Sweet & spicy gochujang noodles are a delicious lunch or dinner. Made with only 5 ingredients. Gluten free + Vegan recipe. Have dinner done in 20 minutes!

These gochujang noodles are a delicious bowl of spice! Use this sauce on noodles, on rice, on proteins, the options go on and on.

Gochujang is a sweet, spicy, and savory Korean sauce that is a main ingredient in many staple korean dishes. It tastes so good, you’ll be wanting these at least once a week!

Free from: wheat (optional), gluten (optional), dairy, casein, eggs, soy (optional), peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, corn, sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, and more

up close view of a blue bowl filled with gochujang noodles and broccoli with a garnish of sliced green onions. another bowl is peaking in from the corner.

Note: This is not an authentic Korean recipe, but rather, an allergy adaptive recipe with Korean ingredients for an inspired dish. For more authentic Korean cuisine, I recommend you check out the Korean Vegan.

Why You’ll Love These Gochujang Noodles

Spicy or Sweet – you decide! This recipe lets you add more heat or less depending on how spicy you like your food. For this recipe, I split the difference and made these noodles at a medium heat level. If you love spicy food, you will love this recipe!

Single serving. This is what I make for lunch at least once a week! However, you can easily double or triple this recipe to make enough as a side dish for weeknight dinners or as an entree with some protein like chicken or tofu!

What is Gochujang

Gochujang is a fermented Korean chili paste that is a wonderful combination of sweet, spicy, and a deep savoriness. The sauce is rich with complex flavors that really enhance the dish. It is bright red in color and is used in many sauces, dips, marinades, and more in traditional Korean cooking.

Traditionally, Korean gochujang sauce is made from red pepper flakes, sticky rice (also known as glutinous rice but don’t worry it isn’t gluten), fermented soybean paste, and salt.

The brand that I prefer to use in my recipes is made from rice, red pepper flakes, cane sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, and salt. That makes it a super allergy friendly spicy dipping sauce!

Where can I buy gochujang?

Surprisingly, I bought my gochujang at my local grocery store! My favorite brand is Chung Jung One as it is both gluten free and vegan.

If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, your local Korean markets or Korean grocery stores should carry it. And as always, you can find it on Amazon.

Ingredients

You only need 5 ingredients to make this delicious bowl of noodles!

Gochujang sauce – The star of the show! There really is no substitute for gochujang sauce.

Soy Sauce – A splash of soy sauce brings a salty richness to the sauce. See below for a soy free alternative!

Maple Syrup – Bringing the sweet and helping the sauce viscosity, the maple syrup can be used to tone down the gochujang if you want these noodles to be less spicy. You can also swap maple syrup for agave syrup if you prefer.

You’ll also need: Noodles, garlic powder, and some leftover veggies or green onions for garnish if you want.

Allergy Variations

If avoiding soy, make sure that you use a soy free soy sauce. Coconut aminos work great in this recipe!

If avoiding wheat, first make sure that your gochujang is gluten free, as well as your soy sauce is gluten free. Tamari or coconut aminos would be delicious. Also, use a rice or buckwheat noodle in the recipe in place of the wheat noodles.

Instructions

For the full instructions, complete with recipe measurements, please see the recipe card below.

In a medium sized pot on the stove, cook and drain your noodles according to package directions.

While the noodles are cooking, mix together the sauce!

glass bowl filled with finished mixed gochujang sauce on a wood table

In a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, and maple syrup. Add the pinch of garlic powder. Use a fork to quickly whisk it together until it is fully combined. Set this aside until the noodles are done.

Tip! You can adjust this recipe to the spice level of your choice. For a spicier dish, add up to half a tablespoon more of gochujang and a tablespoon less of maple syrup. To make the noodles less spicy, add only half a tablespoon of gochujang and a little more maple syrup.

After the noodles have cooked, drain the noodles and add them back into the hot pot. Pour the sauce on top, making sure to get every last drop out of the bowl.

Mix the sauce and noodles together and you are done!

Add your vegetables, top with sliced green onions or sesame seeds, or just enjoy them straight up.

two blue bowls filled half with gochujang noodles and half with broccoli. green onions are sprinkles around and a pair of wood chopsticks can be seen

Optional Toppings

Here are some ideas of ways to spice things up with your toppings and make this dish new every time!

Add a drizzle of toasted sesame oil after making and right before serving
Mix up the veggies that you use in this dish! I love it with simple steamed broccoli but other veggies like carrots, spinach, or zucchini would also be good.

Other Gochujang Sauce Ideas

This sauce is great on noodles (obviously) but you can also use this on so many other things! Here are some ideas to get you cooking:

Use this sauce as a marinade for different proteins like tofu or chicken and of course when making Korean BBQ
This sauce can be used as a dipping sauce, salad dressings, and on anything from egg rolls to kimbap
Add it to cooked rice dishes like a Korean rice bowl.
Drizzle this on top of things like avocado toast, burgers, or sandwiches to add a unique umami flavor!

FAQ

Is gochujang gluten free?

It depends. There are many types of gochujang available that is gluten free. My favorite is this brand here! Just make sure that you read any ingredient labels before enjoying if you are avoiding wheat/gluten.

Is gochujang vegan?

In general, yes! There are many types of gochujang that are vegan and my favorite is this brand here! Just make sure that you ready any ingredient labels before enjoying.

two blue bowls seen from the side filled overflowing with gochujang noodles and broccoli. a cup and chopsticks are also seen.

How to store

This recipe is for a single serving of noodles, so ideally you won’t have any leftovers. However, you can easily double or triple this recipe and have premade noodles for meal prepping, or as leftovers from serving them for dinner.

Fridge: Keep any noodles and sauce mixed together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Other recipes to love

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