If you want a bowl of comfort food with a hint of umami heat then you need to try this Creamy Gochujang Pasta. And bonus, it’s ready in only 15 minutes!
I’m on a bit of a Gochujang kick right now. I just can’t get enough of that sweet and salty spice. I love adding Gochujang to stir-fry dishes like these Chilli Garlic Chicken Noodles or making my favourite comfort food Spicy Carbonara Noodles.
But Gochujang is such a versatile condiment, it really spices up so many dishes, including some of my favourite Italian pasta recipes like this Gochujang Vodka Rigatoni.
The beauty of this gochujang cream sauce is that it is prepared in the same amount of time the pasta takes to cook. Including prep time you can have this dish on the table within 15 minutes.
Gochujang Pasta Sauce
Not only does it taste delicious, but gochujang has a distinct umami flavour that pairs surprisingly well with creamy, cheesy pasta. Adding gochujang to a creamy pasta sauce creates a silky smooth sauce with a hint of smoky heat. It is difficult to really describe in words just how delightfully moreish it is.
Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste made from red chillies, sticky rice, fermented soya beans and salt. It is a thick, dark red paste usually sold in rectangular red plastic tubs. You can usually find gochujang in most supermarkets, specialist Asian supermarkets or online. It has a moderate heat with a subtle smoky sweetness and a umami tang from the fermented ingredients.
A great way to describe gochujang if you’ve never tried it is a combination of sriracha and miso, or like a spicy miso paste. If you enjoy condiments like sriracha, chilli garlic sauce or Sambal oelek I’m pretty sure you will enjoy gochujang.
My personal favourite brand for gochujang is Chung Jung One. It is made with brown rice instead of white so has a delicious nutty addition to the flavour profile.
It can vary depending on the brand, but I would describe gochujang as mild spice. The flavour profile is complex and well balanced – sweet and salty with a little smoke and spice. If you are using gochujang for the first time you may want to start the recipe with less and increase the amount to your taste and desired level of spice.
Ingredients
- Pasta – I like to use a chunky pasta shape like the short mezzi rigatoni I have used for the recipe photos. Rigatoni, penne or conchiglie work well. You can also try a long pasta like spaghetti, or even egg noodles or ramen.
- Gochujang – see my notes above, and feel free to adjust the level to your taste and desired spice level.
- Cream – Double or heavy cream works best for this recipe, but you can use single cream, half and half or a plant based cream as well.
- Garlic
- Shallots – or red onion.
- Butter – substitute olive oil or a plant based butter.
- Parmesan Cheese – or use Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano. Make sure you have extra for sprinkling on at the end.
- Chives – I love the fresh garlicky hint chives add to this pasta, but parsley and basil also work well. Or you can skip the herbs altogether.
Top Tips for Creamy Gochujang Pasta
- Feel free to adjust the amount of gochujang to your taste and desired spice levels.
- When adding the cream to the sauce, make sure you allow it come to a gentle simmer. It should be bubbling but not boiling. This denatures the milk proteins and allows some water to evaporate from the cream. I find this step means you get a thicker, smoother sauce with a glossier consistency and can use less cream in the recipe overall.
Serving and Storing
I love my creamy gochujang pasta served simply as it is. This is comfort food at its finest – creamy, cheesy and a little bit spicy.
A green salad or some garlic bread make excellent sides for gochujang pasta.
Add some protein – chicken or prawns work really well.
Incorporate some extra vegetables – sliced mushrooms or red peppers are lovely. Add them to the pan with the shallot. Or stir in some peas – you can blanch frozen peas with the pasta by adding them for the last 2 minutes of cooking. You can also stir in some baby spinach or kale to the sauce just before adding the pasta.
I recommend serving creamy gochujang pasta immediately, but you can store leftovers in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove with a splash of water, but beware the sauce may split. I really don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Try these easy pasta recipes:
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!
Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
Creamy Gochujang Pasta
Equipment
- Pasta Pot
- Spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 200 grams pasta
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- ½ cup double or heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic - diced
- 2 shallots or a small red onion - thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 20 grams parmesan cheese - plus extra to garnish
- diced chives - optional, to garnish
- salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente – about 2 minutes short of the packet instructions. Reserve a cup of cooking water before draining.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallot with a pinch of salt and sauté for about 5 minutes until softening.
- Stir the garlic and gochujang along with 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water in with the shallot and continue to cook, stirring regularly for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, then allow to gently simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes. Add in the cooked pasta, along with another 1-2 tablespoons of cooking water. Stir in the grated cheese.
- Stir well over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until the pasta is cooked to your liking and the sauce is thick and glossy. Add more pasta water if needed. Garnish with chopped chives and a little extra grated cheese to serve.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of gochujang to your taste and desired spice levels.
- When adding the cream to the sauce, make sure you allow it come to a gentle simmer. It should be bubbling but not boiling. This denatures the milk proteins and allows some water to evaporate from the cream. I find this step means you get a thicker, smoother sauce with a glossier consistency and can use less cream in the recipe overall.
Nutrition
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