There is really a small core group of Korean ingredients that are crucial to Korean food cooking at home. This is written for you if you’ve just gotten into Korean food and are facing the prospect of what the heck to buy first at the Korean grocery store. Those more familiar may think differently, and that’s only natural! We cook catering to our specific preferences. But if you’re just starting out, curious about the cuisine and need advice on a manageable amount of things to buy initially, this list will get you going in the right direction.

In this blogger’s humble opinion, there are only 3 things you absolutely need for authentic Korean flavours. This is the bare minimum so you aren’t overwhelmed by needing to stock an entire pantry at once. Please don’t send hate mail because Gochujang isn’t on the list, please add it if you love it. Based on my family’s near daily consumption of Korean food at home, the following are the most-often used Korean ingredients.

Top 3 Korean Food Ingredients You Must Have in Your Kitchen (for Absolute) Beginners

Soy Sauce
Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Powder)
Toasted Sesame Oil

Soy sauce is the liquid seasoning ingredient that will get the most use (they sell them in almost 2L bottles!). Traditionally made from soybeans that have fermented in brine: it adds salty, rich, umami flavour. In a pinch, you can substitute light Chinese soy sauce or Japanese soy sauce for Korean cooking with “close enough” results.

Umami is one of 5 basic tastes: Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter and Umami. It is often described as “savoury”.

$ Budget Option: Sempio Yangjo Soy Sauce #701

$$ Quality Option: Q-Rapha Traditional Korean Soy Sauce (3 ingredients, no preservatives, artisan-made in USA)

Gochugaru is the soul of Korean cooking and yields that appealing fire-engine red colouring. Not to mention it’s what adds that addictive spicy kick Korean food is famous for.

$ Budget Option: ChungJungOne Gochugaru

$$ Quality Option: Haenam Korean Gochugaru (Korean peppers, processed in Korea)

Toasted Sesame Oil is the go-to oil of choice. It is an acquired taste and many are guilty of overdoing it (that would be me) with this oil, but it’s featured as a finishing oil in many recipes.

$ Budget Option: Ottogi Toasted Sesame Oil

$$ Quality Option: Jeollanamdo Premium Sesame Oil + Perilla Oil Gift Set

Have plenty of garlic and spring green onions on hand and you’re ready to dip your toes in Korean cooking!

What can you make with just these ingredients?

Basic Bulgogi
Classic Tteokbokki
Basic Kimchi Stew

You may also be interested in these articles:

Which Korean Soy Sauce Do I Buy?

How to Store Korean Ingredients?

Other Korean Food Ingredients You May Want (depending on your preferences)

Gochujang: This may actually be a #1 essential ingredient for many- however, those in the know will find that because Gochujang (red pepper paste) is a convenience product made from Gochugaru (red pepper powder), you can get by with Gochugaru in many cases. Even Tteokbokki, the popular spicy rice cake dish, can be made the old-school way with only soy sauce and Gochugaru. Think of this as an easy shortcut ingredient- it’s usually in a red tub.
$ Budget Option: CJ Haechandle Gochujang
$$ Quality Option: GUSDAM Traditional Gochujang (Naturally fermented, no preservatives)
Doenjang: This one is also completely optional if you don’t find the fermented bean taste appetizing. Of course, if you acquire a taste for this, you wouldn’t be able to imagine going without Doenjang Soup or Stew but if you don’t enjoy these dishes, you can really go without. These are usually in brown tubs.
$ Budget Option: ChungJungOne Doenjang
$$ Quality Option: Yoon JiYeong Traditional Doenjang (Naturally fermented, no additives)
Fish Sauce/ Salted Shrimp: This can definitely be an intimidating purchase for the casual home cook. Potent in smell and flavour, you need to use this ingredient right. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it adds a mysterious je ne sais quoi that you’ll wonder how you did without. Salted shrimp is a bit of a better option (odour-wise) personally, but I will say a bottle will last a long time- unless you’re a DIY Kimchi-making fiend.
$ Budget Option: ChungJungOne Anchovy Sauce
Dried kelp/anchovy/mushrooms: This is the most commonly used soup base. In a pinch you only need some dried anchovies. You can simply add some to boiling water and remove before serving. Some will make a powder by removing the guts (a painstaking and annoying process) to remove any bitterness. Toast it lightly in a dry pan and give a go in the blender until it’s a fine powder- now you can easily add a spoonful or two to soups and stews. Otherwise, just pick up some pre-made pouches (mix of dried ingredients for soup) packed in convenient tea bags.
$ Budget Option: Large Dried Anchovy for Soup
$$ Convenience Option: ChungJungOne Anchovy Soup-making Pre-Packs
Ssamjang: This is a seasoned mix of Gochujang and Doenjang that is most often used as a ready-to-eat dip for meat and veggies during a Korean BBQ feast. Although you can easily whip some up if you’ve got Doenjang and Gochujang (start with a 1:1 ratio and adjust, temper with toasted sesame oil and sugar until it tastes good to you), if you enjoy this dip on the regular, it may be worth to stock this green tub of goodness in the fridge.
$ Budget Option: Sempio Ssamjang Dip
Mirim: This is like Japanese Mirin and used for the same reasons. It’s a cooking wine often added in splashes to meat/fish dishes. It adds a sweetness and also helps to reduce the fishy or gamey odours that some find offensive (this is different from spoiled meats, please don’t eat spoiled foods). We don’t use it.
$ Budget Option: Lotte Mirim Cooking Wine

There are more optional ingredients like Sweetening Syrups (Plum Extract), specialty vinegars (Apple vinegar) and oils (Perilla Oil) that you can get into when you’re sure you want Korean cooking to a regular occurrence in your home.

By the way, we just use honey or sugar instead of syrups, use rice wine (or even straight up white vinegar or even omit it completely) and don’t use Perilla Oil without ill effects.