20-Minute Gochujang Ground Pork

Love Korean spicy pork but don't have the time? This 20-minute gochujang ground pork has all the sweet, savory, and spicy flavors you love, but it's much quicker and easier to make.

At a Glance: Gochujang Ground Pork

• What it is: Ground pork cooked in a sweet, savory, and spicy gochujang sauce inspired by Korean spicy pork (jeyuk bokkeum 제육볶음).
• What it tastes like: Sweet, savory, spicy, garlicky, and slightly smoky.
• When to make it: Busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table in about 20 minutes.
• What to serve with it: Steamed rice, kimchi, lettuce wraps, or cucumber salad.
• Cooking for Two Note: Makes 3 generous servings, or 4 servings with a couple of side dishes.
• Skill Level: Easy.

Jump to:

• At a Glance: Gochujang Ground Pork
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How to Make Gochujang Ground Pork
• Expert Tips
• How to Serve

Ingredients & Substitutions

You'll find the exact ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.

• Ground pork: Ground chicken or turkey also work well, though they'll be slightly less juicy than pork.
• Green onions: Separate the white and green parts. Cook the white parts with the pork and stir in the green parts at the end.
• Sugar: Balances the savory and spicy flavors.
• Gochujang: A Korean fermented chili paste that adds sweet, savory, and spicy flavor. If you're sensitive to heat, look for mild gochujang at your local Asian market.
• Gochugaru: Korean red pepper flakes that add smoky heat. Use less for a milder dish.
• Soy sauce: Adds savory, umami flavor.
• Oyster sauce: Adds savory depth and richness.
• Mirin: Adds a touch of sweetness. Substitute with cooking sake and a pinch of sugar if needed.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds savory flavor.
• Rice vinegar: Balances the richness of the pork without making it taste sour.
• Black pepper: Adds a little extra flavor.
• Sesame seeds: Optional, but they add a nice finishing touch.

New to Korean cooking? Check out my Korean Essential Pantry post to learn more about the ingredients I use most often.

How to Make Gochujang Ground Pork

1. Prepare the green onions. Thinly slice the green onions, separating the white and green parts.
2. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, garlic, rice vinegar, black pepper, and sugar until smooth.
3. Cook the pork. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, the white parts of the green onions, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Break the pork into small pieces as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
4. Add the sauce. Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir until the pork is evenly coated. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the sauce coats the pork.
5. Finish and serve. Stir in the green onions, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve over steamed rice, in lettuce wraps, or as a rice bowl.

Expert Tips

• Cook the pork with sugar. Adding the sugar while the pork cooks is a common Korean cooking technique. It gives the pork a great base of flavor before the sauce goes in. There's no need to add salt at this stage because the gochujang, soy sauce, and oyster sauce provide plenty of seasoning.
• Use just a little oil if needed. If you're using a nonstick skillet, there's no need to add oil. For stainless steel or cast iron, add just enough neutral oil to prevent the pork from sticking.
• Adjust the spice level. Use less gochugaru for a milder dish or add more if you like extra heat.
• Don't skip the rice vinegar. It won't make the dish taste sour. It simply balances the richness of the pork.
• Finish with sesame seeds. I skip sesame oil because it can make the dish feel greasy, and heating it reduces its nutty aroma. Instead, I like to finish with plenty of sesame seeds. If you love the flavor, drizzle a little over the pork just before serving.

How to Serve

Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:

• Make a Rice Bowl
  Serve it over Jasmine Rice for Two with steamed broccoli, sliced cucumbers or Korean Cucumber Salad, and a fried egg for an easy weeknight dinner.
• In Bibimbap
  Use this ground pork as the protein for an easy bibimbap. While bulgogi is a popular choice, this pork works just as well because it already has all the sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. Top with your favorite vegetables and a fried egg.
• Serve It Korean Style
  For a more traditional Korean meal, wrap the pork in crisp lettuce leaves and serve it with kimchi and a bowl of Doenjang Jjigae or Soondubu Jjigae.