If you love this Ssamjang Korean Spicy Dipping Sauce, check out our other excellent Korean Food Recipes!

It’s no secret I have a real love for Korean food. If you’ve read Foodie with Family for any amount of time, there’s a good chance you’ve seen more than one recipe that is either a traditional Korean recipe or one inspired by Korean flavour combinations. Ssamjang {Korean Spicy Dipping Sauce} translates roughly as “sauce for wraps” and is something I love to have around.

What is Ssamjang?

The thick, spicy, savoury, brick red paste gets its major umami punch from a combination of fermented chili paste (gochujang) and fermented soy bean paste (doenjang). The fermented soy bean paste is a byproduct of soy sauce production, which explains where our Ssamjang gets that ultra savouriness!

It translates as “sauce for wraps” and is literally made for spreading on a lettuce leaf and piling with grilled meats like Korean barbecue, pork, chicken, topping with a bit of kimchi, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and delivering directly to your mouth. Ssamjang is also used as a dip for peppers.

While those are the traditional uses for Ssamjang {Korean Spicy Dipping Sauce}, don’t let that stop you from smearing it on a toasted bun for a grilled burger, using as a dip for French fries, or using it to add a little bit of spice to a rice bowl dinner.

Cook’s Notes

There’s not much in the way of technique required for making Ssamjang {Korean Spicy Dipping Sauce}. You stir things together until smooth. There is one thing that might make life easier for you, though, and make it faster. I like to whisk everything but the sesame seeds and green onions together first. This makes the paste come together faster. Then I just stir in the sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Regarding sesame seeds: I like to mix equal parts black sesame seeds and toasted white sesame seeds. You can certainly use all of one or the other, if your preference or availability dictates.
While freshly grated ginger and garlic taste best, I’ve absolutely used the fresh pastes you can purchase in the produce department at the grocery store and been very happy with the results. Do what works best for you!