This gochujang pasta blends spicy Korean gochujang paste with cream and Parmesan to create a silky, comforting sauce that clings to the pasta. Ready in around 15 minutes, it’s an easy meat-free meal—perfect for a quick midweek dinner.
Nicky’s Notes
It might look a little like tomato soup mixed through pasta, but the flavour and texture are completely different. This is a smooth, creamy-spicy sauce made with gochujang, plenty of garlic, a touch of tomato purée, cream and Parmesan.
It’s quick and simple to prepare and is really tasty. I prefer it with rigatoni, but any pasta—long or short, dried or fresh—will work.
Serve it as is for a satisfying vegetarian meal, or add chicken or salmon for extra protein. I can’t stop making this pasta!
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Gochujang Pasta
- Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Gochujang Pasta Recipe
- 🍲 More spicy pasta recipes
📋 Ingredients for Gochujang Pasta
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
What is gochujang?
- Gochujang is a Korean spicy-sweet paste made from red chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt. It’s thick, slightly sticky and deep red in colour.
- Choose a Korean brand (usually stocked in the Asian aisle) rather than supermarket own-brand glass jar alternatives for the best flavour.
- I use gochujang for marinades, spicy coatings and stir-fries; combined with cream and Parmesan it becomes an unexpectedly silky and warming pasta sauce.
Abbreviated Recipe
Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, fry onion and garlic with salt and pepper. Add gochujang, tomato purée and soy sauce, cook briefly, then stir in cream and Parmesan. Drain pasta, add pasta water and a knob of butter to the sauce, toss the pasta in and serve topped with spring onions, extra Parmesan and sesame seeds.
Recipe Tips
- Reserve around 500ml (about 2 cups) of pasta cooking water. The starchy water loosens the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta—start with half and add more if needed.
- Stirring in a knob of butter at the end enriches the sauce, helps it emulsify and gives a glossy finish.
I like to finish the dish with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan, sesame seeds and chopped spring onions (scallions).
🍽️ What to serve it with
This pasta is delicious on its own, but if you’d like extra protein or texture try:
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Quick & Easy
Honey Garlic Butter Baked Salmon
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Steak Bites
Sides
Marinated Onions
Salads
Simple Green Salad with Vinaigrette dressing
Breads
Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- I don’t recommend making this ahead—it tastes best freshly made.
- Leftovers can be cooled, covered and refrigerated. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water, and add a little extra cream and Parmesan to restore creaminess.
📺 Watch how to make it
Gochujang Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) pasta shapes or spaghetti (rigatoni works well)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp gochujang paste
- 3 tbsp tomato purée (tomato paste in the USA)
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 100 g (1 cup) Parmesan, grated
- 120 ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
To Serve:
- Small bunch spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
- Extra grated Parmesan
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a large pan of salted water for 1 minute less than the pack instructions. Reserve about 500 ml (approx. 2 cups) of the pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
- Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the gochujang, tomato purée and soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the Parmesan and cream, stirring until smooth.
- Drain the pasta, then add half of the reserved pasta water to the pan and mix with the sauce. Add the pasta and the butter to the pan.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce and cook together for 1 minute so the pasta is well coated. Add more pasta water if you want a looser sauce.
- Divide between four bowls and top with spring onions, extra Parmesan and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
🍲 More spicy pasta recipes
Quick & Easy
Spicy Sausage Rigatoni
Pasta
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Quick & Easy
Creamy Cajun Prawn Pasta
Pasta
Buffalo Minced Beef Spaghetti
Pasta
One-pan Chorizo Spaghetti
Pasta
Penne Arrabiata
Some links in this post may be affiliate links; if you buy through them I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nutrition details are approximate. For more information see the site’s terms and conditions.