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Creamy gochujang pasta served on a white plate, topped with grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. A silver fork placed in the right side of the plate.

BEST Creamy Gochujang Pasta

Petranka
This Gochujang Pasta is creamy, spicy, and SO saucy! It's made with 8 ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes! Perfect for a weeknight dinner!
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Vegetarian
Servings 4
Calories 548 kcal

Equipment

  • A large pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb (250g) pasta of choice (I use large rigatoni; use gluten-free if needed)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon butter (use olive oil or vegan butter if needed)
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoon gochujang (add 3 tablespoon if you like it really spicy)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (or vegan cream or full-fat coconut milk from a can)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan, and more for serving (use vegan parm if needed)

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large pot with water and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta, stir and cook for 1 minute shy from what the packaging says, until al dente.
  • When ready, save ½ cup of pasta water, and drain the rest. Add the pasta to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside.
  • In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring very often, or until fragrant. Add gochujang paste and stir. Toast the paste for 1-2 minutes, or until it darkens in color and caramelizes a little bit.
  • Then, add the heavy cream and half of the reserved pasta water. Stir until the sauce is creamy and smooth. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, and smoked paprika (if using) and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the creamy sauce, alongside the grated parmesan cheese. Turn the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is well coated, stirring often.
  • Remove from the heat and give it a taste test. Add more salt or black pepper if needed, or more pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce.
  • Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese on top and a few sprinkles of fresh parsley (optional).

Notes

  • Use high-quality pasta. Bronze-but pasta releases more starch into the pasta water and later absorbs more of the sauce. You also want to choose a pasta type with a rough exterior so the sauce can stick to it. In general, the better your pasta, the better the final dish.
  • Salt your pasta water like the ocean. This flavors the noodles from the inside out, and later flavors the sauce. I like to add at least 1 teaspoon of sea salt for every 3 liters of water.
  • Cook the pasta until al dente. The pasta will continue to cook when it gets tossed with the sauce, so set a timer for 1 minute less than the time on the package instructions.
  • Save some of the pasta water. Have you ever wondered how the sauces in Italian restaurants are so smooth and creamy and stick to the pasta? Well, pasta water is the secret. Because it has starch from cooking the noodles, it makes the sauce super creamy and coats the pasta very well.
  • Toast the gochujang paste. Toasting the gochujang paste in oil or butter caramelizes it, and gives it a nutty flavor. This is an essential step to add flavor and sweetness to the sauce.
 
Storage
  • Fridge: Let leftovers cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. If the pasta and the sauce are stored separately, they can last for up to 6 days. If they have been mixed, they will keep for 3-4 days.
  • Freezer: Yes! Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
 
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with an online calculator without including the optional ingredients. The information shown should not be considered a substitute for personal nutritional advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 548kcal
Keyword gochujang pasta, gochujang pasta recipe, korean pasta, korean recipes
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