Spicy Kimchi Pasta Recipe

The perfect fusion of Korean and Italian cuisines, this kimchi pasta recipe is filled with the tangy and spicy flavors of fermented kimchi and gochujang paste. Recipe developer Annabelle Randles gives this dish an extra rich and smooth texture by adding heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. To make this recipe vegan, simply use egg-free pasta and swap the kimchi, cream, and cheese for plant-based alternatives. You can adjust the spiciness by altering the amount of gochujang paste. 

Perfect for busy weekday dinners, this recipe comes together in under 20 minutes. As flavors will have more time to develop, leftovers of this kimchi pasta are just as delicious — if not more so — than a fresh serving.

You'll start by cooking the pasta, and to speed things up, Randles recommends preparing the creamy kimchi sauce while the pasta is cooking. This way you can have a spicy, creamy, subtly tangy meal on the dinner table in record speed.

To make this recipe you will need some pasta (spaghetti or linguine), kimchi, gochujang paste, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, scallions, and vegetable oil.

Cook pasta according to packet instructions in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.

When done, drain the pasta in a colander and reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.

In the meantime, heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook for about 6 minutes, until soft, stirring as it cooks.

Add the garlic, kimchi, and gochujang paste and cook for a minute.

Add the cream and leave to simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir the drained pasta into the sauce.

Mix in the Parmesan cheese.

Loosen up the pasta by adding ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid.

Top with scallions and serve.

Kimchi and gochujang paste bring their unique umami-rich flavors to this pasta dish and contrast beautifully with the silky creamy sauce and Parmesan cheese. Pasta dishes are often spiced with chiles, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, infused oils, or red pepper flakes to provide a simple fiery heat. In this recipe, the combination of kimchi and gochujang paste provides a much more interesting flavor profile. Tangy and spicy, kimchi has a distinctive sourness resulting from its fermentation process. Gochujang paste also has a rich tangy flavor with a distinct sweetness and a lingering heat from chili peppers. This burst of acidity, heat, and tanginess complements this creamy pasta dish so well.

A big perk to including both kimchi and gochujang in this pasta recipe is that there will also be a distinct level of warmth that additions like hot sauce just can't compete with. Subtly spicy, a little bit tangy, and even a bit sour, this is a pasta dish that manages to balance flavor profiles perfectly.

While kimchi and gochujang paste are both essential ingredients for this recipe, there are many ways you can customize this pasta dish. Randles favors spaghetti or linguine, but you can also opt for fettuccine, small pasta shells, or penne.

This is a slightly spiced dish that should be suitable for the whole family, but you can adjust the spice level according to your preference by using less (or more) gochujang paste. If you are cooking for people who have different spice sensitivity, consider adding red chili flakes on top of individual portions for extra heat.

For added protein, you can include diced tofu (Randles recommends smoked tofu which can be used straight from the pack), cooked chicken, or shrimp. You can also serve some vegetables on the side like mushrooms, broccoli as well as steamed or stir-fried greens such as spinach, kale, or bok choy. Randles suggests these air fryer kale chips or grilled bok choy to complement to this pasta dish.