Gochujang Salad Dressing

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.