Whip up this deliciously Creamy Gochujang Pasta in just 15 minutes! This makes it an ideal choice for a quick and satisfying midweek dinner on those hectic evenings! Adjust the spice level to your liking to make it suitable for the whole family!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links - This means I receive a commission for purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. Please click here for further info*
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Scatty Mum.
You might not expect gochujang and pasta to go together in the same meal, but it’s actually a viral Tik Tok recipe! Although I only discovered that after creating my own creamy gochujang pasta - I guess I’m officially old and out of touch 😂
I first came across gochujang paste when making this kimchi smashed avocado toast recipe from Waitrose. (it’s delicious by the way). The recipe only needed a teaspoon of paste, so I came up with this pasta dish & these Korean gochujang chicken wings to use up the leftovers.
If you love spicy pasta dishes, check out this spicy nduja pasta sauce & creamy chorizo & prawn pasta too! Prefer something milder? Try this deliciously creamy vegan mushroom pasta.
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- 🤔 What Is Gochujang Paste?
- 🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
- 🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
- ✏️ How to Make - Step-By-Step Instructions
- 💡 Tips & Tricks
- 🥡 Storage / Reheating / Freezing
- 🍴 Serving Suggestions
- 💬 Recipe FAQs
- ⚡ More Delicious Pasta Dishes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- ✔️ Ready In Just 15 Minutes: This is a super quick & tasty dish that is great for busy weeknight dinners.
- ✔️Dairy-Free & Egg-Free: The creaminess comes from coconut milk, (like it does in this mango chicken curry) making the recipe dairy-free. It can also be easily adapted to be gluten-free too!
- ✔️ Adjustable Spice Level: Love the heat? Add a bit more gochujang! Prefer to keep things milder? Halve the amount used.
- ✔️ Mix It Up: This recipe is a great base, but feel free to add in extra protein and veggie options. I give you some examples of these in the tips & tricks section below.
🤔 What Is Gochujang Paste?
Gochujang is a fiery Korean chilli paste, made from red chilli peppers, sticky rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It not only adds chilli heat to dishes but gives a rich umami flavour from the fermented soybeans.
It can be used in many ways from marinades and sauces to soups and stir-fries. Once you try it, you'll understand why it's a must-have ingredient in many Korean kitchens.
You can buy gochujang from Amazon or at most major supermarkets.
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this gochujang pasta. To find out how to make it allergy-friendly, simply scroll down to the section below this one.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Pasta - Any pasta will work for this dish. I have used rigatoni but spaghetti, linguine, penne and fusilli are other popular choices that will work just as well.
- Gochujang Paste - A Korean paste made from red chilli peppers. Different brands have a different level of spiciness so add gradually and taste as you go.
- Aromatics - Onion & garlic. Either use fresh or pre-chopped frozen onion and garlic.
- Tomato Puree - Or tomato paste as it’s known in the US, this helps to add a rich flavour to the pasta.
- Coconut Milk - As this recipe is dairy-free we are using coconut milk instead of double (heavy) cream. Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest, creamiest sauce.
- Spinach - Adds some colour and one of your 5-a-day to the pasta.
- Spring Onion - This is used as a garnish to add some crunch to the finished dish.
- Soy Sauce - For extra umami!
- Cornflour - This helps thicken the sauce a little if it needs it. Despite having “flour” in its name, cornflour is gluten-free.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
This gochujang pasta is naturally dairy-free and with a few tweaks can be adjusted to suit other allergies too.
Make It Gluten-Free: ✔️ Use gluten-free pasta. Check the ingredients on the gochujnag paste as some of them contain wheat. This gochujang by Sempio is gluten-free. Use tamari in place of soy sauce.
Make It Soy-Free: ✔️ Traditional gochujang is made from fermenting soybeans, so it’s pretty tricky to find a soy-free shop-bought paste, however, The Minimalist Baker has this great homemade version that is soy-free. Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and you are good to go.
✏️ How to Make - Step-By-Step Instructions
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Start by cooking the pasta according to the packet instructions until it's al dente.
Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside, making sure to reserve a cupful of the pasta water to use later for the sauce.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, finely dice the onion and use a garlic press to crush the garlic cloves.
Step 3: In a large saucepan or skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over a low to medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook it for about 5 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
Then, add the crushed garlic to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes. Keep stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Step 4: Next, it’s time to add the tomato puree and gochujang paste to the saucepan.
Let the mixture cook for about two minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Once the tomato puree and gochujang paste are well combined, pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes until it slightly thickens.
Step 6: Add the spinach to the sauce and stir it through until it wilts.
Step 7: Now, add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce, ensuring it is evenly coated.
To help the sauce adhere to the pasta, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.
Step 8: If you find that the sauce isn't thick enough to your liking, prepare a cornflour or cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon of cornflour with 2 teaspoons of water.
Pour this mixture into the pasta and sauce, stirring continuously for a couple of minutes until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Step 9: Finally, serve your creamy gochujang pasta immediately, garnishing it with chopped spring onion and vegan parmesan.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- ✔️ Don't overcook the pasta: Be sure to cook the pasta al dente to avoid it becoming mushy when tossed with the sauce.
- ✔️ Save some of the pasta water: Adding pasta water to a sauce helps to thicken and bind the sauce to the pasta, thanks to the starch released during cooking.
- ✔️ Adjust the spice level: I have created this recipe using 4 tablespoons of gochujang paste, which gives a medium-spicy flavour. Add in another tablespoon to turn up the heat or halve the amount used for a milder flavour.
- ✔️ Add some protein: This pasta sauce works really well with some added protein. King prawns, chicken and tofu all taste great in this dish.
- ✔️ Mix up the veggies: Spinach is just the start! Throw in some red pepper (capsicum), mushrooms or broccoli to up the veg count. This is a perfect vegetarian and vegan meal!
- ✔️ Garnish: Garnish with sliced spring onion and grated (vegan) parmesan.
🥡 Storage / Reheating / Freezing
Storage
If you have leftovers they will keep in the fridge, once cooled, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring every minute, or on the hob/stovetop on a low heat for a few minutes. Add a splash of water before reheating to loosen the sauce.
Freezing
Portion out any leftovers into separate freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
This is a dish that is a whole meal on its own, but adding dairy-free garlic bread into the mix only makes things better, right?
To balance things out, it’s also delicious with a crisp, green salad to the side.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Yes, gochujang paste is typically spicy, as it is made from red chilli peppers. However, the level of spiciness can vary depending on the brand and type of gochujang paste used. Some varieties may be milder, while others can be quite hot. I would recommend tasting the paste before cooking and adjusting the amount according to your preference for heat.
As it is fermented, once opened it needs to be kept in the fridge to help maintain its freshness, prevent spoilage, and preserve the flavour.
Once opened, gochujang paste can last for several months to a year when stored correctly in the fridge. Check the expiration date on the packaging and look for any signs of spoilage, like mould or changes in smell or texture, before using it.
⚡ More Delicious Pasta Dishes
Still craving pasta? Check out these other tasty delights!
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Creamy Gochujang Pasta
Ingredients
- 350 g (12.5oz) Pasta Use gluten free pasta to make recipe gluten free
- 4 tablespoon gochujang paste Make this homemade paste for soya free
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 400 ml ( 1⅔ cups) coconut milk full fat
- 100 g (3.5 oz) spinach
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree (paste)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce use coconut aminos for soy and gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cornflour optional
- 2 spring onions optional - to garnish
- vegan parmesan optional - to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving a cupful of pasta water.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, chop the onion finely and crush the garlic using a garlic press.
- In a large saucepan or skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over a low to medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Next, add the tomato puree and gochujang paste to the saucepan. Let it cook out for two minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Add the spinach to the sauce and stir through until wilted.
- Pour the drained pasta into the pan with the sauce and stir through.
- Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to help the sauce cling to the pasta.
- If the sauce isn’t thick enough for your liking, make up a cornflour/cornstarch slurry with 1 teaspoon cornflour and a couple of 2 teaspoon of water.
- Pour this into the pasta mixture and stir for a couple of minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve immediately garnished with chopped spring onion and (vegan) parmesan.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta: Be sure to cook the pasta al dente to avoid it becoming mushy when tossed with the sauce.
- Save some of the pasta water: Adding pasta water to a sauce helps to thicken and bind the sauce to the pasta, thanks to the starch released during cooking.
- Adjust the spice level: I have created this recipe using 4 tablespoons of gochujang paste, which gives a medium-spicy flavour. Add in another tablespoon to turn up the heat or halve the amount used for a milder flavour.
- Add some protein: This pasta sauce works really well with some added protein. King prawns, chicken and tofu all work really well in this dish.
- Mix up the veggies: Spinach is just the start! Throw in some red pepper (capsicum), mushrooms or broccoli to up the veg count.
- Garnish: Garnish with sliced spring onion and grated (vegan) parmesan.
Comments
No Comments