📋The Best Creamy Gochujang Pasta

rigatoni pasta and shrimp in creamy Korean gochujang paste sauce.

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📋The Best Creamy Gochujang Pasta

This gochujang pasta recipe combines Korean flavors with Italian cuisine for a hearty, umami-rich dinner that you can prepare in just 20 minutes. This pasta looks very similar to penne a la vodka, but adds a spicy kick to it. Tomato paste is replaced with Gochujang, making the luscious creamy sauce spicy with a hint of sweetness.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course, pasta

Cuisine: Italian, Korean

Servings: servings

Calories: 691kcal

Author: Jyothi Rajesh

Ingredients

8 ounces of pasta Rigatoni, orecchiette, shell, or spaghetti
3 Bacon strips cut into cubes
1 cup prawns peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter unsalted
4 cloves garlic minced
½ cup shallots diced
3 tablespoons gochujang paste
½ tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon granular white sugar
Salt to taste
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons green onion

Instructions

Boil water in a large pot. Generously salt boiling water. Cook pasta al dente as per packet instructions. Reserve ½ to 1 cup pasta water and drain cooked pasta, and set aside.
Tip: Cook pasta 2-3 minutes less than mentioned package instructions.
In a large pan, sauté the bacon cubes until browned. Remove browned bacon to a bowl and set aside.
Use bacon fat left in the pan to cook prawns. Lightly season prawns with salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove it to a bowl and set aside until use.
Add butter to the pan. Sauté minced garlic and shallots until shallots turn translucent.
Cook the gochujang paste briefly for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add soy sauce, milk, and heavy cream. Mix the sauce until the gochujang paste and cream are well combined.
If the sauce is thick, adjust its consistency by adding a splash of pasta water.
Add sugar and a pinch of salt (if needed).
Reduce heat to low, add cooked prawns, bacon, and pasta.
Stir to combine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes; this allows the sauce to coat the pasta evenly.
Turn off the heat, add freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and green onions.
Stir with gentle hands until the parmesan cheese melts and is combined with the pasta.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

I always cook pasta 2 to 3 minutes less than the time mentioned on the packet. Remember, pasta gets cooked again in the sauce.
To prevent pasta from sticking together, wait until the water comes to a rapid boil before you add pasta to cook in it. Also, stir once or twice while it cooks.
Short pasta is best as it holds the creamy sauce.
Salt water well. Always cook pasta in salted water.
Reserve pasta water. Pasta water helps glue the pasta to the sauce and adjusts the consistency if the sauce thickens.
Season to taste. There’s nothing worse than under-seasoned pasta; always season to suit your taste.
Grate your cheese. Always buy block cheese and grate it fresh. Pre-grated cheese is usually mixed with chemicals to keep it from sticking, which will alter the taste of the dish. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt very well.
Heavy cream makes the sauce rich and luxurious. You can substitute with whipping cream; I don’t recommend half and half or whole milk in this recipe. It will make the sauce light and lack richness.

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition