Ssamjang substitutes
Ssamjang substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Homemade from doenjang and gochujang
Makes about ¼ cup
The actual recipe, which takes two minutes if you have both pastes.
Make it: stir 2 tablespoons doenjang with 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. That is about a quarter cup and it is the real thing. With no doenjang, use 2 tablespoons red miso plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce. With neither paste, gochujang thinned with sesame oil is the best single-jar answer.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- Korean BBQ
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of ssamjang | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homemade from doenjang and gochujangKorean BBQ | Makes about ¼ cupWorks | Works |
| 2 | Red miso versionKorean BBQ | 2 tbsp red miso, 1 tbsp gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauceWorks | Works |
| 3 | Gochujang thinned with sesame oillettuce wraps | 1 tablespoon gochujang plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oilTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Doenjang with sesame oil and garliclettuce wraps | 1 tablespoon doenjang, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ clove garlic, ½ tsp sugarWorks | Works |
| 5 | Miso, Sriracha and sesame oillettuce wraps | 2 parts miso, 1 part sriracha, ½ part sesame oilYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 6 | Hoisin with gochugaru and sesame oillettuce wraps | 1 tablespoon hoisin, ¼ tsp gochugaru, ½ tsp sesame oilTweak it | Tweak it |
Homemade from doenjang and gochujang
similar taste and texture
The actual recipe, which takes two minutes if you have both pastes.
- Best for
- Korean BBQ, lettuce wraps, bibimbap, grilled pork belly, rice bowls, raw vegetable dip
Combine 2 tablespoons doenjang, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 finely chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon sugar or honey and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. This is not a substitute so much as the thing itself, and it tastes fresher than any jar.
Red miso version
similar taste and texture
The same build with Japanese miso standing in for doenjang.
- Best for
- Korean BBQ, lettuce wraps, rice bowls, vegetable dip
Rounder, sweeter and noticeably less funky than real ssamjang, because miso lacks doenjang's sharp barnyard edge. The teaspoon of soy sauce restores some savoury depth. On a lettuce wrap with grilled pork it is close enough that most people will not question it.
Gochujang thinned with sesame oil
different taste, similar texture
The one-jar answer if gochujang is all you have.
- Best for
- lettuce wraps, grilled meat, rice bowls, dipping
Sweeter, spicier, glossier and much more one-note than ssamjang, because it is missing the earthy fermented soybean base that gives ssamjang its savoury weight. Still genuinely good on grilled meat. Add a chopped scallion and half a teaspoon of minced garlic and it improves a lot.
Doenjang with sesame oil and garlic
similar taste and texture
The savoury half of ssamjang without the chilli paste.
- Best for
- lettuce wraps, raw vegetable dip, grilled meat
Saltier, funkier and completely without heat or the sweet-red character of gochujang. Add half a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of gochugaru and you are most of the way to ssamjang. This is closer than gochujang alone if you like savoury over sweet.
Miso, Sriracha and sesame oil
different taste and texture
The fully Western-pantry version.
- Best for
- lettuce wraps, grilled meat, burgers, vegetable dip
Sriracha brings vinegar and raw garlic rather than gochujang's fermented sweetness, so this tastes sharper, thinner and tangier than ssamjang, and the acidity stands out. Add half a teaspoon of sugar per tablespoon to pull it back. A good sauce that is not quite this sauce.
Hoisin with gochugaru and sesame oil
different taste, similar texture
Genuinely last-ditch, when the fridge holds nothing else.
- Best for
- lettuce wraps, grilled meat
Be honest with yourself about this one: hoisin is sweet and five-spiced, so the wrap will taste Chinese rather than Korean, and much sweeter than intended. It does at least deliver a thick, savoury-sweet dab that clings to a lettuce leaf, which is the mechanical job ssamjang is doing.
Questions
5 questionsIs ssamjang the same as gochujang?
No. Gochujang is a single fermented red chilli paste, sweet and spicy. Ssamjang is a finished dipping sauce built from doenjang and gochujang together plus sesame oil, garlic, scallion and sugar, so it is earthier, saltier and much less sweet. Gochujang thinned with sesame oil is a passable stand-in but tastes noticeably sweeter and more one-dimensional.
Can I make ssamjang with miso instead of doenjang?
Yes, and it works well. Use 2 tablespoons of red or brown miso in place of the doenjang, and add a teaspoon of soy sauce to make up the savoury depth miso lacks. The result is rounder and less funky, which many people actually prefer.
Do I have to use both doenjang and gochujang?
No, but the interplay of the two is what makes ssamjang what it is: doenjang gives salt, funk and earthiness, gochujang gives heat, sweetness and colour. With only one, add what the other was providing. Doenjang alone wants sugar and gochugaru; gochujang alone wants a savoury element and a little extra salt.
Can I just leave ssamjang out of Korean barbecue?
You can, and grilled meat in a lettuce leaf is still good, but the wrap will taste flat because ssamjang is the only seasoning in it. The traditional alternative is a small dish of toasted sesame oil with salt and black pepper for dipping, which is quick and requires nothing unusual.
Is ssamjang spicy?
Mildly. It is much less hot than gochujang alone because the doenjang dilutes it and the sesame oil and sugar round it off. Most commercial ssamjang sits at a gentle warmth rather than real heat, and you can control it precisely by adjusting how much gochujang goes in.
Tips for substituting ssamjang
5 tips- Ssamjang should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. If yours is runny you have added too much sesame oil, which is the most common mistake; a teaspoon per two tablespoons of paste is plenty.
- Make it at least half an hour ahead. Raw minced garlic is harsh at first and mellows into the paste as it sits, and the flavours knit together noticeably in that time.
- The ratio of doenjang to gochujang is the dial you actually control. Most home cooks run about 2:1 in favour of doenjang. More doenjang gives a saltier, funkier, more savoury dip; more gochujang makes it sweeter, redder and spicier.
- A spoonful of finely chopped onion, or a little grated Asian pear or apple, is a common addition and gives it a fresher, juicier, slightly sweeter edge that cuts through fatty grilled pork.
- It keeps two to three weeks refrigerated, but the scallion fades and dulls after a few days. Make the paste base in quantity and stir in fresh scallion each time you serve it.