Creamy Gochujang Pasta
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Creamy Gochujang Pasta
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Why you should make this recipe
I first saw this creamy Gochujang pasta recipe trending online. I had never thought to use Gochujang in a pasta recipe and definitely never thought to use it within a creamy, cheesy sauce.
The result of adding a little Gochujang with garlic, parmesan, cream and pasta water, makes the richest, spicy, yet creamy pasta sauce. The flavour is so complex with minimal effort for this trending recipe. Does it get any easier than using 5 ingredients and only 10 minutes of your time? It’s hard to compete with.
Other Gochujang recipes you should try…
Gochujang Noodles (Spicy Korean Noodles)Turkey Mince Recipe with Rice (Gochujang Fried Rice)
Gochujang Turkey Noodles
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is also known as Korean BBQ sauce and is a fundamental ingredient in Korean dishes. It’s a thick red paste made from chillies, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt. Some versions of this spicy, sweet sauce use dried chilli flakes or chilli powder instead of chillies to provide a similar kick of heat.
The paste has a deliciously sweet yet spicy flavour and is often in sauces, marinades, and soups that need a taste boost. Its thicker consistency means that it is mixed with another liquid in most recipes to make it easier to use.
Where can I buy Gochujang?
It is becoming more widely used so you can find it in most large supermarkets. If your local supermarket fails to supply them, try visiting your local Asian food store.
Ingredients
Gochujang paste
It provides the most prominent flavour, helping turn the dish into a sweet, spicy recipe.
Parmesan
A salty, cheesy, umami-packed flavour bomb that completes this Korean cream pasta.
Single cream
A little single cream goes a long way here. When combined with pasta water and parmesan, we achieve the best creamy, cheesy foundation for our Gochujang to thrive on.
Garlic
Adds an aromatic element to the dish. A parmesan and cream pasta recipe wouldn’t be right without garlic would it?
Spaghetti
You can use your favourite pasta shape here. I chose spaghetti as I think it really pairs well with our creamy Gochujang sauce.
How to make creamy Gochujang pasta
Start by adding the spaghetti to heavily salted pasta water. Set your timer to 2 minutes minus the packet time. Then to a large/ deep pan, add the olive oil, chilli flakes and garlic. Gently fry on a (very) low heat for around 2 minutes.
Next, add the Gochujang paste into the pan to fry for a couple of minutes.
Loosen the sauce with 2 ladles of pasta water.
Ensuring that the Gochujang sauce isn’t boiling (reduce the heat), add the cream into the pan with the parmesan. Stir to form a creamy sauce, adding another ladle of pasta water.
Add the undercooked spaghetti into the pan and stir to combine, gently heating as you stir. The pasta water should thicken into an emulsified cheesy sauce. Keep adding pasta water as necessary and once the pasta is fully cooked, serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of parmesan.
Serve with tenderstem broccoli and mushrooms sauted with fry light (place in 5 meal prep containers).
What to serve with this recipe
Whilst this Gochujang paste recipe does have over 20g of protein, to ensure we have a balance of nutrients, pair this recipe with your fave veggies. I chose to air fry some mushrooms and tenderstem broccoli.
Other veggies/sides that would work well with this creamy Gochujang pasta:
- Baked crispy kale/ cavolo nero
- Peas
- Mangetout
- Chinese cabbage
- Green side salad
If you want to add more protein to this recipe:
- Seared turkey steaks
- Turkey mince
- Pork mince
- Crispy pan-fried firm tofu
- Shredded chicken breast
Storage/ Reheat
Can I reheat this recipe?
Yes you can! To prevent drying out when reheating, add a tbsp or two of water into the bowl with one serving. Pop in the microwave for two minutes, stirring once after 1 minute. Serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan and a sprinkle of chilli flakes, if you wanna really turn the heat up. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze this recipe?
Yes, for up to 3 months. To defrost, thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature overnight. Then, follow the steps above to reheat and enjoy.
Other quick dinner recipes you should try out…
Halloumi PastaCrispy Chilli Chicken (Healthy Fakeaway Chinese) Spicy Chili Oil Ramen Noodles
Creamy Gochujang Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Gochujang paste (£2.50/5)=(£0.50)
- 100 g parmesan (£1.60)
- 150 ml single cream (£1.10/2)=(£0.55)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (£0.39)
- 500 g spaghetti £0.80
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp chilli flakes, optional
Method
- Add spaghetti to heavily salted pasta water. Set your timer to 2 minutes minus the packet time.
- To a large/ deep pan, add the olive oil, chilli flakes and garlic. Gently fry on a (very) low heat for around 2 minutes.
- Next, add the Gochujang paste into the pan to fry for a couple of minutes, before loosening with 2 ladles of pasta water.
- Ensuring that the Gochujang sauce isn’t boiling (reduce the heat), add the cream into the pan with the parmesan. Stir to form a creamy sauce, adding another ladle of pasta water.
- Add the undercooked spaghetti into the pan and stir to combine, gently heating as you stir. The pasta water should thicken into an emulsified cheesy sauce. Keep adding pasta water as necessary and once the pasta is fully cooked, serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of parmesan.
Serve with tenderstem broccoli and mushrooms sauted with fry light.
Nutrition
Creamy Gochujang Pasta
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