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Spices & seasonings · Dried chillies

Gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)

Korean sun-dried red chilli, coarsely ground: bright red, fruity and moderately hot. The base of kimchi.

Also called: korean chilli flakes, korean red pepper flakes, korean chili powder, gochu-garu, kochukaru

Around the world: 고춧가루 (ko)

A kind of red chilli flakes

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

What it is

Gochugaru is Korean dried red chilli with the seeds mostly removed, sold as coarse flakes or as a fine powder. It is brighter red, sweeter and usually milder than cayenne or crushed red pepper, with a slightly smoky, fruity flavour. The coarse grind is used for kimchi and most cooking; the fine grind goes into gochujang and smooth sauces.

Capsicum annuum

How it’s used

  • Kimchi seasoning paste
  • Soups and stews such as kimchi jjigae and yukgaejang
  • Spicy marinades for pork and chicken
  • Seasoned vegetable side dishes (namul, muchim)
  • Homemade chilli oil

Characteristics

Taste
Fruity, sweet and moderately hot, with a faint smokiness.
Appearance
Vivid red, slightly moist flakes or powder.
Sold as
flakes, powder
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Mainly a seasoning
Common in
Korean

Varieties

  • Coarse (for kimchi and cooking)
  • Fine (for gochujang and sauces)
  • Taeyangcho (sun-dried)

Storage

Frozen. Keep sealed in the freezer or fridge; at room temperature the colour dulls and flavour fades within months.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
318 kcal
Protein
12.01 g
Carbohydrate
56.63 g
Fat
17.27 g
Fibre
27.2 g
Sugars
10.34 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, pepper, red or cayenne (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Aleppo pepper — Closest in heat and fruitiness; use the same amount, though the colour is darker.
  • Paprika — Mix 3 parts sweet paprika with 1 part cayenne for colour with similar heat.

Related ingredients

Recipes with gochugaru (korean chilli flakes)

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More dried chillies