This Gochujang Meatloaf transforms a classic comfort dish with vibrant Korean flavors. The gochujang paste adds a complex sweet-spicy-umami kick, while the sticky glaze creates an irresistible caramelized crust. It’s a cozy, modern twist that’s surprisingly easy to make.
Love Gochujang Meatloaf? So do we! If you're into Meatloaf Recipes or curious about Crockpot Recipes, you'll find plenty of inspiration below.
Why You’ll Love This Gochujang Meatloaf
- Flavor bomb: Gochujang brings sweet, spicy, and savory depth.
- Perfect texture: Moist and tender, slices neatly every time.
- Easy to make: Simple mixing, shaping, and baking.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble ahead or enjoy leftovers for days.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 450 g ground beef (80/20 blend is ideal)
- 450 g ground pork
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 100 g panko breadcrumbs
- 60 ml whole milk
- 3 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- For the Glaze: 3 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar
Tools: A standard 9×5-inch loaf pan, a large mixing bowl, a small saucepan for the glaze, and a skillet for sautéing.
Notes: The beef-pork mix ensures juiciness. Toasting panko adds nutty depth. Use real gochujang paste, not sauce, for best flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 420 kcal |
| Protein: | 28 g |
| Fat: | 24 g |
| Carbs: | 20 g |
| Fiber: | 1 g |
Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Don’t skip sautéing the aromatics. Taking the extra five minutes to cook the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant is a game-changer. It mellows their sharpness and builds a foundational flavor you just can’t get from adding them raw.
- Use a mix of meats for the best result. The pork adds fat and sweetness, while the beef provides a robust, meaty backbone. Using all beef can make the loaf a bit denser and less succulent.
- Handle the meat mixture gently. When combining everything, use your hands and mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Overworking the meat will make the final texture tough and rubbery—a little tenderness goes a long way.
- Let your meatloaf rest before slicing. I know it’s tempting to dig right in, but allowing it to rest for about 10 minutes after baking lets the juices redistribute. This means you’ll get clean, beautiful slices instead of a crumbly mess.
How to Make Gochujang Meatloaf
Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 190°C. Then, grab your skillet and heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. You’ll notice the kitchen starting to smell amazing. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute, just until it’s fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn! Scrape this mixture into a large bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. This step is all about building a deep, savory base for your meatloaf.
Step 2: To the same bowl with the cooled onion and garlic, add the ground beef, ground pork, lightly beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the milk, 3 tablespoons of gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, and grated ginger until it forms a smooth, maroon-colored paste. Pour this flavorful liquid over the meat and breadcrumb mixture. Now, it’s time to get your hands in there! Gently mix everything together with your fingers, just until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. You should see the gochujang streaking beautifully through the meat. Remember, don’t overmix!
Step 3: Transfer the meat mixture to your loaf pan. Use your hands to press it down evenly and smooth out the top. You want it to be compact so it holds its shape, but again, don’t pack it down with excessive force. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet—this is a great little trick to catch any potential drips and make cleanup easier. Pop it into the preheated oven and set your timer for 40 minutes.
Step 4: While the meatloaf bakes, make the irresistible glaze. In your small saucepan, combine the 3 tablespoons of gochujang, honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Whisk it together over low heat until it’s smooth, warm, and slightly thickened. It should have a glossy, sticky consistency—you’ll want to put this on everything. After the initial 40 minutes of baking, carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. You’ll see it has started to firm up and pull away from the sides of the pan.
Step 5: Using a spoon or a pastry brush, generously slather the entire top of the meatloaf with your warm glaze. Be lavish with it! You should use all of the glaze, as it will caramelize and create that signature sticky, sweet-and-spicy crust. Return the glazed meatloaf to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. It’s done when the internal temperature reaches 75°C on an instant-read thermometer, and the top is beautifully glazed and bubbling at the edges.
Step 6: Once it’s perfectly cooked, take the meatloaf out of the oven. This is the hardest part: you must let it rest. Place the loaf pan on a wire rack and let it sit for a full 10 minutes. This allows the proteins to relax and reabsorb all those wonderful juices. After it has rested, you can run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then carefully lift it out onto a cutting board using the parchment paper overhang, or simply slice and serve directly from the pan.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap whole loaf or slices in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Reheat slices in a 180°C oven until warm, or pan-fry for a crispy crust.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes — The ultimate creamy, comforting base that perfectly balances the spicy-sweet kick of the meatloaf.
- Quick-Pickled Cucumber Salad — A bright, acidic, and crunchy side that cuts through the richness and cleanses the palate.
- Sesame Roasted Broccoli — The nutty, roasted flavors of the broccoli echo the sesame in the meatloaf, making for a harmonious plate.
Drinks
- A cold, crisp Lager — The carbonation and clean finish are fantastic for washing down the rich, umami-packed flavors.
- Iced Barley Tea (Boricha) — A traditional, slightly nutty, and non-caffeinated Korean drink that complements the gochujang beautifully.
- Ginger Ale with a Lime Wedge — The spicy-sweet notes in the soda are a surprisingly perfect match for the meatloaf’s profile.
Something Sweet
- Matcha Ice Cream — The gentle, earthy bitterness of matcha provides a sophisticated and refreshing contrast after the savory main course.
- Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Flakes — The caramelized, tropical sweetness feels like a natural progression from the honey in the glaze.
- Orange & Pomegranate Salad — A light, juicy, and vibrant dessert that’s refreshing and not too heavy.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using lean ground beef. A little fat is your friend here! It melts during cooking, basting the meatloaf from the inside and ensuring it stays incredibly moist and tender. I’ve made the lean version before, and it was disappointingly dry.
- Mistake: Overmixing the meat. When you aggressively mix and compact the meat, you develop the proteins too much, resulting in a dense, tough texture that’s more like a hockey puck than a tender loaf. Mix with a light hand.
- Mistake: Skipping the rest time. Slicing into the meatloaf straight from the oven will cause all the precious juices to run out onto the cutting board, leaving you with a drier final product. Patience is a virtue here.
- Mistake: Not checking the internal temperature. Guessing doneness by color alone is risky. An instant-read thermometer is the only surefire way to know it’s perfectly cooked and safe to eat without being overdone.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Soak your panko. For an even more tender crumb, let the panko breadcrumbs soak in the milk for about 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. This creates a panade that acts as a super-effective binder and tenderizer.
- Tip: Free-form it on a baking sheet. If you prefer more crusty surface area, shape the meat mixture into a loaf directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You’ll get a gorgeous, caramelized crust all the way around.
- Tip: Double the glaze. Honestly, the glaze is that good. If you’re a sauce person, make a double batch. You can serve the extra on the side for dipping or drizzling over individual slices at the table.
- Tip: Grate your onion. If you’re not a fan of visible onion pieces, you can grate the onion on a box grater. This incorporates the flavor and moisture seamlessly into the meat mixture without any texture.
FAQs
Can I make this meatloaf ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can assemble the entire meatloaf in the pan, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before you plan to bake it. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before baking to take the chill off. You can also bake it, let it cool completely, and then refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 180°C oven until warm throughout.
My meatloaf is too spicy. How can I tone it down?
No worries, heat tolerance is personal! The primary source of spice is the gochujang. For a milder version, you can reduce the amount of gochujang in the meat mixture and the glaze by half. You could also add an extra tablespoon of honey or a splash of mirin to the glaze to boost the sweetness, which will help balance any remaining heat.
Can I use all beef or all pork?
You can, but the texture and flavor will be different. All beef will be more dense and robust, while all pork will be richer and softer. The combination is truly the sweet spot. If you must use one meat, I’d recommend all pork for its superior moisture, but be aware it will be quite rich.
What can I use instead of panko?
If you don’t have panko, regular breadcrumbs will work in a 1:1 substitution, though the texture will be slightly finer and denser. For a gluten-free option, crushed gluten-free crackers or rolled oats are excellent substitutes. Just make sure whatever you use is unsweetened and unseasoned.
How do I get perfectly neat slices?
The rest time is crucial for neat slices! Also, using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife and wiping it clean between cuts makes a world of difference. For the absolute cleanest cuts, some people even swear by using unscented dental floss to slice through the meatloaf—it sounds strange, but it works beautifully.
Gochujang Meatloaf
Transform your dinner with this easy Gochujang Meatloaf recipe. It's moist, flavorful, and topped with a sticky-sweet glaze. Get the recipe and make it tonight!
Ingredients
For the main ingredients:
-
1 tbsp vegetable oil
-
1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
-
3 cloves garlic (minced)
-
450 g ground beef (80/20 blend is ideal)
-
450 g ground pork
-
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
-
100 g panko breadcrumbs
-
60 ml whole milk
-
3 tbsp gochujang paste
-
2 tbsp soy sauce
-
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
-
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
For the Glaze:
-
3 tbsp gochujang
-
2 tbsp honey
-
1 tbsp soy sauce
-
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Instructions
-
Start by preheating your oven to 190°C. Then, grab your skillet and heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. You’ll notice the kitchen starting to smell amazing. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute, just until it’s fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn! Scrape this mixture into a large bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. This step is all about building a deep, savory base for your meatloaf.01
-
To the same bowl with the cooled onion and garlic, add the ground beef, ground pork, lightly beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the milk, 3 tablespoons of gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, and grated ginger until it forms a smooth, maroon-colored paste. Pour this flavorful liquid over the meat and breadcrumb mixture. Now, it’s time to get your hands in there! Gently mix everything together with your fingers, just until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. You should see the gochujang streaking beautifully through the meat. Remember, don’t overmix!02
-
Transfer the meat mixture to your loaf pan. Use your hands to press it down evenly and smooth out the top. You want it to be compact so it holds its shape, but again, don’t pack it down with excessive force. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet—this is a great little trick to catch any potential drips and make cleanup easier. Pop it into the preheated oven and set your timer for 40 minutes.03
-
While the meatloaf bakes, make the irresistible glaze. In your small saucepan, combine the 3 tablespoons of gochujang, honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Whisk it together over low heat until it’s smooth, warm, and slightly thickened. It should have a glossy, sticky consistency—you’ll want to put this on everything. After the initial 40 minutes of baking, carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. You’ll see it has started to firm up and pull away from the sides of the pan.04
-
Using a spoon or a pastry brush, generously slather the entire top of the meatloaf with your warm glaze. Be lavish with it! You should use all of the glaze, as it will caramelize and create that signature sticky, sweet-and-spicy crust. Return the glazed meatloaf to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. It’s done when the internal temperature reaches 75°C on an instant-read thermometer, and the top is beautifully glazed and bubbling at the edges.05
-
Once it’s perfectly cooked, take the meatloaf out of the oven. This is the hardest part: you must let it rest. Place the loaf pan on a wire rack and let it sit for a full 10 minutes. This allows the proteins to relax and reabsorb all those wonderful juices. After it has rested, you can run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then carefully lift it out onto a cutting board using the parchment paper overhang, or simply slice and serve directly from the pan.06
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