Tag: gochujang

Korean Meatloaf Burgers

Korean Meatloaf Burger

Korean Meatloaf Burgers
Kimchi, Cheddar, Fried Egg, Mayo

These Korean Meatloaf Burgers transform classic comfort food with a bold, spicy twist inspired by Bobby Flay’s Korean-Style Meatloaf. Made with a tender, deeply savory mix of ground beef, pork, and veal — a butcher’s blend that stays moist and full of flavor — each bite delivers succulent richness and layered depth.

What really sets this meatloaf apart is the punch of Korean ingredients gochujang (Korean chili paste) and gochugaru (Korean chili flakes). They add just the right balance of sweet heat, balanced fruitiness, and slight smokiness. Soy sauce, fish sauce, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and garlic add a deep umami and savoriness.

Glazed with a sweet-spicy sauce that caramelizes beautifully in the oven, the meatloaf is delicious on its own — but piled onto a soft toasted brioche bun with tangy kimchi, sharp melty cheddar, and a fried egg, it transforms into an unforgettable burger that’s messy in all the best ways.

Make the whole loaf ahead of time, then stack up these burgers the next day for comfort food with a spicy Korean twist at its tastiest.

Korean Meatloaf Burgers

Korean Meatloaf Recipe

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Gochujang Lamb Shanks, Polenta, Fresh Greens, Hot Mustard Sauce

Gochujang Lamb Shanks, Polenta, Fresh Greens, Hot Mustard Sauce

Gochujang Lamb Shanks
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
Fresh Wild Arugula, Mint, Scallions
Hot Mustard Sesame Garlic Sauce

Gochujang brings a fiery kick, while daikon radish provides a crisp, peppery contrast to the creamy polenta. A bold hot mustard sauce balances beautifully with the rich succulent meat. These lamb shanks are slow-braised in a tangy, sweet, and savory blend of pomegranate juice and figs, then finished under the broiler for a crispy exterior and meltingly tender, flavorful interior.

With its sweet heat and deep, fermented umami notes, gochujang—Korean red chili paste—offers a balanced fruitiness, a hint of smokiness, and layers of flavor from sun-dried Korean red peppers. It complements the meat and pomegranate-fig sauce perfectly, resulting in a dish bursting with vibrant flavors, contrasting textures, bold aromas, and a wild presentation.

Gochujang Lamb Shanks, Polenta, Fresh Greens, Hot Mustard Sauce

Gochujang Lamb Shanks Recipe

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Gochujang Sloppy Joes

Gochujang Sloppy Joes

Gochujang Sloppy Joes

In the early 70s, my high school cafeteria lunch was almost always a sloppy joe sandwich with a bag of Cheetos and a cold bottle of Coke. Diet Coke hadn’t been invented yet. And there was only one type of Cheetos, Crunchy. Baked Cheetos and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos would come later.

I also remember my mother making tasty sloppy joes for dinner with three ingredients: ground beef, ketchup, and mustard. No measuring, she just added ketchup and mustard to the browned beef. Served it on hamburger buns or white bread (it was Wonder, which helped build strong bodies 12 ways). 💪

It has been decades since I’ve had (or even wanted) a sloppy joe sandwich. But after coming across several intriguing sloppy joe recipes on the internet that included gochujang, I had to try my own version.

Now these Gochujang Sloppy Joes are much spicier and more complex than old-school style. Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste with sweet heat and a fermented umami richness. It has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried Korean red peppers. Gochugaru, also made from sun-dried red peppers, is a coarse-ground chili powder. Together, they give this messy sandwich its distinctive Korean spiciness.

Gochujang Sloppy Joes Recipe

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Creamy Gochujang Noodles

Creamy Gochujang Noodles

Creamy Gochujang Noodles

In the mid-2000s, Korean street food vendors took cues from the Italian pasta dish penne alla vodka by introducing heavy cream into their traditional tteokbokki.

Tteokbokki is a popular stir-fried rice cake snack that is simmered in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste with sweet heat and a fermented umami richness. The addition of cream results in a distinctive rosy color, hence the moniker “rosé tteokbokki.”

My previous Korean-French fusion salmon dish, a Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon, blended those same spicy and creamy elements. This Korean-Italian fusion noodle dish also wows with a delicious fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried Korean red peppers in the paste.

Bucatini stands in as an interesting alternative for rice cakes because of its wonderfully chewy quality. Handmade bronze dies give the pasta a fabulous coarse, sauce-absorbing surface, perfect for soaking up all those spicy-sweet-creamy-umami flavors that rosé tteokbokki is famous for…

Creamy Gochujang Noodles

Creamy Gochujang Noodles Recipe

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Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

The inspiration for this delicious dish comes from maeuntang, a spicy Korean fish stew.

Maeuntang is a flavorful and spicy stew that typically features a variety of seafood, tofu, vegetables. The broth is always seasoned with Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) and often red pepper paste (gochujang) plus other aromatic ingredients like garlic and ginger. It’s usually served with a side of rice.

This braised salmon dish takes on a creamy twist, blending Korean with French influences by incorporating unconventional elements such as butter, white wine, and heavy cream. Rather than serving it with rice on the side, the stew embraces a unique touch for the starch – mini potatoes braised directly within the broth.

Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste with sweet heat and a fermented umami richness. It is definitely spicy – but also has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried Korean red peppers.

It’s a heavenly pairing, marrying the freshness of the sea with the richness of a fiery, creamy broth. Each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of heat and richness. Potatoes and radish contribute not only to the stew’s visual appeal but also to its complexity of flavor. A sprinkling of parsley, scallion, and red chiles add fresh, colorful notes.

For a striking garnish, add a purple dendrobium orchid which is durable and has the ability to withstand varying temperatures without wilting, making it suitable for hot dishes. And while the orchid is considered safe for culinary purposes, here it is used for visual appeal rather than taste.

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Gochujang Braised Salmon Recipe

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