Description
Gochujang Buttered Noodles is a quick and flavorful Korean-inspired dish featuring tender spaghetti tossed in a spicy, sweet, and tangy gochujang butter sauce, garnished with fresh scallions and cilantro. Perfect for a satisfying meal ready in under 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta
- 3 tbsp kosher salt (for salting water)
- ½ lb spaghetti (or other long pasta, udon, or ramen)
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp vegan butter (divided, or dairy butter if not vegan)
- 6 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste (not sauce)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
- 1 ½ tbsp agave syrup
- Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
For Garnish
- Finely chopped scallions
- Finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Reserve Pasta Water & Drain: Reserve 1 cup of the pasta’s cooking water, then drain the spaghetti in a colander. Return the drained spaghetti to the cooking pot and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce: While the pasta cooks, warm 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until it turns golden but not brown, to infuse the butter with garlicky flavor.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in the gochujang paste, rice vinegar, and agave syrup. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly to combine the flavors well. Then remove the skillet from the heat.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the pot with the spaghetti. Stir thoroughly until the butter melts and the noodles are evenly coated. Gradually add small amounts of the reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce and help it cling smoothly to the noodles.
- Season & Garnish: Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper to your preference. Garnish the noodles with the finely chopped cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately while hot for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Spice up your dinner table with this flavor-packed Gochujang Buttered Noodles recipe, ready in under 20 minutes!
- Perfectly tender pasta noodles are tossed in a spicy, sweet, tangy Korean chili butter sauce for a satisfying quick-fix meal.
- You can substitute spaghetti with udon, ramen, or any long pasta depending on your preference.
- Adjust the gochujang quantity to control the spice level according to your taste.
- Use vegan butter to keep the dish entirely plant-based.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. ¼ of recipe)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
