For a stew, start by looking at doenjang; for a lettuce-wrap dip, look at ssamjang; for a chili-paste recipe, find gochujang. Similar tubs do not make them interchangeable. Buying the right product for one planned meal is more useful than buying a kilogram because it has the lowest unit price.
The three labels to recognize
| Korean label | Product category | A useful first job | Check before substituting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 고추장 — gochujang | Korean chili paste | A measured ingredient in bibimbap sauce or tteokbokki | Whether it is paste or a diluted, seasoned sauce |
| 된장 — doenjang | Korean soybean paste | Seasoning a vegetable-and-tofu broth | Whether the tub is plain paste or a ready-seasoned stew base |
| 쌈장 — ssamjang | Seasoned dipping paste | A small dab in a lettuce wrap or beside vegetables | Added seasoning, heat and allergens |
Sempio’s official jang catalogue separates these categories. Its soybean dipping paste combines soybean paste, chili paste and seasonings. The table is a starting shopping decision; recipes and brands vary.
Do not use lid color as a universal code. Read the product name and ingredient list. A squeeze sauce may be the convenient choice for drizzling, but it is not necessarily the concentrated paste a recipe measures by the spoonful.
One label example that prevents an allergy mistake
Sempio’s Classic Ssamjang lists wheat, soybeans and sesame. Its gluten-free ssamjang has a different formula and still lists soybeans and sesame. “Gluten-free” does not mean free of every allergen, and the word ssamjang does not identify the ingredients of every version.
These manufacturer pages were checked on October 3, 2026. Read your actual package, including imported stickers and cross-contact statements. For US packaged food, the FDA explains how to read allergen declarations. If a necessary detail is missing, contact the producer before eating it.
Compare the cost of the amount you will use
Use total payable price ÷ net grams × 100 to compare price per 100 g. Include delivery charges for an online purchase. Compare the same type of product, not a concentrated paste against a ready-to-pour sauce.
A hypothetical 200 g tub for $4 costs $2 per 100 g. A 500 g tub for $7 costs $1.40 per 100 g, but requires $3 more at checkout. If you will only use 100 g before the rest is discarded, the smaller purchase costs less overall. These are calculation examples, not current US market prices.
Before buying the larger size, write down two dishes you will actually make. For gochujang that could be tteokbokki sauce and a noodle dressing. For doenjang, plan a small stew and a second soup. For ssamjang, plan wraps and a vegetable dip. If you cannot name a second use, start small.
How to avoid losing control of the seasoning
For a cooking paste, add a small measured amount, dissolve or mix it through, and adjust after tasting the cooked dish. Adding a large spoonful changes more than color: it can also change saltiness, sweetness and thickness.
For a dip, put a small serving in a separate dish. Keep utensils that touched raw meat out of the main container. Follow the package’s storage and after-opening instructions; fermentation is not permission to ignore refrigeration directions or keep an opened tub indefinitely. Do not taste a suspect product to decide whether it is safe.
If a recipe is already salty, swapping in a seasoned paste without adjusting the other seasoning is a poor comparison. Write down what you changed so the next batch is repeatable. See the kimchi fried rice guide for a measured starting recipe with gradual seasoning, and the kimchi types guide when choosing its main ingredient.
Your grocery-aisle checklist
Save the Korean name, desired dish and required dietary restrictions in your phone. At the shelf, confirm paste versus sauce, net weight, full ingredients, expiry and storage instructions. Compare the final price only after those checks. The most useful tub is the one that fits the meal you will cook and the label requirements you need.