Gochujang vodka sauce

Camellia Ling Aebischer 0 Comments
The cream sauce really softens the heat of the gochujang but if you're worried you can sub in tomato paste for some of it.
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The origins of vodka pasta are hotly contested between Italy and America. I’ve thrown tradition out the window by swapping tomato paste with sweet and spicy gochujang.

What is vodka pasta?

Pasta alla vodka, or vodka pasta, is a simple dish of pasta tossed in a rose sauce. Typically it’s a combination of tomato paste or tomato sauce and cream. Vodka helps emulsify the sauce. Trace amounts of alcohol also stay in the sauce adding a warmth similar to how wine imparts a depth to certain foods.

Its origin is hotly contested between Italy and New York City. Arguably, the dish’s popularity is much greater in America than in Italy where it’s overshadowed by many other regional specialties.

Now, about the gochujang.

Gochujang is a sweet and spicy Korean pepper paste that is a beloved ingredient in my pantry. I mostly use it to make tteokbokki, but was inspired by the chilli+dairy combos of modern Korean cuisine. Like cheese buldak, cream and gochujang seemed like a match made in heaven, so I tested the theory.

@cammienoodle

Ok tell me why more people aren’t doing this? The sweet and spicy gochujang hits so hard with cream and garlic. #vodkasausce #gochujang #easydinnerideas #10dollarmealchallenge #asmrfood

♬ Disco Yes – Tom Misch & Poppy Ajudha

Tips before you begin

  • Always slightly undercook your pasta as it will finish cooking in the sauce. That way when you’re ready to serve it will be al dente.
  • Make your sauce a little ‘looser’ than you think it should be. It will thicken as the dish cools.
  • The sauce tends to split when this gets reheated, so it’s not a great one for leftovers. The best solution is to re-heat them in a pan with a little water, this will loosen and re-emulsify the sauce.

Gochujang vodka sauce

The origins of vodka pasta are hotly contested between Italy and America. I’ve thrown tradition out the window by swapping tomato paste with sweet and spicy gochujang.
Author: Camellia Ling Aebischer Cooking Method: Cuisine: , , Courses: Recipe Keys: Quick Meals Spicy Vegetarian Meals
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Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 10 mins Total Time 15 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 2 Best Season: Fall

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place a pot of well salted water onto boil for the noodles.
  2. In a large frypan over medium heat place garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Saute about 30 seconds until just golden then add the gochujang. Toast in the pan for a minute or two until it turns a deep red.
  3. Add vodka to deglaze, if it’s looking dry add a splash of water so it doesn’t burn. Add the cream and simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Meanwhile drop your noodles or pasta in to cook. After a few minutes add a little pasta water to the sauce and let it simmer down while the noodles continue cooking.
  5. While the noodles are still a little undercooked, add them to the sauce. Toss through parmesan and spring onions.
  6. Portion onto plates then top with more cheese, parsley or spring onion and a drizzle of olive oil to garnish.
Keywords: Budget friendly, Comfort food, Easy dinner, Noodle, Pasta, Spicy
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