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Is Gochujang Halal? Alcohol, Brands & Certified Options

Short answer Depends

Gochujang's core ingredients, chili, rice, fermented soybeans and salt, are plant-based [1]. The question is alcohol. Many pastes list added alcohol, and some sauces use rice wine or sake [3][9]. Some scholars allow small amounts of non-wine alcohol [1][2], and halal-certified pastes exist, such as Sempio Classic [3]. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

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What the schools of thought say

SchoolViewSource
Hanafi (SeekersGuidance) Gochujang is generally permissible based on its ingredients. Trace non-wine alcohol is allowed if it is not intoxicating and not used as an intoxicant, following Imam Abu Hanifa. Alcohol from grapes or dates (wine) is not allowed in any amount. [1]
Hanafi (Darul Iftaa Chicago) Food with alcohol can be allowed only if the alcohol is not from dates or grapes, does not intoxicate, and is not a direct ingredient. Food mixed with mirin fails this test and is not permissible. [7]
Ja'fari (I.M.A.M., following Ayatollah Sistani) Gochujang with added ethyl or distilled alcohol is permissible when the alcohol is less than about three percent. Wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks remain unlawful in any amount. [2]
LPPOM MUI (Indonesia) Rice-wine seasonings such as sake and mirin are khamr. They are not allowed in halal products even in small amounts, and cooking does not change this. [8]

What gochujang is

Gochujang is Korea's fermented red pepper paste. A SeekersGuidance answer lists its basic ingredients as chili powder (gochu-garu), glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder (meju), malt powder and salt [1]. None of these are animal products.

In 2020 the Codex Alimentarius moved gochujang to a world standard and recognized it as its own fermented food, separate from chili sauce [6]. The standard is flexible and allows extra ingredients such as vinegar and seasoning vegetables [6]. That flexibility is why labels vary a lot between brands.

Where alcohol comes in

Many commercial pastes add alcohol, often to keep the paste fresh. Two examples from Sempio's own product pages:

  • Sempio Gochujang Classic lists alcohol as an ingredient, and again inside its soy seasoning [3].
  • Sempio Gluten-Free Gochujang is labeled vegan, and it also lists alcohol [4].

Ready-to-use gochujang sauces can go further. One US listing for Bibigo Hot & Sweet Gochujang Sauce includes cooking rice wine and salted sake [9]. Rice-wine seasonings are a different issue from a small amount of added ethanol, because many scholars treat sake and mirin as intoxicants [7][8].

So "gochujang" on a menu or label doesn't tell you much. The paste and the sauce can have very different ingredients.

What scholars say about the alcohol

Views differ on small amounts of non-wine alcohol:

  • A Hanafi answer from SeekersGuidance says gochujang is generally halal, and that trace non-wine alcohol is allowed as long as it doesn't intoxicate. Wine from grapes or dates is not allowed in any amount [1].
  • Darul Iftaa Chicago (Hanafi) is stricter about alcohol used as a direct ingredient, as with mirin [7].
  • I.M.A.M., which follows Ayatollah Sistani, says added alcohol below about three percent is permissible [2].
  • Indonesia's LPPOM MUI does not allow sake or mirin in halal food at any level [8].

See our alcohol (ethanol) page for how these rules apply to other foods.

Halal-certified gochujang

Some brands hold halal certification:

  • Sempio's product page for Gochujang, Hot Pepper Paste, Classic lists halal among its certifications [3]. The page doesn't name the certifier.
  • CJ says it gained halal certification for its Haechandeul gochujang in Indonesia in 2021, meeting MUI standards [5].

Certification can apply to one product, one factory or one country. A halal mark on a jar sold in Indonesia doesn't mean the US version of the same brand is certified. Check the mark on the jar in your hand, and look for the certifier's name.

How to check before you buy or order

  • Read the ingredients. Look for "alcohol," "ethyl alcohol," "rice wine," "sake" or "mirin."
  • Look for a halal mark with a named certifier.
  • Ask at restaurants. Korean dishes like tteokbokki often use gochujang, and the meat in the dish is a separate question.
  • Check packaged foods. Spicy noodles such as Buldak and Shin Ramyun have their own pages.

Frequently asked questions

Does gochujang have alcohol in it?

Often, yes. Sempio lists alcohol on both its Classic and Gluten-Free gochujang [3][4]. Some US gochujang sauces also list cooking rice wine or sake [9]. Read the label of the exact jar or bottle.

Is Sempio gochujang halal?

Sempio's Classic Hot Pepper Paste lists halal among its certifications, even though it contains alcohol [3]. Its Gluten-Free gochujang page shows a vegan label but no halal certification [4]. Check the mark on your jar.

Is gochujang halal for Shia Muslims?

I.M.A.M., which follows Ayatollah Sistani, says gochujang with added ethyl alcohol is permissible when the alcohol is less than about three percent [2]. Wine and beer stay unlawful in any amount [2].

Is gochujang vegan?

Many pastes are. The basic ingredients are chili, rice, fermented soybeans, malt and salt [1], and Sempio labels one version vegan [4]. Vegan is not the same as halal, though, because alcohol can still be present.

Sources

  1. Is Gochujang Halal? · SeekersGuidance · accessed
  2. Is ethyl alcohol or distilled alcohol found as an ingredient in gochujang permissible to use in cooking? · I.M.A.M. (Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya) · accessed
  3. Gochujang, Hot Pepper Paste, Classic · Sempio · accessed
  4. Gochujang, Korean Chili Paste, Gluten-Free · Sempio · accessed
  5. CJ's Halal Market Breakthrough · CJ Corporation · accessed
  6. Spiciness of Korean Food, in Global Standards · Korea Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs · accessed
  7. Is Mirin in Sushi Halal for Hanafis? · IslamQA.org (Darul Iftaa Chicago) · accessed
  8. Here's Why Sake and Mirin are Haram · LPPOM MUI · accessed
  9. Bibigo Hot & Sweet Gochujang Sauce (product listing) · Safeway · accessed