Creamy Gochujang Pasta

I love gochujang, the spicy fermented Korean chili paste which is a staple in Korean cooking. I use it in my spicy oven cauliflower "wings," silken tofu with spicy sauce, and oven fried rice. But I always have a big tub of it languishing in my fridge and I can't help but think, there must be more ways to enjoy it.

I drew inspiration from a few creators. One was Aaron and Claire, who have a video on creative ways to use gochujang. The other was Joshua Weissman's recipe for pasta with spicy vodka sauce. easy spicy. I kind of melded the two, wanting a creamy sauce with a base note of tomato, plus the spicy umami tang of gochujang. Finishing with heavy cream and Parmesan, the result is a deliciously craveable pasta. The noodles are creamy and glossy with a rich, medium-spicy sauce. 

To add some veggies to the meal, I roasted cauliflower, intending to serve it on the side, and then I had the winning idea to add it as a topping. The crunchy bits of the mild cauliflower paired perfectly with the spicy pasta.

The next day, I reheated the leftovers, and they turned out great. I added some frozen edamame for nutrition. This is also delicious. If you're looking for more ways to use gochujang, give this a try. If you have gochujang languishing in the back of your fridge, this is a perfect recipe--it uses a whole quarter cup. Play around like I did with different additions, like vegetables or proteins. 

Creamy Gochujang Pasta

1 lb rigatoni or penne

1 t salt
1 T butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup gochujang
1 T rice vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
black pepper, to taste
sliced green onions for garnish

In a saucepan or Dutch oven, boil just enough salted water to cover your pasta and add 1 t salt. For me, this is about 6 cups or 1.5 liters. Using less water is more eco-conscious AND results in more concentrated, starchy water, which will help make a creamy, emulsified sauce at the end. Add pasta.

While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add butter and garlic, and saute for a few minutes, until garlic has softened. Add tomato paste and gochujang and vinegar, and cook gently over low heat for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in cream and Parmesan until melted.

When pasta is al dente, drain and combine with sauce, reserving an extra cup of pasta water in case you need it. Taste for seasoning. If mixture seems dry, add more pasta liquid. Garnish with green onions and serve.