Gochujang Tuna Salad

I’ve been having so much fun working my way through a big tub of gochujang that I bought a while back, adding it to random things I’m eating and discovering how much flavor it can bring to my meals. My latest experiment was gochujang tuna salad. It creates a uniquely savory and spicy tuna salad that is great for sandwiches, wraps, or just stuffing into crunchy vegetables!

What is Gochujang?

Gochujang is a Korean chile paste made with chile peppers, rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It kind of reminds me of a spicy version of miso. Gochujang is really starting to trend in the U.S. because of its uniquely sweet-salty-spicy and UMAMI flavor, and because we’re all kind of over our infatuation with sriracha and looking for the next best thing. You can usually find a tub or tube of gochujang in the international aisle of most major grocery stores (I used this one), or if you’re really adventurous, try making your own homemade gochujang!

Scroll down to the step by step photos section below the recipe to see images of what gochujang looks like.

How to Serve Gochujang Tuna Salad

As with most tuna salad, this tuna salad can be made into a sandwich or wrap, scooped up with crackers or vegetables, or you can even serve it in little lettuce cups (maybe topped with some shredded carrot).

Try These Other Tuna Salad Flavors

Love to jazz up your tuna salad? Try these other tuna salad variations:

  • Tuna and White Bean Salad
  • Sesame Tuna Salad
  • Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad
  • Classic Tuna Salad

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Gochujang Tuna Salad

4.88 from 8 votes Add some extra umami heat to your lunch with this simple and tasty gochujang tuna salad. Author: Beth – Budget Bytes Servings 4 ½ cup each Prep 5 minutes Total 5 minutes Save RecipeSaved! Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.10)
  • 1 Tbsp gochujang ($0.23)
  • 1 12oz. can chunk light tuna in water ($1.99)
  • 2 green onions, sliced ($0.20)

Instructions 

  • First, stir the mayonnaise and gochujang together until smooth.
  • Drain the tuna well, then add it to the gochujang mayonnaise mixture, along with the sliced green onions. Stir until the tuna is evenly mixed with the mayonnaise. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

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Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 184.1kcalCarbohydrates: 3.83gProtein: 17.28gFat: 11.18gSodium: 498.58mgFiber: 0.43g Read our full nutrition disclaimer here. Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!

How to Make Gochujang Tuna Salad – Step by Step Photos

This is the type of gochujang that I used. It comes in a tub and lasts next to forever in the fridge. I got this at Kroger, which actually had 2-3 different brands available.

And this is what it looks like inside. It’s a thick, red paste. It looks (and tastes) like a spicy version of miso.

Because gochujang is so thick, you’ll want to mix it together with the mayonnaise first. Combine ¼ cup mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp gochujang and stir until smooth.

Drain one 12oz. can of chunk light tuna in water and slice two green onions. Add both to the gochujang mayonnaise.

Stir the tuna and green onions into the gochujang mayonnaise until evenly combined.

Enjoy with vegetables, crackers, as a sandwich, or a wrap!

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