Kick up the heat with this irresistible Korean Honey Mustard, which can be used as a marinade, BBQ sauce, or even for basting meats. It only takes a few ingredients and a whisk to create this addicting, flavorful sauce.
Where do I start? Reminiscing about my childhood, eating chicken nuggets from a famous McPlace? No, not this time. This Korean honey mustard recipe was an experiment with massive success. It’s a complex flavor of smokey, spicy, sweet, and funky. It tastes SO GOOD on its own for dipping or charred on the grill.
Check out some of these other Korean BBQ recipes such as Korean Grilled Ribeye with Gochujang Sauce, Gochujang Chili Con Carne, Fiery Korean Chicken, or Kimchi Potato Salad.
Why You’ll Love Korean Honey Mustard
- Simple to mix. Just a couple of ingredients to stir in a bowl and you’re ready to go.
- Deep, rich flavors. Forget creamy honey mustard, this spicy blend is fortified with gochujang.
- Adaptable for many recipes. Anything that honey mustard would be a part of, this can be swapped into. Vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces, dips, you name it.
- Grilled or smoked. The sauce picks up and holds wood-fired flavors so well. Use it with anything born over the fire.
Everything You Need for Korean Honey Mustard
There’s really not much needed here, other than a few ingredients. I’ve added some notes around the quality and choices of each ingredient in case you’re looking for more specifics.
You’ll Need Gochujang
This key ingredient cannot be replaced if you’re looking for the same depth of flavor that it brings. Gochujang is a fermented chile paste packed with complex, savory umami flavors. It’s also pretty spicy, depending on the type you purchase. The heat builds in the back of the throat, lingering, almost like an aged bourbon.
Many local stores carry it now, but you can also purchase it online:
Korean Honey Mustard Ingredients
This list is pretty brief, which keeps the recipe simple. you’ll need…
- Gochujang: Key ingredient.
- Dijon mustard: Yellow mustard just won’t cut it here. It’s gotta be a smooth, creamy Dijon. Step up the flavors with Smoked Dijon mustard to add another smoky profile.
- Soy sauce: Just a touch adds a savory, salty profile. Feel free to use regularly recommended substitutes if you prefer.
- Honey: Regular honey works best, as the raw honey doesn’t tend to always mix well in this recipe and is inconsistent with quality.
- Sesame oil: A little goes a long way, so make sure you measure.
- Water: Gochujang has a thickness that can vary depending on the brand, age, and even temperature. A tiny splash of water is all that’s needed to thin it out to your desired consistency, depending on what you’ll use it for.
Preparing Korean Honey Mustard
Get out a bowl, measuring utensils, and a whisk. I hope you have 3 minutes to spare, because that’s all that you’ll need:
- STEP 1: Add everything to a bowl and whisk. Don’t go too fast, gochujang can stain if it splatters on you.
- STEP 2: Add a little water to thin it out. I prefer it to be the consistency of ketchup, which usually takes just a teaspoon or two of water.
- STEP 3: Taste and adjust. Once the water is added it can dilute flavors. Adjust to your preferred tastes if needed.
This sauce will keep in the fridge for weeks without going bad. Gochujang is a live product as it’s fermented, so the flavors will continue to develop and change over time. I do recommend consuming the sauce within a month for the most consistent taste.
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Korean Honey Mustard Sauce
This Korean honey mustard sauce is a complex flavor of smokey, spicy, sweet, and funky. It tastes SO GOOD on it’s own for dipping, or charred on the grill.
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: About 1/2 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup gochujang paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, smooth
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon water (more as needed)
Instructions
Mix ingredients together in a bowl. It should be a similar consistency of ketchup. Add water as needed to thin it out. Taste and adjust.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauces & Salsas
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Condiment
Keywords: Korean bbq, honey mustard, condiment, mustard, dijon, gochujang
This sauce is a regular for us. Don’t need the water.
★★★★★