Gochujang Salmon

Name: Gochujang Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 large salmon fillets; Salt and pepper; 2 tbsp Gochujang paste; 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos); 2 tsp sesame seeds; 2 tbsp chopped scallions

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This Gochujang Salmon is sweet, spicy, and so delicious! It’s an easy to make 15-minute dish that’s packed with flavor and perfect for a quick and easy meal.

Why You Will Love This Gochujang Salmon

It perfectly balances spicy, sweet, and umami flavors all in one bite.
This is an excellent 15-minute option for a healthy, balanced meal on a busy weeknight.
This is the perfect meal to make a double batch of and freeze half for later.
If you’re new to Korean cooking, this is the simple recipe for you!
For those of you with dietary restrictions, no worries, see below for customizations for everyone!

How Spicy is This Salmon?

Gochujang is a spicy Korean red chili paste that can be as spicy as you want. I would say when combined with the honey, vinegar, and other ingredients, it would be about a 7 out of 10 on the spice level.

Ingredients You Will Need

Salmon Fillets: Use fresh salmon or frozen salmon for delicious results. Be sure to thaw the salmon in the fridge overnight before cooking. I would recommend skinless salmon, but you can also remove the skin or cook it skin side down.
Spices: Just a little bit of kosher salt and black pepper is what you need.
Gochujang Paste: The star of the Gochujang glaze, Gochujang paste is a spicy Korean red pepper paste that can be found in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores.
Honey: Use more or less honey, depending on how sweet you want it. You can also use maple syrup or coconut sugar.
Rice Wine Vinegar: A classic vinegar used in Korean food.
Soy Sauce: A salty, umami flavor that blends well with the sweet and spicy. Feel free to swap with tamari or coconut aminos
Sesame Seeds: Use white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds, or a blend of both.
Green Onions: A classic, fresh garnish at the end.

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

Small Bowl
Baking Sheet or Baking Dish
Whisk
Basting Brush

How to Make Gochujang Salmon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients until smooth.
Place salmon on a sheet pan or baking dish so they fit snugly but don’t overlap (You may line with parchment paper or aluminum foil if you want easy cleanup).
Generously season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and then brush the top and sides with the gochujang sauce. Transfer to the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove from the oven, and spoon another layer of glaze over the salmon fillets.
Turn the oven to broil and return the salmon to the oven to cook for another 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye on the salmon to ensure it doesn’t burn and that the flaky salmon is bubbly and golden on top.
Remove from the oven and spoon the remaining sauce over each salmon, garnish, and serve.

You can find detailed step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below

How to Modify

Adjust the Gochujang paste in the flavorful marinade to your liking.
Use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead of rice vinegar.
Use maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar instead of honey.
Add in grated fresh ginger or garlic to the sauce for even more flavor.

Dietary Customizations

Make this gluten-free by using tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, or coconut aminos.
Gochujang does have gluten in it. Some specialty stores may carry gluten-free Gochujang, but you can definitely find it online.
For those on Keto or Whole30, use zero-sugar honey.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this with a bowl of white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. This is especially yummy as a rice bowl, with fresh chopped veggies.
Serve over a bowl of rice noodles for a delicious noodle bowl dinner.
For a side of green, I recommend a nutty creamy Asian Cucumber Salad, a crispy crowd-pleasing Asian Brussels Sprout Salad, a flavorful Broccoli Salad, or this bright and colorful Asian Cauliflower Rice Rainbow Salad.

Pro Tip

The FDA suggests an internal temperature of 140 degrees F (145 degrees after resting), but it is completely safe to eat at 125 degrees F and will give you a delicious, flaky, tender, and juicy salmon. The temperature will rise slightly as it rests for a few minutes.

Making This in the Air Fryer

Line the air fryer with aluminum foil (you’ll thank me later). Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees F for a few minutes. Pat dry your salmon fillets with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper, and lay them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Layer with a generous first coat of the Gochujang glaze. Cook for 4-8 until it’s cooked to your desired temperature. Remove the basket, pour on the remaining glaze, and enjoy!

Prepping Ahead and Storing Leftovers

Meal-prep: You can prep this about 3 days in advance. To warm it, heat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until heated through, in a nonstick skillet on the stove on medium heat, or in the microwave.

Storing Leftovers: Bring salmon to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge or in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

More Spicy Korean Dishes You Will Love:

Korean Air Fryer Chicken: Quick and Easy, and ready in 30 minutes.
Creamy Gochujang Pasta: Creamy, spicy, and so addictive.
Korean Beef Bowl: Who doesn’t love a fresh, spicy bowl of yumminess?!
Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Shrimp: Perfect served over a bed of rice.
Korean Gochujang Chicken with Scallion & Cilantro Chimichurri: Sweet, spicy, and full of umami flavor.

If you make this Korean Salmon recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!