Gochujang Butter Pasta (Printable Page)

Creamy gochujang-butter coats spaghetti, finished with scallions, sesame and cracked black pepper.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
05 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water

→ Garnish

09 - 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
10 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add a generous pinch of salt, and cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Add the gochujang, soy sauce and honey to the skillet, stirring continuously for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet, pour in the reserved 1/4 cup pasta water, and toss over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the sauce evenly coats the pasta and becomes glossy.
05 - Divide the coated pasta between bowls, finish with sliced spring onions, toasted sesame seeds and a grind of black pepper, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your tastebuds will think you spent hours making the sauce, but dinner is ready in just 25 minutes.
  • The hit of gochujang gives this pasta a sweet, spicy depth that’s genuinely irresistible.
02 -
  • Once, I tried skipping the pasta water in a hurry—the sauce turned gluey and clung in clumps, so never forget to reserve some before draining.
  • Discovering that gently sautéing the garlic (not browning it) keeps the sauce mellow and prevents bitterness.
03 -
  • Using just-cooked pasta straight into the pan means starchy noodles grab more sauce.
  • Saving some extra pasta water gives you flexibility to adjust the consistency to perfection.
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