Steamed Mackerel with Korean Spicy Gochujang Sauce
Tender steamed mackerel fillets topped with a vibrant, spicy-sweet gochujang sauce typical of Korean cuisine. This Korean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs mackerel fillets, gochujang (Korean chili paste), soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets (about 6 oz each) mackerel fillets
- 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup water
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Fill a large steamer pot with 1 cup water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Step 2: While waiting, mix 3 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp honey, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp grated ginger in a small bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Step 3: Place 4 mackerel fillets skin-side down on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer.
- Step 4: Pour half of the prepared gochujang sauce evenly over the mackerel fillets.
- Step 5: When water is boiling, place the plate with mackerel into the steamer, cover, and steam for 8-10 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Step 6: Carefully remove the plate from the steamer and spoon the remaining sauce over the fillets.
- Step 7: Garnish with 2 thinly sliced green onions and sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.








