Level up your pizza night with an Asian-inspired twist! This Korean Pizza recipe has all the fixin’s – BBQ pulled “pork”, kimchi, and a gochujang tomato sauce (topped off with kimchi mayo for good measure!)
Thanks so much to Lucky Foods for sponsoring this post! Thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.
For those who have been reading along for a while, you’ll know that one of my passions is stretching the realm of things you can (or should) put kimchi on. We did kimchi tacos and fries and noodles and now…we pizza. Korean pizza!
Where typical Mediterranean and American pizzas tend to stick with savory classics – like mozzarella, pepperoni, and veggies – Korean pizza does things a little differently. Korean pizzas are often fully loaded with unique ingredients and flavors, edging more towards sweet and spicy!
And while some of the most common Korean pizza toppings include meat – like beef bulgogi and seafood – today we’re making a simple vegetarian Korean pizza! The “meat” will be our famous BBQ pulled “pork” mushrooms, then we’ll load up the pizza with the Korean classics, like kimchi, gochujang, kimchi mayo, and cilantro!
But it’s not a Korean pizza without authentic flavor, and that’s where our friends at Lucky Foods lend a hand. They make the most flavor-packed authentic Korean products that simply transform this pizza.
We’ll infuse their Gochujang chili pepper paste into our pizza sauce for a sweet/spicy base. Then there’s the Vegan Kimchi, which adds zingy crunch. And we’ll finish things off with a drizzle of Kimchi Mayo (because honestly, every pizza needs a dipping sauce). Let’s cook!
How to Make Korean Pizza
First up, the sauce!
Our sauce will be a quick combination of tomato paste, rice vinegar, and Gochujang Paste – a Korean chili pepper paste with a mild sweet/spicy flavor.
The sauce will be the flavorful base of our Korean pizza!
Cheese please!
Next up, CHEESE! We’re just using shredded mozzarella cheese here, which has a mild flavor to let our other ingredient shine.
Pulled “pork” time
Many Korean pizzas have a sweet but savory meat addition. Ours will have something like that (but…better). We’ll whip up a quick batch of our king oyster mushroom pulled “pork” then sprinkle it over the pizza. Major yum factor.
Top it like it’s hot
Then we’ll just go crazy with the toppings. We’re talking kimchi (I love the Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi because it’s vegan, unlike most kimchi out there!), and throw on some red onion and scallions for good measure.
And bake!
Bake until the cheese is all melty with spots of golden brown. Enjoy!
Korean Pizza Topping Ideas
The options are endless when it comes to your Korean pizza toppings! Here are a few more ideas for changing it up:
- Mushroom bulgogi (like what we did in these bibimbap bowls)
- Potato wedges are a common addition
- Bell peppers (sliced or diced) add a nice amount of crunch and can help balance the spiciness
- Pineapple, though controversial, would work with these Korean flavors
- Egg is even sometimes added, just crack an egg on the pizza and it will cook as the pizza cooks
- And of course, be sure to check out the whole product line over at Lucky Foods for more topping ideas!
Looking For More Korean Inspiration?
- Vegan Korean BBQ
- Korean Eggplant Tacos
- Loaded Kimchi Fries
- Vegetarian Bibimbap
- Korea Kimchi Soup
- Or check out the Korean recipe inspiration over on Lucky Foods!
Looking for something to pair this Korean Pizza with? It goes well with light sides, like Thai Cucumber Salad or Vietnamese Spring Rolls!
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste 45 g
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang Paste 45 g
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 15 mL
BBQ Pulled “Pork”
- 4 king oyster mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp oil 15 mL
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp each salt and cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce 60 g
Pizza Toppings
- 1 pizza dough
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided, 120 g
- ½ cup Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi 75 g
- ¼ cup sliced red onion about ¼ of an onion
- 3 scallions sliced
- ¼ cup Kimchi Mayo 50 g
- To Serve: cilantro crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Sauce: Mix together all Sauce ingredients then set aside.
- BBQ Pulled "Pork": Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Using two forks, shred the stems and caps roughly into pieces. Set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, paprika, salt, cayenne, and garlic. Toss around to evenly coat the mushrooms, then bake for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are a bit crispy and brown on the edges. In a bowl stir together cooked mushrooms and BBQ sauce. When finished, increase oven heat to 450°F (230°C) for the pizza.
- Dough: Grease a large pan (circular or rectangular) well, optionally dusting it with cornmeal. Roll pizza dough out into a large circle or rectangle (depending on the shape of your pan), then transfer dough to the pan.
- Assemble: Spread your sauce evenly onto the pizza, leaving about ½ inch free around the outside. Sprinkle on 1 cup of the cheese, then top with BBQ pulled "pork", kimchi, red onion, and scallions. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown in spots.
- Serve: Slice and serve warm, topped with Kimchi Mayo, fresh cilantro, and crushed red pepper flakes!
Tips & Tricks
Thanks again to Lucky Foods for sponsoring this post! Be sure to check out their whole line of Korean / Fusion Sauces!) Find their products in a store near you!
Gw says
This is a great idea for a non-standard pizza. Can’t wait to try this on pizza night.
Bintang Adhi prasetyo says
Salam D’ MAESTRO PIZZA
sh says
Interesting recipe, except that cilantro is really not a Korean thing at all. Not many Koreans like cilantro and definitely no Korean dish uses cilantro.
Matthew says
this was awesome