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Korean Food

Korean cooking is built on fermented pastes, chili, sesame and rice, and Korean snacks and instant noodles are popular worldwide. Here's what to stock.

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Korean cooking is built on fermented pastes, chili, sesame and rice, and Korean snacks and instant noodles are popular worldwide. Here's what to stock.

Korean pantry basics

The core Korean pastes (jang) are gochujang, a fermented chili paste; doenjang, a fermented soybean paste; and ssamjang, a blend served with lettuce wraps. Gochugaru chili flakes give kimchi its color, and toasted sesame oil finishes many dishes.

Korean grocery shelves also carry a huge range of instant ramyeon, grain and herbal teas such as barley, corn and jujube, and crunchy snacks from seaweed to shrimp crackers.

How to choose

  • Ramyeon: Shin-style noodles are spicy and brothy, Buldak is stir-fried and much hotter, and jjajang (black bean) noodles are mild.
  • Pastes: gochujang tubs often show a heat level; doenjang is salty and savory, not spicy.
  • Frying mixes: Korean fried chicken mixes give a light, crackly crust.
  • Teas: grain teas such as barley (boricha) and corn (oksusu-cha) are caffeine-free.

Brands and prices

Brands in this collection include OTOKI, Damtuh, NICE WITCH'S, Chung Jung One, UNHA'S ASIAN SNACK BOX and SAMYANG. Most products are priced between $19 and $43. You'll also find items labeled gluten-free, vegan, organic and sugar-free by their makers.

Popular picks

Easy ways to cook Korean

Stir gochujang into mayonnaise for a dip, marinate chicken in gochujang with honey and garlic, or make bibimbap with rice, vegetables, a fried egg and gochujang sauce. Refrigerate pastes after opening.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between gochujang and gochugaru?

Gochujang is a fermented chili paste; gochugaru is dried chili flakes.

Which Korean noodles are the spiciest?

Samyang Buldak's 2x and 3x Spicy varieties are among the hottest. See our Buldak guide.

Are Korean grain teas caffeine-free?

Barley and corn teas are naturally caffeine-free.

Do Korean pastes need refrigeration?

Yes, after opening.

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