Spice up those boring summer salads with this super easy Gochujang Salad Dressing! Think of it as a 1000 Island dressing – with a kick!
As anyone who eats a WFPBNO (whole food, plant-based, no oil) diet will tell you, finding oil-free salad dressings in the store can be challenging at best, if not impossible.
Sure, you can use salsa or a good balsamic vinegar, but nothing beats the taste of a good homemade dressing. And guys, this one is SUPER easy to make! You can whisk this up in a jar in less than a minute and it tastes SO GOOD, especially if you like Korean spices as much as I do.
These are the same spices I use to make my own homemade Kimchi, and I’ve even used them to spice up a homemade vegan Mac & Cheese.
I really like this one and I hope you do too. Enjoy!
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Why I Love the HECK Out Of This Gochujang Salad Dressing
100% Vegan, Oil-Free, and Gluten-Free: Like all of my recipes, this recipe is made without any animal products or bottled oils and can easily be made gluten-free as well.
Super EASY to make: Seriously, you add everything to a jar and whisk. Easy peasy 🤣.
No Cooking Involved: No stoves, no air fryers, no instant pots, not even a microwave. Just you and a salad bowl (and maybe a whisk).
It’s New & Different: To SO many people, salad dressing means ranch, blue cheese, or some kind of vinaigrette. I guarantee they won’t be expecting the bold taste of THIS dressing! And it’s GOOD!
Notable Ingredients & Substitutions
Gochugaru
Gochugaru is Korean Chile Flakes (or powder). It has a similar heat level to that of a jalapeno (which is around 5000 SHUs for you chile heads). I buy the course flakes and can always find them at Whole Foods, our local Asian market, or of course Amazon. If you want to tame this recipe down a little heat-wise – simply leave these out.
Amazon Affiliate Link (note I do earn a little from every purchase but at no extra cost to you) – https://amzn.to/4eLTCH7
Gochujang
Gochujang is a sweet and spicy paste you can buy that has gochugaru as its main ingredient – along with fermented soybeans and rice. It’s not as spicy as gochugaru (about the same as a poblano pepper…. or 750 SHU) and has a super smooth texture with lots of that savory umami we all love. You can find it at Whole Foods, your local Asian Market, or Amazon.
Amazon Affiliate Link (note I do earn a little from every purchase but at no extra cost to you) – https://amzn.to/4cHRcYj
SHU – Scoville Heat Units – a scale used to compare the spiciness of chile peppers
Soy Sauce
Have issues with gluten? No problem. Simply swap out the soy sauce for low-sodium tamari.
Plant-Based Yogurt
When I first went plant-based, was vegan yogurt even a thing? I remember that the vegan cheese back then was HORRIBLE so….
But thankfully now, we have a wide variety of vegan dairy products to choose from. Many of my fans even make their own yogurt using their instant pots! If you do buy store-bought yogurt, make sure it’s plain and NOT vanilla-flavored. Kite Hill or Foragers are the brands I’ve used.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities and detailed cooking directions.
Making The Gochujang Salad Dressing
Recipe Tip!
Be sure and try this on your next sandwich too as it also makes an excellent sandwich spread. Last night, I even poured some on my baked potato!
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Gochujang Salad Dressing Recipe
Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
Category: Salads
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Vegan
Description
Spice up those boring summer salads with this super easy Gochujang Salad Dressing! Think of it as a 1000 Island dressing – with a kick!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl, measuring cup, or jar until smooth
