veg and meat.
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Why Make This
- It's delicious: the tangy, spicy and umamilicious flavor of gochujang goes really well with the creaminess of the butter!
- Quick and easy: like miso butter, it's made in 5 minutes with no special equipment needed, you just need to stir everything together!
- Can be used in many things: from breakfast sandwiches to slathering on roast chicken or as a finishing sauce for Kimchi Scrambled Eggs!
Note: if you have kimchi on hand, you can also make a kimchi spread!
What is Gochujang?
It is a spicy fermented Korean paste with tons of umami and a depth of flavor. Some people find it nutty, but I find it to be thick, a little spicy and little sweet. You find it many Korean main dishes and banchan, but it's almost always mixed with other ingredients such as soy sauce, and not eaten alone.
It's so popular these days, you don't have to head to the Asian markets for it- you can find it in the international aisle of most major supermarkets! (Make sure you get the one in the tub and not the squeeze tube- the latter is usually mixed with other ingredients.)
Note: If you think it's weird to mix gochujang with butter, this spicy red Korean sauce actually goes really well with dairy- you have to try Gochujang Carbonara and Gochujang Mayo Aioli!
Ingredients
You will need:
- gochujang paste: although gochujang has substitutes, since it's the star of the recipe, I would recommend trying to use the real thing! If you can't get it, here's an easy hack to make your own gochujang paste without waiting weeks for fermentation!
- salted butter: let it soften at room temperature as we're mixing by hand! You want it softer but not melted till it's greasy and oily. If you only have unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the recipe.
- white rice vinegar: many recipes call for fresh lemon juice but personally I find it doesn't lift the gochujang flavor as well. If you need an alternative, use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- white sugar: can be replaced by honey or maple syrup but do not omit the vinegar and sugar as they make the butter more complex.
- spring onions or its substitutes, optional
Note: personally I find the salt level perfect, but do taste and add a pinch of salt, fish sauce or light soy sauce if you find it needs it.
Variations
- If you like garlic, add some roasted garlic, minced garlic or garlic powder. (If you plan to make extra of this compound butter, I'd go with garlic powder instead of using minced garlic.)
- Some people like to make gochujang butter sauce with browned butter (takes 5-10 minutes) or even peanut butter.
- If you want it extra spicy, you can add some dried chilli flakes or gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes). However, do taste the gochujang butter before adding any, as gochujang can be quite hot for those not used to spice (even when mellowed out by the dairy.)
- Mix in sesame oil and lightly toasted sesame seeds (white or black work) for more flavor and crunch. (You will need to refrigerate this for 1 hour before use as the sesame oil will make it less solid.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and gochujang paste.
2. Stir in the vinegar. The sauce will be a bit watery now.
3. Mix in the sugar, to taste.
Optional: add some spring onions- the fresh flavor will elevate the sauce!
Roll into a log then refrigerate till firm (about 1 hour.) Slice off a pat to use as and when you like!
Note: The ratio is 3 gochujang/ 12 butter/ 1- 1.5 vinegar/ 1 sugar. This is a very forgiving recipe, so you can play with the ratio of ingredients.
If you are not confident with spices, I would suggest starting with less gochujang and slowly increasing the quantity added!
How to Use
This creamy and spicy sauce is particularly delicious:
- Substitute it for the butter in Gochujang Noodles
- served with bread
- adds a touch of spice to grilled steak
- Spooned over fish or shrimp (you can poach them, pan fry them or - my favourite- coat them in a cornflour paste then fry till the prawns are crispy)
- Melted and use it as a dipping sauce for roasted Brussel sprouts or chicken tenders
How to Store
Gochujang butter keeps for 1 week in the fridge, tightly rolled in parchment paper or cling film (or in an airtight butter container.)
Alternatively, you can freeze it for several months.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: The date on gochujang is a Best Before and not a hard Expiry date, but it can still go bad and make you sick! The top layer sometimes darkens due to oxidation- however, when the entire box has turned black and emits liquid, I'd say toss it to be on the safe side.
Tip #2: You can use this gochujang butter as a base sauce for stir-fried noodles, fried rice, stews and pasta- simply add some soju, sesame oil, fish sauce and maybe kimchi to give it more oomph!
Tip #3: If making a big batch, you may want to use a food processor or hand mixer to combine (instead of doing it by hand.) Next, roll into log and chill in fridge till solid (takes about 1 hour.)
Other Korean Recipes
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Gochujang Butter Sauce (5 min)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon gochujang sauce Use less if you're afraid of spice. Add more or add gochugaru red pepper flakes if you want it hotter! (The recipe is very forgiving.)
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter If using unsalted, add a pinch of salt or light soy sauce to the recipe
- 1-1½ teaspoons rice vinegar I prefer 1.5 teaspoons as I like it tangy. Don't use lemon juice as a substitute- go for apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead.
- 1 teaspoon white sugar Substitute: honey or maple syrup
- Spring onions optional
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients till well-mixed.Tip: if you find it needs more salt (I don't), add a pinch of salt or light soy sauce.
- Optional: add some spring onions- the fresh flavor will elevate the sauce!
- Use now or roll into a log then refrigerate till firm (about 1 hour.) Slice off a pat to use as and when you like!
Notes
- If you like garlic, add some roasted garlic, minced garlic or garlic powder. (If you plan to make extra of this compound butter, I'd go with garlic powder instead of using minced garlic.)
- Some people like to make gochujang butter sauce with browned butter (takes 5-10 minutes) or even peanut butter.
- If you want it extra spicy, you can add some dried chilli flakes or gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes). However, do taste the gochujang butter before adding any, as gochujang can be quite hot for those not used to spice (even when mellowed out by the dairy.)
- Mix in sesame oil and lightly toasted sesame seeds for more flavor and crunch. (You will need to refrigerate this for 1 hour before use as the sesame oil will make it less solid.)
Alternatively, you can freeze it for several months. Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker. I am not responsible for its veracity.
Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
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