Featuring crunchy veggies cooked in a delicious spicy sauce, this gochujang stir-fry vegetables makes the perfect quick weeknight meal! This simple one-pan recipe is easy to prepare and is ready in 30 minutes.

We are huge fans of gochujang here! This versatile paste can be used to make anything from heartwarming gochujang soup, spicy Korean tofu, to saucy gochujang noodles. And now, it is time to share this fantastic gochujang stir-fry that is irresistibly delicious and has the perfect balance between sweet, sour, and savory.
For those of you who are sensitive to spice, I recommend getting gochujang with a lower heat level. Or, you could simply reduce the amount of this Korean chili paste used.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Packed with colorful veggies - This easy vegetable dish is a tasty way to get in your daily serving of veg!
- Easy and quick to prepare - All you need is a few simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make this gochujang stir-fry. Fuss-free, minimal effort, and can be made in one pan.
- Incredibly saucy, flavorful, and bold - The stir-fry sauce used in this recipe is seriously addictive and tasty. Even vegetable haters will enjoy it!
- Versatile and highly customizable - This gochujang stir-fry pairs wonderfully with noodles and rice. You can also easily swap and adjust the ingredients to make it your own.
🤔What is gochujang
Gochujang, also sometimes known as Korean red chili paste or red pepper paste, is a staple condiment in Korean cooking. It is thick, savory, pungent, and umami and is made from Korean chili flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and seasonings.
This versatile paste is used in a wide array of Korean dishes, like in soups and stews, as a marinade, and to make the famous tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes).
🥦What you will need
For gochujang sauce
For vegetables
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Gochujang - Also known as Korean red chili paste/red pepper paste. It is the star ingredient of this dish.
- You can find it in many groceries, usually in the international food aisle. They are also sold in Korean/Asian markets. I typically purchase my gochujang online.
- There are also gluten-free Korean chili paste available in the market if you are concerned about gluten.
- Mirin - A type of Japanese rice wine meant for cooking. You can substitute it with sake or regular rice vinegar, but you might need to add more maple syrup to balance out the acidity.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari/shoyu. Use gluten-free ones, if needed.
🔪How to make
Here is a quick rundown of the process involved in making gochujang stir-fry vegetables. As usual, the full recipe will be in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Heat up a large cast-iron skillet/non-stick pan. Fry garlic and ginger for a minute until fragrant.
Add red pepper, carrot, cauliflower, and broccoli into the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they are partially cooked.
Then, add your baby corn. Saute for 2-3 minutes until all the veggies are tender.
Pour in stir-fry sauce and toss to mix. Give it a taste and add more seasonings, if needed. It is ready to be served.
✔Helpful tips
- To make this gochujang stir-fry less spicy, use a milder gochujang, or reduce the amount used.
- Prep all ingredients ahead of time, and keep them near you while cooking. Stir-frying is a relatively quick process and requires constant stirring.
- Use a large enough pan for cooking your veggies to prevent them from leaping out of the pan while stirring.
- Cut veggies into uniform chunks to make sure they cook at the same rate.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You might have to add a splash of water when reheating if the mixture has dried up.
✨Variations
Veggies - You can switch up the vegetables used with whatever you have on hand, like zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas, and bok choy. As a general rule of thumb, add hard veggies first, like broccoli and cauliflower, before adding softer veggies and leafy greens.
Add a source of protein - Pan-fried tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, and seitan chunks are some excellent plant-based proteins that will work in stir-fries. You could also add an animal-based protein like chicken and beef, if not vegan. Just make sure to cook them first before adding them to your gochujang stir-fry.
You might have to double the ingredients for the sauce and add it to taste.
Noodles - Add in some cooked noodles like ramen, soba, udon, or rice noodles to make this a meal. Also, do double the sauce, and add it to taste.
Extra spicy - Add a generous pinch of gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) or regular chili flakes. Alternatively, you can top your stir-fry with some sriracha or hot sauce.
Oil-free - Use ¼ cup of water to saute your veggies instead of oil, adding more, at 1 tablespoon increments, if the mixture starts sticking to the pan. Also, omit sesame oil in the stir-fry sauce, and top it with some toasted sesame seeds instead.
If you are looking for a healthier gochujang, I recommend giving this Q-Rapha brand a try.
🔪How to serve
- Toppings - Top it with chopped green onions, toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or any other toppings you like.
- Rice - The best way to serve this gochujang stir-fry in my opinion, as the rice will soak up all the delicious sauce readily. For a lower-carb option, go for cauliflower or broccoli rice instead.
- Noodles - You could do plain cooked noodles like soba, rice noodles, wheat noodles, or stir-fry noodles like this vegan japchae.
- Other Korean/Asian mains - Pair it with other main dishes like gochujang tofu, Szechuan tofu, or wakame miso soup if you are serving a crowd!
❔Commonly asked questions
As a general rule of thumb, aromatics like garlic, ginger, and onion will be the first to hit the pan, followed by harder veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, and bell pepper. Tender vegetables and leafy greens are added in last.
It is unnecessary to cook your veggies before using them in stir-fries, especially if you had cut them into relatively small chunks. They will be tender in just a few minutes.
It is not recommended that you freeze this gochujang stir-fry, as vegetables might turn soggy upon thawing and reheating.
To make this ahead of time, multiply the veggies needed and blanch them until they are just cooked. You can then divide them into individual portions using freezer bags. Gochujang sauce can also be made on the weekends and will last for a week in the fridge.
When ready to enjoy, simply saute the aromatic, and add thawed veggies along with the sauce. Fry until everything is hot and it is ready to be enjoyed.
Most gochujang pastes available in the market are vegan-friendly and do not contain animal products. However, read the ingredients list before purchasing, as some versions contain fish and fish-derived products.
🍽More vegan stir-fry recipes
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📖 Recipe
Korean Gochujang Stir-fry Vegetables
Equipment
- cast iron skillet or non-stick pan
- spatula
Ingredients
For gochujang sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste *
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free ones if needed)
- 1 tablespoon mirin **
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For stir-fry
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 medium carrot sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper julianned
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 6-8 baby corn halved
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients needed to make the sauce. Stir well and set aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil in a large cast-iron skillet/non-stick pan over high heat. Once pan is heated, add garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute, until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- Add carrot, bell pepper, broccoli, and cauliflower next. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until they are partially cooked.1 medium carrot, 1 cup broccoli florets, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 cup cauliflower florets
- Now, add baby corn and cook for 2-3 minutes, until all veggies are tender.6-8 baby corn
- Pour in gochujang sauce and toss until veggies are well coated. Give it a taste, adding more seasonings, if needed. Enjoy while hot.
Notes
- You can find it in many groceries, usually in the international food aisle. They are also sold in Korean/Asian markets. I typically purchase my gochujang online.
- There are also gluten-free Korean chili paste available in the market if you are concerned about gluten.
- If you are sensitive to heat, reduce the amount used, or opt for a mild gochujang instead.
- Prep all ingredients ahead of time, and keep them near you while cooking. Stir-frying is a relatively quick process and requires constant stirring.
- Use a large enough pan for cooking your veggies to prevent them from leaping out of the pan while stirring.
- Cut veggies into uniform chunks to make sure they cook at the same rate.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You might have to add a splash of water when reheating if the mixture has dried up.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
K
This recipe is DIVINE. Thank you for putting it out into the world <3.
Meesha
I am so happy to hear that!