Aleppo pepperSome stores
Same amount (1:1)
Closest in color, fruitiness and gentle heat.
Ingredient guide
Gochugaru 고춧가루
Korean chili flakes, sold coarse (for kimchi and stews) or fine (for sauces). They are fruity and a little smoky with moderate heat, much milder than cayenne, and give Korean dishes their signature red color.
Taste
Fruity and slightly smoky with medium heat.
What to look for
A bag labeled gochugaru (고춧가루); "sun-dried" is usually the better quality. Generic crushed red pepper from pizza shakers is hotter and seedier, so use it only if you must.
Storing it
Keep airtight in the freezer for the best color and flavor, or in the pantry and use within a few months.
How to find Gochugaru, anywhere
Works in any country — look for these names, in these kinds of shops.
Names to look for
- gochugaru
- Korean chili flakes
- Korean red pepper flakes
- Korean red pepper powder
Show this at the shop고춧가루
Where to look
- Korean grocery stores (the best choice)
- Asian supermarkets, in the dried spices or Korean section
- Some large supermarkets with an international aisle
- Online Asian grocers and marketplaces
Watch out for
- Pick coarse flakes for kimchi and stews, and fine powder for sauces and marinades.
- It is not the crushed red pepper from a pizza shaker: that is hotter, seedier and tastes different.
- A label that says sun-dried (태양초) usually means better color and flavor.
Can't find Gochugaru? Use this instead
Honest swaps, with amounts per unit of the original and how the dish will change.
Sweet paprika + cayenneEasy to find
For each 1 tbsp gochugaru: ¾ tbsp sweet paprika + ¼ tbsp cayenne
Skip smoked paprika — the smoky flavor doesn't belong here. Slightly flatter than gochugaru.
▼ fruity flavor
Cayenne onlyEasy to find
For each 1 tbsp gochugaru: ¾ tsp cayenne
Much hotter and thinner — the stew will look paler. Add it in small pinches.
▲ hotter▼ color
Where to buy it near you
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