Essential Korean Pantry Staples

Stock your kitchen once, cook delicious Korean food anytime. These staples make bibimbap, banchan, stews, and quick comfort meals easy and flavorful.

See the Staples → Quick Bibimbap

New to Korean Cooking?

Start with these three basics and you can already make a simple, delicious bibimbap.

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Gochujang

Spicy-sweet chili paste. One spoon turns plain rice and veggies into bibimbap magic.

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Sesame Oil

Nutty aroma + glossy finish. Essential for seasoning namul and finishing bowls.

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Short-Grain Rice

Sticky and fluffy, the perfect base for mixing all those bold Korean flavors.

The 10 Must-Have Staples

Build your pantry once, cook Korean favorites all week

Core

Gochujang

Spicy-sweet fermented chili paste. The signature bibimbap sauce.

Core

Sesame Oil (or Perilla Oil)

Nutty aroma that levels up namul and finishing drizzle.

Spice

Gochugaru

Korean chili flakes for gentle heat and color.

Umami

Doenjang

Fermented soybean paste for rich, savory depth.

Seasoning

Korean-Style Soy Sauce

Salty base for quick namul seasoning and sauces.

Finish

Toasted Sesame Seeds

Crunchy topper for texture and aroma.

Aroma

Garlic

Essential in almost every namul and sauce.

Bright

Rice Vinegar

Adds a light tang to cucumber or zucchini banchan.

Optional

Dangmyeon

Sweet potato glass noodles for chewy texture.

Core

Short-Grain Rice

The classic sticky rice base for bibimbap.

Fast Bibimbap = Pantry Power

When your pantry is stocked, bibimbap becomes a 5-minute meal: warm rice, prepped veggies, a fried egg, and a spoonful of gochujang. Mix it up and you’ve got comfort in a bowl — even on your busiest days.

Tip: Start with gochujang, sesame oil, and rice, then build your pantry from there.