5 Best Gluten-Free Gochujang
If you like Korean food, you are most likely familiar with gochujang. This delicious chili paste can add the perfect sauce with a really great kick to it for a lot of different foods.
You can use it in a lot of different ways. The paste is known for being a little bit sweet and a lot of spicy thanks to the red chili peppers in the mix.
This paste can be made in a lot of different ways. Unfortunately, a lot of the options out there have quite a bit of gluten in them. The gluten comes from the use of rice in the paste.
Of course, if you have any kind of intolerance to gluten, this can be a problem. They do make gluten-free choices though.
What is the best gluten-free gochujang? The best gluten-free gochujang is made with premium chilis and is unpasteurized. The traditional fermentation process brings out the best and most complex spicy flavors.
In this guide, we share with you the 5 best gluten-free gochujang options. We’ve searched and sorted to try to find legitimate options that will provide you with really great flavor. We hope you can find something here that will work for your needs!
Stick with us to learn about the best gluten-free gochujang and more.
How To Choose Gochujang
In this guide, we’re specifically looking for gluten-free gochujang. Before we look at those options, we want to check out what it is that makes them good and some things you might want to look at as you go.
Is Gochujang Gluten-Free?
You can find gluten-free options for this delicious red chili paste. However, you have to be careful. You need to carefully check out the ingredients to be sure it is gluten-free and that they didn’t add something else that you might not want to eat.
Most of the time, gochujang is not actually gluten-free. At least not the traditional versions. Most of them are made with rice and some of them have things like wheat or barley as well. These ingredients will negate the gluten-free status.
How To Find Tasty Gochujang
When you look at your options for gochujang, you want something that is going to taste good. The gluten-free options will have minor modifications in order to make them gluten-free but they should still be able to taste great.
The only way to find out if they really taste great is to try them. You can certainly check out user reviews and see what other people are saying. This will usually at least give you some indication as to whether or not it’s got good flavor.
This paste should pretty much always have good flavor but you might be surprised by some of the options out there that just seem bland.
5 Best Gluten-Free Gochujang Available
In most cases, if gochujang is gluten-free, the label will tell you.
You also want to still check out the ingredients list and determine whether there are other ingredients in there that might concern you. If all looks okay, go ahead and give it a try to see if you like it!
We’ve searched through the gluten-free options and narrowed it down for you. We’ve got a few really good choices to consider. Below, you will find our top picks for the 5 best gluten-free gochujang available.
| Rank | Gluten-Free Gochujang | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Q-Rapha Premium Korean Gochujang | Unpasteurized artisanal hot sauce |
| 2. | Chung Jung One Sunchang Hot Pepper Paste | Authentic chili paste |
| 3. | Mr. Bing Chili Crisp Chili Paste | Chili paste with red pepper flakes |
| 4. | Coconut Secret Gochujang Sauce | Gochujang with coconut aminos |
| 5. | Kisoondo Gochujang Traditional Recipe | All-natural, organic gochujang |
1. Q-Rapha Premium Korean Gochujang
This first option is most definitely a premium choice. It’s simple and it has really great flavor.
You can purchase it in a single jar or you can get larger jars if you need a lot more than this on hand.
This chili paste is absolutely gluten-free. It is also non-GMO. It’s classified as an unpasteurized artisanal hot sauce.
It is produced and packaged in the USA. This company uses traditional fermentation for their chili peppers and there are very few added ingredients, apart from what is needed to create the paste.
This paste is naturally aged and fermented. It was originally created by a Korean artisan using an old-fashioned recipe and approach to create a bold and rich flavor that rises above the challenge.
Natural aging gives you a lot of great spice.
Pros:
- Created with an old-fashioned approach
- Natural aging and fermentation
- Made primarily with chili peppers
- Really great flavor
- Rich, spicy taste
Cons:
- A little bit on the pricy side for the size of jar you get
2. Chung Jung One Sunchang Hot Pepper Paste
This paste is both spicy and savory. It’s not quite as hot as the last one but it’s truly made in Korea and it is absolutely gluten-free.
They are mindful about the ingredients that they use so not only is it gluten-free but it also does not contain corn syrup. It’s labeled as gluten-free as well as vegan-friendly.
This paste uses brown rice paired with fermented chili peppers and red pepper powder in order to create the paste. It is an authentic chili paste. They use clean water and create it in an environment that is suitable for making the fermentation process reliable.
If you look at the ingredients, you find that there are no worrisome additives. It contains basically just the common ingredients needed to bring you both a spicy and savory paste that you can depend on. It’s so good!
Pros:
- Made in Korea
- Authentically follows Korean traditional recipes
- Uses brown rice, red pepper powder, and chilies
- Not a ton of ingredients
- Good flavor
Cons:
- It is a bit salty
3. Mr. Bing Chili Crisp Chili Paste
This is a chili paste but it is made to be a replica of gochujang. It has a little bit more texture to it than some paste options but you’re going to get a similar flavor and can use it for all of the same things.
This chili paste is made to be milder in nature but still has just enough spice and some really great flavor.
This chili paste is both gluten-free and vegan-friendly. One other thing that stuck out to us is that it contains absolutely no MSG, which is always an added bonus!
The recipe was created based on Chinese and Korean cuisine. It has red pepper flakes in it that make it slightly different from your traditional gochujang.
This just comes in a small jar. Don’t be fooled. You only need a very small amount to enjoy the flavor. It’s packed with flavor without being super spicy. The product is actually physically made in the USA, in a plan in New York.
Pros:
- Gluten-free and contains no MSG
- Gives you an option that is milder
- Really great flavor combination
- Made in the USA
- Uses Chinese and Korean recipes
Cons:
- This is not authentic gochujang and has more of an oil texture than paste
4. Coconut Secret Gochujang Sauce
If you’re looking for a gluten-free option that also doesn’t contain soy, here is your perfect solution!
This one is a little bit more expensive but if you’re looking for this type of ingredients and awesome flavor, it’s totally worth it.
This is an organic creation. It contains absolutely no can-sugar. It’s gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, and vegan. It basically hits all of the high notes.
The secret ingredient is the brand’s own coconut aminos that is made with coconut sap and natural sea salt.
You’ve basically got a healthy paste that is still packed with great flavors!
Pros:
- Absolutely no gluten or soy
- Creative flavor that really stands out
- A healthier alternative
- Flavor is rich, smoky, and spicy all in one
Cons:
- This is a more expensive option than some out there
5. Kisoondo Gochujang Traditional Recipe
Next up is a traditional paste with plenty of spice. This comes to you in a plastic package with a screw-on lid so you don’t have any jars to worry about, creating less waste overall.
It is made in Korea, using an authentic Korean recipe.
This recipe is all-natural. It’s a really great-tasting paste. The company has been making pastes since 1972.
This paste is listed as being certified organic. It also has no gluten and no fat. Finally, no artificial flavors or worrisome ingredients are added to the mix.
The company actually organically grows their own peppers and harvests them by hand to then ferment and create this flavorful but simple paste. It’s pretty neat.
Pros:
- All-natural ingredients
- Organically made and harvested
- Really great flavor and spice combination
- Comes in a simple plastic package
Cons:
- While it doesn’t have additives and artificial flavors, it does have MSG
I’m not sure why you’re warning against rice in gochujang as it is not a gluten grain.
Rice does not contain gluten.
Listen Jaron, if that’s your real name.
Stop spreading misinformation with your blog. Rice has absolutely nothing to do with gluten.
Rice a in fact a staple for people with celiac disease (the autoimmune condition that makes gluten very dangerous to a person).
If you don’t understand what gluten is, please stop writing about it and stick to what you know.