gochujang pasta

this gochujang pasta features a classic cream sauce with a vibrant kick! tender pasta is coated in a silky, rose sauce that combines the sweet heat of gochujang with rich cream. finished with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan, this cheesy, spicy-sweet bowl of comfort food will make you rethink pasta night.

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this gochujang pasta transform your typical cream sauce into something with a little bit more of a kick. it features tender pasta in a glossy, rose sauce made with gochujang, cream and a mix of spices. finish off with melty mozzarella and parmesan for the ultimate bowl of spicy, sweet, and delightfully cheesy comfort food.

why you will love this gochujang pasta recipe:

• easy recipe: this gochujang pasta recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together in a matter of minutes. great for beginners or anyone who doesn’t feel like cooking and wants an easy, comfort meal.

• versatile and easy to customise – you can easily customise spice levels to your taste in this gochujang pasta recipe by adjusting the spices and the amount of gochujang used. this gochujang pasta dish can also be enjoyed in a variety of ways with added protein like chicken or shrimp, or extra vegetables like mushrooms. you can switch it up depending on what you’re feeling!

• satisfying and comforting – despite its simplicity, this gochujang pasta is really satisfying and comforting, with unique flavours, but also that classic comfort of a warm, cheesy bowl of pasta.

learn how to make this easy gochujang sauce pasta:

to make this gochujang cream pasta, we’re going to start off by cooking the pasta. then, in a pan, we’ll make the gochujang cream sauce by cooking fresh garlic in butter until it becomes a light golden colour.

then, we’ll add gochujang paste and cook that out, before adding heavy cream, cream cheese and a mix of spices. then, we’ll add some pasta water.

once the gochujang pasta sauce thickens up, we’re going to add a mix of parmesan and mozzarella cheese and let it melt into the gochujang sauce. finally, add the cooked pasta to the pasta sauce, top with some more parmesan, and we’re done!

gochujang pasta ingredients:

• pasta – you can use any shape of pasta that you prefer. boil the pasta with salt, water and a bit of oil in the pot.

• butter – this gochujang pasta recipe uses unsalted butter. we’re going to cook the garlic in the butter.

• garlic – i like to make the gochujang pasta sauce with minced garlic for this recipe.

• gochujang paste – we’re going to make the pasta sauce with gochujang – just one heaped tablespoon of gochujang paste adds a lovely sweet spicy flavour to this pasta.

• heavy cream – i like to make this gochujang pasta with cream. heavy cream or double cream will be used to make the gochujang cream sauce. if you prefer a thinner, less heavy sauce, you can also use single cream or cooking cream in place of this.

• cream cheese – some cream cheese in the gochujang sauce helps make it extra creamy and rich,

• seasonings – we’re going to use a mix of black pepper, red chilli flakes, paprika, garlic powder and dried parsley. if you feel like the sauce needs some salt, feel free to add that in, but bear in mind that the cheese, pasta water and gochujang itself will also be salty.

• cheese – i like to mix some freshly grated parmesan into this gochujang sauce pasta as well as some mozzarella, and then top it with some more parmesan after serving.

• pasta water – save some pasta water when draining the cooked pasta – this will be used to adjust the consistency of the sauce, and will also help the sauce stick to the pasta better.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: boil your pasta in water with some salt and a little bit of oil and cook pasta according to package instructions. once the pasta is cooked, it should be firm with a little bit of bite to it, and not overly soft. drain the pasta and set it aside, making sure to save some of the pasta water.

step two: heat up a large saucepan or large skillet, then, add butter and let it melt in the pan. add fresh minced garlic. cook the garlic in the butter over medium heat until it becomes a light golden colour – this took about a minute.

step three: add the gochujang paste, and cook this over low-medium heat until it darkens in colour and starts to smell slightly sweet – this took about 1.5 minutes.

step four: gradually add the heavy cream and stir it as you pour it into the pan.

step five: add the cream cheese and mix it into the gochujang cream sauce.

step six: add all of the seasonings, and mix those into the sauce.

step seven: let the sauce gently come to a boil, until it thickens up.

step eight: add the leftover pasta water that you saved, and mix this into the sauce. then, let this gently come to a boil until the sauce has thickened up.

step nine: add freshly grated parmesan cheese and some mozzarella cheese, and mix these in until they melt into the sauce.

step ten: add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix it into the gochujang cream sauce. let this cook for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

step eleven: serve, top with more freshly grated parmesan cheese and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• cook the pasta al dente – slightly undercook the pasta as they will continue to slightly cook and soften when you add them to the gochujang sauce at the end. this ensures the perfect texture and prevents the pasta from becoming overly soft and mushy..

• if you want to adjust the consistency of the sauce and feel like it needs to be thinner, feel free to add more of the pasta water than stated.

• adjust seasonings to your taste – if you don’t like much spice, feel free to reduce the amounts of the black pepper and the red chilli flakes in this recipe. the gochujang, the cheese and the pasta water will be salty so this recipe does not call for any extra salt, but if you do feel that it needs some salt, feel free to add some.

• let the gochujang cook for a good minute or two once you add it in, as this will help enhance its flavour and bring out its sweetness.

• if you’d like to serve this gochujang pasta dish with an extra side of protein, grilled chicken, shrimp or even tofu would work really well with it.

• if you want to keep this gochujang pasta recipe a bit lighter, you can use a mix of butter and oil instead of all butter at the beginning. you can also just skip the butter altogether and use something like olive oil or any other kind of oil.

• i would recommend using freshly grated parmesan in the sauce, as it gives the best flavour and will melt easily into the sauce.

• i used penne pasta for this gochujang pasta recipe, but you can use any shape of pasta that you like.

• if you’d like to add some vegetables to this gochujang pasta, some sautéed mushrooms or spinach would complement it really nicely.

• when bringing the cream sauce to a boil, gradually heat it up so that it’s not suddenly exposed to high heat. make sure you continue to stir it as it heats up, and don’t let it boil vigorously. bring the cream to a gentle simmer or a very low boil, then reduce the heat. all of this will prevent the cream from curdling.

• you can adjust the amount of gochujang in the pasta sauce to match your preferred spice level. if you find that the stated amount might be too spicy for you, feel free to reduce it.

frequently asked questions

1. what is gochujang?

   – gochujang is a thick, sticky, korean red chili paste. it is quite concentrated in flavour and is a mixture of sweet, spicy, salty and tangy. gochujang is usually added alongside other ingredients to add depth to a dish. it can be added to lots of different things, such as sauces, marinades and soups. gochujang in pasta adds a lovely spice sweet depth that works well with the creaminess. i usually use this halal one.

2. can i make this gochujang pasta dish spicier?

   – if you want to make this gochujang a little spicier, you can adjust the amount of the red chilli flakes and black pepper in this recipe as well as the amount of gochujang used.

3. can i make this gochujang pasta without cream?

   – if you want to make the gochujang pasta sauce without cream, keep in mind that the sauce won’t be as rich and creamy. if you’re okay with this, you can make this gochujang pasta with milk instead of cream. the sauce will be thinner and you might need to adjust the amount of pasta water used later on. if you do want to thicken the sauce up a little, you can add a small amount of flour after the butter to make a roux before adding the milk.

4. do i have to make this gochujang pasta with parmesan?

   – parmesan adds a delicious savoury and salty note to this dish but it’s absolutely not necessary. you can omit the parmesan cheese if you don’t have it or would prefer a lighter version of this dish.

5. do i have to use butter for this gochujang pasta recipe, or can i use oil?

   – i like to use butter in this gochujang pasta recipe as it adds richness and flavour to the pasta sauce. but, it is absolutely not necessary. you can use oil instead of the butter, or you can use a mix of oil and butter.

6. can i add protein to this gochujang pasta dish?

   – absolutely! this gochujang pasta would pair really well with something like chicken or shrimp, or even tofu.

7. how long does this gochujang pasta keep in the fridge?

   – stored in an airtight container, this gochujang pasta should keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.

recipe