This 3-ingredient gochujang hot honey is sweet, spicy, savory, and ready in minutes. Drizzle it over pizza, grilled chicken, shrimp, and vegetables—or serve it as a dipping sauce for nuggets and egg rolls.
Hot honey may be best known as a pizza topping, but its combination of sweetness and heat works beautifully with all kinds of savory dishes. The addition of gochujang gives the sauce a deeper, savory flavor, while sriracha adds a peppery and savory kick. The result is a bolder, more complex version of hot honey that can be used in many different ways. If you are worried about the heat, try my homemade gochujang recipe to easily adjust the spice level to your taste.
This sauce clings well to food and has enough flavor to be used as a drizzle, glaze, or dipping sauce.
Table of contents
Gochujang Hot Honey Ingredients
- Honey. Use a mild honey that’s not too floral so the flavor of the gochujang can shine. A dark or strongly flavored honey can overwhelm the overall taste.
- Gochujang. This Korean fermented chile paste gives the sauce its smoky and savory taste. Gochujang is not the same as tobanjan or gochugaru and cannot be used interchangeably in this recipe.
- Sriracha Sauce. Sriracha sauce adds a pepper/chile flavor and a savory element. Use a smooth red sriracha rather than a chunky chile sauce.
How to Make Hot Honey
Gently warm the honey and gochujang over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Finish the sauce off the heat with the sriracha and let it cool before transferring it to a jar.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the heat low. The honey only needs to be warmed enough to combine with the gochujang. It should not boil.
- Use a small whisk if needed. Gochujang is dense and sticky, so a whisk can help break down any stubborn clump.
- Let the sauce cool before covering it. This prevents steam from becoming trapped inside the container.
- Add it toward the end of cooking. Honey can burn over prolonged high heat, so use the sauce as a finishing glaze or drizzle it over the food after cooking.
Ways to Use Gochujang Hot Honey
This sauce is especially good with foods that are salty, savory, smoky, of full of umami.
- Drizzle it over pizza just before serving. The salty olives and parmesan in my fennel and black olive ciabatta pizza, a simple margherita pizza, or one with blue cheese, would pair especially well with a little hot honey.
- Use it as a flavoring sauce for sandwiches. I love drizzling this hot honey on my avocado toasts, and it’s also delicious with sandwiches or burgers with a smoky barbecue taste.
- Serve it as a dipping sauce. Hot honey is great with egg rolls, spring rolls, dumplings, chicken nuggets, or crispy tofu.
- Spoon it over your favorite protein. Whether it’s grilled shrimp, pork, chicken, or tofu steaks.
- Drizzle it over grilled, roasted, or air-fried vegetables. Vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, or broccoli.
- Brush it onto grilled meats during the final minute of cooking. This will give the meat a light glaze and a burst of flavor.
Storage
Transfer the cooled gochujang hot honey to a clean airtight jar and refrigerate it for up to 3 months.
The sauce will become thicker when it is cold. Let it sit at room temperature before using it, or place the tightly sealed jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to loosen the honey. Stir well before serving.
Always use a clean, dry spoon to prevent water and food particles from getting into the jar.
Frequently Asked Questions
It has a noticeable, lingering heat, but the honey keeps the sweetness in front. The exact spice level will depend on the brands of gochujang and sriracha you use. For a milder sauce without changing the consistency of the recipe, choose a mild gochujang.
Yes. It can be brushed over your favorite protein and vegetables, or even added to stir fries. But add it toward the end of cooking to prevent the honey from burning (over prolonged high heat).
It can be, but check the labels before using the gochujang and sriracha. Some gochujang brands contain wheat or other gluten-containing ingredients.
More Recipes Using Honey
If you have some honey left in the jar and are looking for other ways to use it, here are some delicious options:
- Honey sesame tofu
- Honey sriracha salmon
- Honey cornflake cookies
- Peanut butter and honey fudge
- Honey mustard dressing
Gochujang Hot Honey
A thick and glossy hot honey with layers of sweet, savory, and spicy flavor. Use it as a finishing sauce, glaze, or dip.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: N/A
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 5 1/2 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 1/2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Heating. Add the honey and gochujang in a small skillet or pot and turn the heat to low. The honey should not boil, this step is to warm up the ingredients and combine them. Stir until the honey and gochujang have fully combined – about 1-2 minutes.
- Balance the flavor. Turn the heat off and add the sriracha sauce. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
- Store it. Transfer the gochujang hot honey to a jar or other container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Notes
The sauce will thicken in the refrigerator. Let it return to room temperature before drizzling, or place the tightly sealed jar in warm water for a few minutes to loosen it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 51
- Sugar: 13.2g
- Sodium: 115mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.1
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
