Gochujang Pasta with Mushrooms, Cream, and Chives Recipe
This Gochujang Pasta recipe combines the rich, spicy flavors of Korean gochujang paste with creamy pasta for a quick and delightful fusion dish. Made with gluten-free paccheri or rigatoni, sautéed garlic, shallots, mushrooms, and a luscious cream sauce, this pasta is garnished with parmesan cheese and chives for an irresistible finish. Ready in just 20 minutes, it serves 6 and is perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Fusion (Korean-Italian)
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8.8 oz Gluten-free paccheri or rigatoni
Aromatics
- 1 oz garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 6 large cloves)
- 1 oz shallot, finely chopped
Vegetables
- 10 oz white button mushrooms or cremini, sliced
Other Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 pinches coarse sea salt, or to taste
- 2–3 tbsp gochujang paste
- 1 cup half-and-half, heavy cream, or dairy-free creamer
- 1 tbsp butter
- Grated parmesan cheese or cashew parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
- Chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the water to cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, following package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Prepare aromatics. While the pasta cooks, thinly slice the garlic, finely chop the shallot, and slice the mushrooms.
- Preheat the pan. Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat until warm. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic, shallot, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until fragrant, about 15–20 seconds.
- Sauté herbs and mushrooms. Add the sliced mushrooms, remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and another pinch of salt. Sauté until the mushrooms release some liquid and soften slightly, about 3 minutes.
- Sauté gochujang paste. Push the mushrooms to the side of the pan and add the gochujang paste to the center. Sauté for 10 seconds to release its aroma.
- Add the cream. Pour in the half-and-half (or cream/dairy-free creamer) and stir with a wooden spoon until the paste is fully incorporated, about 1 minute. If the pasta isn’t ready, turn off the heat to prevent the sauce from over-reducing. The sauce should look smooth but slightly loose at this point.
- Add pasta. Return the drained pasta to the pan. Toss over medium heat for 30 seconds to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- Add butter. Stir in the butter and let it melt, which will thicken the sauce and make it glossy, about 2–3 minutes. If the sauce feels dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the pasta to a serving plate. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and chopped chives. Serve hot or warm for best flavor.
Notes
- Use gluten-free pasta to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Adjust the amount of gochujang paste to your desired spice level.
- You can substitute half-and-half with heavy cream or a dairy-free creamer if preferred.
- Reserve pasta water is important to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- Cashew parmesan can be used as a vegan alternative to parmesan cheese.
