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Noodles · Korean home cooking

Gochujang butter pasta

A glossy, gently spicy weeknight pasta. Gochujang, butter and a little pasta water make a sauce that clings to every strand.

25 min2 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Gochujang butter pasta

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Dry spaghetti is unavailable

    Use instead
    Dry linguine
    Substitute quantity
    about ⅓ of a 500 g packReference quantity: 180 g

    Boil to its packet time and save the same amount of starchy cooking water.

  • Essential

    This fermented chilli paste defines the flavour. Check its heat and salt on the label; ketchup is not a like-for-like replacement.

  • Substitute available

    If Unsalted butter is unavailable

    Use instead
    Mild olive oil
    Substitute quantity
    2 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 30 ml

    Use half to soften the garlic and half after tossing the pasta. The sauce will be less buttery.

  • Essential

    Mince finely; do not brown it dark.

  • Substitute available

    If Unsweetened soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Unsweetened tamari
    Substitute quantity
    1 small teaspoonReference quantity: 5 ml

    Use the same amount. Taste after cooking before adding any more salt.

  • Essential

    Save before draining. The starch joins the butter and paste; ordinary cold water makes a thinner sauce.

  • Optional

    Add for substance or leave out; reduce the pan-cooking time by 2 minutes if omitted.

  • Optional

    Sprinkle on top after cooking, or omit.

  • Optional

    A finishing topping; omit for a dairy-lighter dish, but the butter remains dairy.

  • Optional

    Only add after tasting if the paste is sharper than you like.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the 180 g dry spaghetti and cook according to its packet until just tender, usually 8–11 minutes. Stir occasionally. Before draining, scoop out ½ paper cup of cloudy pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta; do not rinse.

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the 180 g dry spaghetti and cook according to its packet until just tender, usually 8–11 minutes. Stir occasionally. Before draining, scoop out ½ paper cup of cloudy pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta; do not rinse.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: While the pasta boils, slice the optional mushrooms and spring onion. Mince the 2 small garlic cloves. In a small bowl mix the 1 level eating spoon of gochujang with the 1 small teaspoon of soy sauce and 2 level eating spoons of the reserved hot pasta water. Stir until the paste loosens.

    While the pasta boils, slice the optional mushrooms and spring onion. Mince the 2 small garlic cloves. In a small bowl mix the 1 level eating spoon of gochujang with the 1 small teaspoon of soy sauce and 2 level eating spoons of the reserved hot pasta water. Stir until the paste loosens.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Set a wide pan over medium-low heat. Melt 1 level eating spoon of the butter. Add the minced garlic and optional mushrooms. Stir for 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic smells fragrant; lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown.

    Set a wide pan over medium-low heat. Melt 1 level eating spoon of the butter. Add the minced garlic and optional mushrooms. Stir for 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic smells fragrant; lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Add the loosened gochujang mixture to the pan and stir for 30 seconds on low heat. Pour in another 2 level eating spoons of reserved pasta water. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer; do not fry the paste until it burns.

    Add the loosened gochujang mixture to the pan and stir for 30 seconds on low heat. Pour in another 2 level eating spoons of reserved pasta water. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer; do not fry the paste until it burns.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Add the drained pasta and toss for 1–2 minutes until every strand is coated. Add the last 1 level eating spoon of butter, then pour in the remaining reserved water a little at a time until the sauce is glossy and lightly clings to the pasta, not watery. Taste only after the sauce is cooked.

    Add the drained pasta and toss for 1–2 minutes until every strand is coated. Add the last 1 level eating spoon of butter, then pour in the remaining reserved water a little at a time until the sauce is glossy and lightly clings to the pasta, not watery. Taste only after the sauce is cooked.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Turn off the heat. Add optional spring onion and grated cheese. If needed, add the optional 1 small teaspoon of sugar after tasting; do not add it automatically. Divide between two bowls and eat hot. Gochujang still has chilli heat even though butter softens the taste.

    Turn off the heat. Add optional spring onion and grated cheese. If needed, add the optional 1 small teaspoon of sugar after tasting; do not add it automatically. Divide between two bowls and eat hot. Gochujang still has chilli heat even though butter softens the taste.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Gochujang butter pasta
Gochujang butter pasta
Helpful tips

Makes two main servings. 1 level eating spoon is 15 ml; a paper cup holds 180 ml when full. If cooking on a lower heat, the sauce may need a little more of the reserved pasta water. Check gochujang and soy sauce labels for wheat and soy; cheese and butter contain milk. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C. Store at 4°C or below up to 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C, loosening with a spoon of water.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Serve immediately while the sauce is silky. Add a crisp cucumber side dish for contrast; keep the cheese optional if the gochujang is already salty.

Serve it with