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    Home » Asian Noodles

    Published: Dec 19, 2022 · Modified: Jan 8, 2023 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Creamy Gochujang Pasta

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Creamy Gochujang Pasta is deliciously creamy but not cloying. So tasty, you'll want to slurp up the sauce like a soup! Best of all, it's on your table in 15 minutes!

    Overhead shot of gochujang pasta spaghetti on a white plate.
    Jump to:
    • ⭐ Why This Recipe is a Star
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🧾 Variations
    • 🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips
    • 💭  Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗 Other Korean Recipes
    • Creamy Gochujang Pasta

    ⭐ Why This Recipe is a Star

    1. Gochujang Pasta is delicious: Does the world really need another Gochujang Pasta recipe? I've eaten a few versions of this recipe but most were much too thick for me. Much as I like cream, there needs to be a balance! In this recipe, the gochujang pasta sauce is creamy but not cloying, and is so scrumptious, I drink up all the sauce like it's soup even where there's no more pasta left!
    2. Easy to make and quick: This noodle dish only has a few simple steps and can be cooked in 15 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners!
    3. Very versatile: you can make it as is in the recipe below, or spruce it up with bacon, SPAM, tomatoes etc

    Note: If you like Gochujang Aioli Sauce, Gochujang Salmon or Gochujang Squash, you'll love this Korean-inspired pasta!

    🥘 Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients:

    • Spaghetti: You could probably substitute with other types of pasta and noodles, but note that I've not tried that. (Spaghetti is 1 of my favorite pastas! However, shaped pastas with grooves to trap the sauce, such as penne, fusilli and rigatoni, would also work very well.) Make sure to salt the pasta water well so that the flavor goes all the way into the pasta!
    • Korean Gochujang Sauce: Gochujang is quite a mainstream ingredient these days, so you should be able to find it at regular supermarkets under the Asian foods aisle.
    • Butter: use unsalted so that the dish doesn't end up too salty! You may want to reserve ½ Tablespoon of the butter quantity specified to add at the end of the cooking process- this gives the pasta a better shine and a richer flavor.
    • Aromatics such as onion and garlic: White, yellow or red onions work but red is my preference as it's a little sweeter. You can also use shallots in place of!
    • Heavy cream: this gives the Korean fusion dish richness, but if you can't get whipping cream, you can substitute with whole full-fat milk and decrease the amount of pasta water added.

    What is Gochujang?

    It's a fermented Korean red pepper paste that is salty, savory, sweet and just a little spicy. Great for those who like spice but can't take too much heat!

    Usually comes in red, rectangular plastic boxes and needs to be refrigerated after opening. (Some brands come in squeeze tubes. The taste of the different brands will vary slightly.)

    Made from red chilies, fermented soybeans, rice etc, this Korean chili paste is often used in many Korean recipes, such as tteokbokki and bibimbap, as well as marinades.

    🧾 Variations

    This Gochujang cream pasta is quite carb heavy, so here are some ways to add some proteins and/or fibre to it:

    • add tomatoes: gochujang actually goes really well with tomato, so I recommend adding in some halved cherry tomatoes (they're sweeter- I like vine picked ones) along with the pasta to the sauce.
    • with bacon: this is like a Korean version of carbonara and goes beautifully with bacon. Pan fry the bacon in a dry pan till the fat renders out. Plate the bacon bits then cook the creamy spicy pasta as per the recipe card. You may have to reduce the amount of butter used if there's a lot of bacon fat in the pan. Return the bacon bits to the pan before serving and mix well.
    • With a fried egg: you want an Asian style sunny-side up egg here, where the sides of the white are brown, crisp and a bit bubbly, but the yolk is still orange and runny.

    Of course, you can also add other proteins such as shrimp and chicken breasts!

    🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

    Minced onions and garlic being sautéed in butter.

    1a. Cook your pasta as per normal, but for 2-3 minutes less than you usually do. (You want it undercooked so that it will still be al dente after simmering in the creamy sauce later.) Once done, drain but save 1 Cup of the pasta water to add to the sauce later.

    1b. Whilst the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. Next, stir in the onions, garlic and (if using) sliced chilies till soft and fragrant.

    Note: remember that the water used to boil pasta should be well-salted: as salty as the sea!

    Adding a tablespoon of korean gochujang paste to a pan.

    2. Once the onions are translucent and aromatic, add in the gochujang and stir till well-mixed.

    Note: Be careful not to let the garlic burn. If necessary, turn the fire down to low.

    Adding a cup of heavy whipping cream to a pan of gochujang sauce.

    3a. Pour in the cream and stir well.

    3b. Pour in the pasta water and, if using, the seafood or chicken stock powder.

    Note: I find this combination salty enough, as pasta water is pretty salty already. However, do taste to see if you feel there's a need to season further. You can use light soy sauce instead of salt to season, if you wish.

    If not spicy enough for you, add in more gochujang, gochugaru powder or sliced chilies.

    Simmering pasta noodles in gochujang sauce.
    Note: I only added about ½ the pasta here, which is why it looks like there is too much sauce!

    4. Add in the pasta, stir and simmer till the pasta is cooked through.

    Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, small pieces of seaweed, sliced green onions or a sprinkle of gochugaru chili powder.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

    Tip #1: Don't cook this Gochujang Spaghetti over high heat as we don't want the cream sauce to curdle or "break"!

    Tip #2: Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days in an airtight container but would need to be reheated gently in a pan with 1-2 Tablespoons of water to loosen the sauce. (Microwaving will curdle the Cream.)

    💭  Recipe FAQs

    Can I top the gochujang pasta with cheese?

    You can but I find it doesn't need it as it's already thick and savory enough on its own. (Better for your Wallet too- parmesan cheese ain't cheap!) If adding, I suggest grated Parmesan at the end.

    Close-up of a pair of chopsticks grabbing some spicy, red gochujang pasta noodles.

    🥗 Other Korean Recipes

    • Korean Plum Tea (Green Maesil Cha)
    • 21 Best Korean Side Dishes for Bossam
    • Easy Gochujang Butternut Squash
    • Easy Korean plum wine recipe (maesil-ju)

    Enjoyed this easy Baked Gochujang Salmon Recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below! If you REALLY liked this Korean-inspired seafood dish, please consider supporting it by buying me a coffee! 🙂 (No obligation though!) Thank you and have a great day!

    Close-up of a pair of chopsticks grabbing some spicy, red gochujang pasta noodles.

    Creamy Gochujang Pasta

    Zen
    A plate of savory and deliciously creamy gochujang pasta with a thick and umami sauce soooo good you'll want to slurp it up like a soup!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Fusion, korean
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 515 kcal

    Equipment

    • Knife and cutting board
    • Pasta pot Substitute: big pot and a metal colander
    • Pan and wooden spatula

    Ingredients
      

    • 3.5 oz dried spaghetti Substitute: other types of pasta. You can use 4 oz of spaghetti if you are not adding any side dishes.
    • Water and salt For cooking the pasta. Save 1 Cup after cooking for the sauce.

    For the sauce

    • 2 cloves garlic peel and mince. You can still make this dish without the aromatics, but it won't be as fragrant. Add a bit more of the chicken or seafood stock powder to make up for the lack!
    • ¼ onion preferebaly red, peel and mince. Substitute: shallot
    • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 red chili pepper minced, omit if you don't like spice
    • 1 Tablespoon Korean Gochujang Paste You can use 2 if you like it spicier or add some gochugaru flakes
    • ½ Cup heavy cream
    • ½ Cup Pasta water from cooking the pasta
    • ½ teaspoon seafood or chicken stock powder Optional. If you omit it, you may need to season with salt and a bit of sugar.

    Instructions
     

    Cooking the Pasta

    • Cook your pasta as per normal, but for 2-3 minutes less than you usually do. (You want it undercooked so that it will still be al dente after simmering in the creamy sauce later.)
    • Once done, drain but save 1 Cup of the pasta water to add to the sauce later.

    Making the Sauce

    • Whilst the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. Next, stir in the onions, garlic and (if using) sliced chilies till soft and fragrant. 
      Note: remember that the water used to boil pasta should be well-salted: as salty as the sea!
    • Once the onions are translucent and aromatic, add in the gochujang and stir till well-mixed.
      Note: Be careful not to let the garlic burn. If necessary, turn the fire down to low.
    • Pour in the cream and stir well. 
    • Pour in the pasta water and, if using, the seafood or chicken stock powder. 
      Note: I find this combination salty enough, as pasta water is pretty salty already. However, do taste to see if you feel there's a need to season further. You can use light soy sauce instead of salt to season, if you wish.
      If not spicy enough for you, add in more gochujang, gochugaru powder or sliced chilies.
    • Add in the pasta, stir and simmer till the pasta is cooked through.
      Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, small pieces of seaweed, sliced green onions or a sprinkle of gochugaru chili powder.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    You can also add other ingredients such as cherry tomatoes, SPAM or bacon. See the post for details on how to cook with these extras.
    Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its accuracy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 515kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 9gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 148mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1455IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
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    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love cooking for friends and family. Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

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