Mini Korean-style Vienna sausages stir-fried in a sweet, smoky, spicy sauce with bell peppers and aromatics. This easy Korean Sausage Stir-Fry recipe uses simple ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes! A better-than-takeout side or main that's perfect for busy weeknights or lunchboxes.
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Korean Sausage Stir-fry features Korean-style Vienna sausages, bell peppers, onions, and garlic cooked in a spicy, sweet, and tangy sauce.
The savory sausages are snappy in texture and are perfectly balanced by the ketchup and gochujang. For a non-spicy version, feel free to omit the gochujang.
This popular Korean side dish, or banchan, is also known as Sausage Yachae Bokkeum (소세지 야채볶음) or Sso-Ya (쏘야).
It's usually served with rice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or packed in bento boxes for school or work.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Mini Korean-style Vienna Sausages or Cocktail Sausages (aka 'Smokies'): Korean-style Vienna sausages contain fish and pork. Cocktail sausages do not contain fish. Or use sliced Bratwurst, Frankfurt sausages, Knockwurst, or hot dogs.
- Red Bell Pepper and Green Bell Pepper: Or use yellow or orange bell peppers.
- Onion: Or use red onion or 2 shallots.
- Garlic
- Neutral Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low smoke point oil.
- Sesame Seeds (optional garnish)
Sauce
- Ketchup
- Gochujang: A thick, spicy, and sweet Korean red chili paste made of red chili flakes, fermented soybean paste, glutinous, rice and salt. It ranges from mild to hot.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Or use low-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce.
- Honey: Use plain liquid honey. Or use maple syrup.
- Sesame Oil: Or use a neutral cooking oil if you're allergic to sesame oil.
- White Granulated Sugar: Or use cane sugar.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores, or check online.
Variation
- Gluten-free version: Use gluten-free sausages and gluten-free gochujang. Replace the soy sauce with tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.
Expert Tips
- For best texture, use Korean-style Vienna sausages or Mini Cocktail sausages with a snappy sausage casing.
- Don’t overcook the bell peppers, so they remain crisp yet tender.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast.
- Make shallow cuts into four sausages at a time to save on time!
- Use a non-stick pan for easy clean up as the sauce will get stickier with heat.
- To make the dish less salty (optional), soak the mini sausages in boiling water for 1 minute before slicing and strain out the water to remove excess sodium and additives.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Korean sausage stir-fry:
- Score the sausages: Using a sharp knife, make 3-5 shallow cuts on one side only to 4 sausages at the time. Do not slice deeply.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics and peppers: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the bell peppers and cook for 30–60 seconds, until slightly softened.
- Add sausages and sauce: Add the sausages and stir-fry for 1 minute. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through. Add the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with sesame seeds, remove from heat, and enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- Korean sausage stir-fry can last up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
- I don't recommend freezing Korean sausage stir-fry as the bell peppers will become mushy.
Pairing Suggestions
Korean sausage stir-fry pairs well with:
- Steamed rice
- Kimchi
- Korean cucumber salad
- Beansprout salad
- Zucchini fritters
- Gamja jorim
- Korean spinach
- Japchae
- Gyeran mari
- Fish cake stir-fry
- Korean Braised Tofu
- Chamchijeon (tuna pancakes)
FAQ
Korean sausage stir-fry can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
You can make Korean sausage stir-fry not spicy by omitting the gochujang.
You don't have to score the sausages, but this prevents them from bursting open and speeds up the cooking time. If you prefer not to, soak them in hot boiling water for 1 minute, then strain out the water and cook for 6-7 minutes in total.
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📖 Recipe
15-min. Easy Korean Sausage Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1.10 lb Korean-style Vienna Sausages or mini cocktail sausages
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 small onion julienned
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds optional garnish
Sauce
- 3 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, make 3-5 shallow cuts on one side only to 4 sausages at the time. Do not slice deeply.
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the bell peppers and cook for 30–60 seconds, until slightly softened.
- Add the sausages and stir-fry for 1 minute. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through.
- Add the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with sesame seeds, remove from heat, and enjoy!
Nanajee Travels
This looks so flavorful! 🔥🌶️ The perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and spicy—plus, it’s ready in just 15 minutes? 😍 Definitely a must-try with a bowl of steaming rice! 🍚✨
Christie Lai
Thank you so much!