Index
Introduction
What sauce do American consumers search for the most when making Korean food at home? Search data tells us that the top sauce is gochujang, with an average monthly topic search volume of 404,948. There are more than 12,000 gochujang related keywords covering over 880 topics. The vast majority of searches for gochujang are informational, with people wondering what it is and how to use it.
Americans are enjoying gochujang in traditional and not so traditional ways, like with noodles, pasta, spam, tofu, and even in this New York Times recipe for gochujang cookies.
The Search for Substitutes
Despite a clear demand for Korean recipes and an interest in gochujang, search data also reveals the desire to substitute gochujang with other sauces. There are several reasons for this. The first is a lack of availability nearby, although some consumers look to online platforms like Amazon to solve this. Another is related to dietary requirements and preferences. This is revealed through keywords looking for non-spicy, soy-free and gluten-free gochujang.
Alternatives such as sriracha and sambal oelek suggest that consumers might not be aware of the differences between the sauces and their uses, or may not be particularly concerned about 100% authenticity. Consumers also look to paprika and tomato sauce as non-spicy alternatives.
Conclusion
Search data shows that gochujang is the most searched-for Korean sauce in the United States, generating more than 165,000 searches per month for the core keyword and over 400,000 searches across related queries. The majority of these searches are informational, reflecting consumer interest in understanding what gochujang is and how to use it.
At the same time, search patterns also reveal demand for variations such as non-spicy, soy-free, and gluten-free gochujang, as well as interest in substitutes. This indicates both growing awareness of the ingredient and a need for wider accessibility.
For adoption to continue, three areas stand out: expanding distribution in mainstream retail channels, providing clear education on how to cook with gochujang, and highlighting its role as a foundational element of Korean cuisine. These factors will determine how quickly gochujang moves from a specialty item to a common fixture in American kitchens.
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