Creamy Gochujang Pasta
This creamy gochujang pasta brings a Korean-inspired twist to your weeknight dinner. Gochujang’s unique blend of heat and sweetness, combined with rich heavy cream, creates a sauce that’s bold and exciting, but also comforting and indulgent. The addition of earthy mushrooms and Swiss chard adds texture and balance, making this dish satisfying without being overly heavy. As written, the recipe is vegetarian, but meat eaters can beef it up (pun intended) by adding their meat of choice. You can also easily adapt it to be dairy-free or gluten-free with simple swaps, making it as versatile as it is delicious. Best of all, it’s fast and satisfying—perfect for when you need something hearty but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles or the equivalent of 4 servings of fresh noodles
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 4 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- kosher salt
- 1 bunch Swiss chard center ribs removed and leaves cut into ribbons
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup gochujang
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook the noodles al dente in salted water, according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the noodle cooking water.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown.
- Add the chard and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl or plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and then add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the gochujang and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Stir in the cream and soy sauce and simmer until the mixture thickens a bit, 2 to 3 minutes. Add a splash of the reserved noodle cooking water to loosen the sauce a bit.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and cook, tossing the noodles with tongs, Cok for about 2 more minutes, adding additional reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, to ensure the sauce coats the noodles well. Toss in the reserved chard and mushrooms and then stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately, garnished with green onions, fried onions, crumbled bacon, or any other garnishes, as well as additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- You can make this dairy-free by substituting coconut milk or a mix of coconut milk and coconut cream for the cream and leaving out the Parmesan cheese. You can make it gluten-free by using gluten-free tamari or soy sauce and using rice noodles instead of wheat noodles.
- You can substitute yakisoba, chukasoba, udon, lo mein, Chinese wheat noodles, or Hokkien noodles here. To make a gluten-free version, use rice noodles.
- If you’re making it gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce and check the gochujang label to make sure the one you are using is gluten-free.
- Make it dairy free by substituting coconut milk for the cream and omitting the Parmesan cheese. You could sprinkle nutritional yeast on the finished dish for added umami.
Nutrition
Calories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 14gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 1779mgPotassium: 637mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5163IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 237mgIron: 4mg
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