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Korean dried chili

Gochugaru

Korean chili powder

Gochugaru (고춧가루) is dried chili used in Korean cooking. Check the grind specified in your recipe: kimchi products are often coarse, while fine powder gives sauces a smoother texture.

Gochugaru(Korean chili powder)

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Search term: gochugaru / Korean chili flakes. Compare the product type, package size and ingredients with the recipe.

Start with a local Korean, Japanese or other Asian grocery store, or an online shop that delivers to your country.

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Product details & shopping tips

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Alternative brand to the Shinseonmi package shown above. This is coarse gochugaru; check whether your recipe calls for coarse flakes or a finer powder.

Recipes using this ingredient

Full ingredient guide

Gochugaru (고춧가루) is dried red chili used in Korean cooking. It adds chili flavor, heat and red color to kimchi, seasoned vegetables, stews and sauces. Its heat level varies by product.

Choosing coarse flakes or fine powder

Check the grind called for in your recipe. Coarse gochugaru is commonly sold for kimchi, while fine powder gives a smoother texture in sauces. Read the product label rather than judging only by the package color or brand. Check the country of origin separately: a Korean-style product is not necessarily made from chilies grown in Korea.

Gochugaru is different from gochujang

Gochugaru is dried chili; gochujang is a fermented chili paste. They have different textures and flavors, and some recipes use both. Do not replace one with the other in equal amounts.

Buying and substituting

Look for gochugaru or Korean chili flakes at a local Asian supermarket or an online shop that delivers to your country. Compare the grind, ingredients, heat level and pack size. Generic chili powder may be a blend containing other spices. Other pure chilies can change the heat and flavor, so they are not exact replacements. The product options below distinguish different grinds and alternative brands.

Storage

Keep the package tightly closed and dry, and use a clean, dry spoon. Follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Choose a pack size you can use regularly.

Where to buy it

  • Korean or Asian grocery stores
  • Food retailers delivering to your country

How to use it

  • Kimchi
  • Bibim Noodle Sauce
  • Spicy soups and seasoned vegetables

What to check

  • Compare coarse and fine variants rather than choosing only by brand or package color.
  • Check heat level, ingredients and country of origin separately.
  • Gochujang is a seasoned paste, not dried chili. Generic chili powder may contain other spices.

Can you substitute it?

Other pure chilies change the heat and flavor; a spice blend or gochujang is not an equal-quantity replacement. Use gochugaru when it is central to the recipe.

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Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy Gochugaru?

Korean or Asian grocery stores, Food retailers delivering to your country

How do I use Gochugaru?

Kimchi, Bibim Noodle Sauce, Spicy soups and seasoned vegetables

Can I substitute Gochugaru?

Other pure chilies change the heat and flavor; a spice blend or gochujang is not an equal-quantity replacement. Use gochugaru when it is central to the recipe.

How should I store Gochugaru?

Keep the package closed and dry, use a dry spoon and follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions.

Can I use gochujang instead of gochugaru?

They are different ingredients: gochugaru is dried chili, while gochujang is a seasoned paste. Replacing flakes with paste changes texture and seasoning. The Bibim Noodle Sauce uses both; follow its separate amounts.

Gochujang: choosing paste rather than prepared sauce →

Make the Bibim Noodle Sauce →