e available routes. foreach ( $routes as $route => $callbacks ) { $data = $this->get_data_for_route( $route, $callbacks, $context ); if ( empty( $data ) ) { continue; } /** * Filters the publicly-visible data for a single REST API route. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param array $data Publicly-visible data for the route. */ $available[ $route ] = apply_filters( 'rest_endpoints_description', $data ); } /** * Filters the publicly-visible data for REST API routes. * * This data is exposed on indexes and can be used by clients or * developers to investigate the site and find out how to use it. It * acts as a form of self-documentation. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param array[] $available Route data to expose in indexes, keyed by route. * @param array $routes Internal route data as an associative array. */ return apply_filters( 'rest_route_data', $available, $routes ); } /** * Retrieves publicly-visible data for the route. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param string $route Route to get data for. * @param array $callbacks Callbacks to convert to data. * @param string $context Optional. Context for the data. Accepts 'view' or 'help'. Default 'view'. * @return array|null Data for the route, or null if no publicly-visible data. */ public function get_data_for_route( $route, $callbacks, $context = 'view' ) { $data = array( 'namespace' => '', 'methods' => array(), 'endpoints' => array(), ); $allow_batch = false; if ( isset( $this->route_options[ $route ] ) ) { $options = $this->route_options[ $route ]; if ( isset( $options['namespace'] ) ) { $data['namespace'] = $options['namespace']; } $allow_batch = isset( $options['allow_batch'] ) ? $options['allow_batch'] : false; if ( isset( $options['schema'] ) && 'help' === $context ) { $data['schema'] = call_user_func( $options['schema'] ); } } $allowed_schema_keywords = array_flip( rest_get_allowed_schema_keywords() ); $route = preg_replace( '#\(\?P<(\w+?)>.*?\)#', '{$1}', $route ); foreach ( $callbacks as $callback ) { // Skip to the next route if any callback is hidden. if ( empty( $callback['show_in_index'] ) ) { continue; } $data['methods'] = array_merge( $data['methods'], array_keys( $callback['methods'] ) ); $endpoint_data = array( 'methods' => array_keys( $callback['methods'] ), ); $callback_batch = isset( $callback['allow_batch'] ) ? $callback['allow_batch'] : $allow_batch; if ( $callback_batch ) { $endpoint_data['allow_batch'] = $callback_batch; } if ( isset( $callback['args'] ) ) { $endpoint_data['args'] = array(); foreach ( $callback['args'] as $key => $opts ) { if ( is_string( $opts ) ) { $opts = array( $opts => 0 ); } elseif ( ! is_array( $opts ) ) { $opts = array(); } $arg_data = array_intersect_key( $opts, $allowed_schema_keywords ); $arg_data['required'] = ! empty( $opts['required'] ); $endpoint_data['args'][ $key ] = $arg_data; } } $data['endpoints'][] = $endpoint_data; // For non-variable routes, generate links. if ( ! str_contains( $route, '{' ) ) { $data['_links'] = array( 'self' => array( array( 'href' => rest_url( $route ), ), ), ); } } if ( empty( $data['methods'] ) ) { // No methods supported, hide the route. return null; } return $data; } /** * Gets the maximum number of requests that can be included in a batch. * * @since 5.6.0 * * @return int The maximum requests. */ protected function get_max_batch_size() { /** * Filters the maximum number of REST API requests that can be included in a batch. * * @since 5.6.0 * * @param int $max_size The maximum size. */ return apply_filters( 'rest_get_max_batch_size', 25 ); } /** * Serves the batch/v1 request. * * @since 5.6.0 * * @param WP_REST_Request $batch_request The batch request object. * @return WP_REST_Response The generated response object. */ public function serve_batch_request_v1( WP_REST_Request $batch_request ) { $requests = array(); foreach ( $batch_request['requests'] as $args ) { $parsed_url = wp_parse_url( $args['path'] ); if ( false === $parsed_url ) { $requests[] = new WP_Error( 'parse_path_failed', __( 'Could not parse the path.' ), array( 'status' => 400 ) ); continue; } $single_request = new WP_REST_Request( isset( $args['method'] ) ? $args['method'] : 'POST', $parsed_url['path'] ); if ( ! empty( $parsed_url['query'] ) ) { $query_args = null; // Satisfy linter. wp_parse_str( $parsed_url['query'], $query_args ); $single_request->set_query_params( $query_args ); } if ( ! empty( $args['body'] ) ) { $single_request->set_body_params( $args['body'] ); } if ( ! empty( $args['headers'] ) ) { $single_request->set_headers( $args['headers'] ); } $requests[] = $single_request; } $matches = array(); $validation = array(); $has_error = false; foreach ( $requests as $single_request ) { $match = $this->match_request_to_handler( $single_request ); $matches[] = $match; $error = null; if ( is_wp_error( $match ) ) { $error = $match; } if ( ! $error ) { list( $route, $handler ) = $match; if ( isset( $handler['allow_batch'] ) ) { $allow_batch = $handler['allow_batch']; } else { $route_options = $this->get_route_options( $route ); $allow_batch = isset( $route_options['allow_batch'] ) ? $route_options['allow_batch'] : false; } if ( ! is_array( $allow_batch ) || empty( $allow_batch['v1'] ) ) { $error = new WP_Error( 'rest_batch_not_allowed', __( 'The requested route does not support batch requests.' ), array( 'status' => 400 ) ); } } if ( ! $error ) { $check_required = $single_request->has_valid_params(); if ( is_wp_error( $check_required ) ) { $error = $check_required; } } if ( ! $error ) { $check_sanitized = $single_request->sanitize_params(); if ( is_wp_error( $check_sanitized ) ) { $error = $check_sanitized; } } if ( $error ) { $has_error = true; $validation[] = $error; } else { $validation[] = true; } } $responses = array(); if ( $has_error && 'require-all-validate' === $batch_request['validation'] ) { foreach ( $validation as $valid ) { if ( is_wp_error( $valid ) ) { $responses[] = $this->envelope_response( $this->error_to_response( $valid ), false )->get_data(); } else { $responses[] = null; } } return new WP_REST_Response( array( 'failed' => 'validation', 'responses' => $responses, ), WP_Http::MULTI_STATUS ); } foreach ( $requests as $i => $single_request ) { $clean_request = clone $single_request; $clean_request->set_url_params( array() ); $clean_request->set_attributes( array() ); $clean_request->set_default_params( array() ); /** This filter is documented in wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php */ $result = apply_filters( 'rest_pre_dispatch', null, $this, $clean_request ); if ( empty( $result ) ) { $match = $matches[ $i ]; $error = null; if ( is_wp_error( $validation[ $i ] ) ) { $error = $validation[ $i ]; } if ( is_wp_error( $match ) ) { $result = $this->error_to_response( $match ); } else { list( $route, $handler ) = $match; if ( ! $error && ! is_callable( $handler['callback'] ) ) { $error = new WP_Error( 'rest_invalid_handler', __( 'The handler for the route is invalid' ), array( 'status' => 500 ) ); } $result = $this->respond_to_request( $single_request, $route, $handler, $error ); } } /** This filter is documented in wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php */ $result = apply_filters( 'rest_post_dispatch', rest_ensure_response( $result ), $this, $single_request ); $responses[] = $this->envelope_response( $result, false )->get_data(); } return new WP_REST_Response( array( 'responses' => $responses ), WP_Http::MULTI_STATUS ); } /** * Sends an HTTP status code. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param int $code HTTP status. */ protected function set_status( $code ) { status_header( $code ); } /** * Sends an HTTP header. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param string $key Header key. * @param string $value Header value. */ public function send_header( $key, $value ) { /* * Sanitize as per RFC2616 (Section 4.2): * * Any LWS that occurs between field-content MAY be replaced with a * single SP before interpreting the field value or forwarding the * message downstream. */ $value = preg_replace( '/\s+/', ' ', $value ); header( sprintf( '%s: %s', $key, $value ) ); } /** * Sends multiple HTTP headers. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param array $headers Map of header name to header value. */ public function send_headers( $headers ) { foreach ( $headers as $key => $value ) { $this->send_header( $key, $value ); } } /** * Removes an HTTP header from the current response. * * @since 4.8.0 * * @param string $key Header key. */ public function remove_header( $key ) { header_remove( $key ); } /** * Retrieves the raw request entity (body). * * @since 4.4.0 * * @global string $HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA Raw post data. * * @return string Raw request data. */ public static function get_raw_data() { // phpcs:disable PHPCompatibility.Variables.RemovedPredefinedGlobalVariables.http_raw_post_dataDeprecatedRemoved global $HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA; // $HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA was deprecated in PHP 5.6 and removed in PHP 7.0. if ( ! isset( $HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA ) ) { $HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA = file_get_contents( 'php://input' ); } return $HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA; // phpcs:enable } /** * Extracts headers from a PHP-style $_SERVER array. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param array $server Associative array similar to `$_SERVER`. * @return array Headers extracted from the input. */ public function get_headers( $server ) { $headers = array(); // CONTENT_* headers are not prefixed with HTTP_. $additional = array( 'CONTENT_LENGTH' => true, 'CONTENT_MD5' => true, 'CONTENT_TYPE' => true, ); foreach ( $server as $key => $value ) { if ( str_starts_with( $key, 'HTTP_' ) ) { $headers[ substr( $key, 5 ) ] = $value; } elseif ( 'REDIRECT_HTTP_AUTHORIZATION' === $key && empty( $server['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'] ) ) { /* * In some server configurations, the authorization header is passed in this alternate location. * Since it would not be passed in in both places we do not check for both headers and resolve. */ $headers['AUTHORIZATION'] = $value; } elseif ( isset( $additional[ $key ] ) ) { $headers[ $key ] = $value; } } return $headers; } } The Best Gochujang Pasta - Balance With Jess
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Gochujang Pasta

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Bring the heat to your pasta game with this creamy Gochujang Pasta recipe! This fusion dish marries classic Italian comfort food with the fiery, umami-rich flavors of Korean red chili paste. Plus, it's quick and easy to prepare, making it the perfect option for busy weeknights or last minute get-togethers.

Angled close up of Gochujang Pasta in a black bowl with a fork and spoon in it.
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🍝 What is Gochujang Pasta?

In my opinion, you can never have enough pasta recipes in your kitchen repertoire! I make dishes like Fusilli alla Vodka, Turkey Alfredo, and Pasta with Pink Sauce at least once a week. This creamy Gochujang Pasta recipe takes the comforting familiarity of pasta and elevates it with the addition of gochujang, creating a fusion recipe for the books!

With roots in Korean cuisine, gochujang is a deep, rich, and spicy fermented chili paste that's used in dishes like Tteokkochi, Gochujang Salmon, and Korean Popcorn Chicken. It’s traditionally made from red chili peppers, rice, fermented soybeans, and salt - so it packs an umami punch with smoky, peppery, sweet, and savory notes.

Pasta serves as the perfect vehicle for this sauce's incredibly creamy, satisfying, and unique flavors. With minimal prep required and a total cooking time of just 25 minutes, this Gochujang Pasta recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight meal, a last-minute date night idea, or meal prepping.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Quick: You can have this creamy Gochujang Pasta on the table in less than 30 minutes! Who doesn’t love a quick and easy dinner?
  • Healthy: This Korean creamy pasta is incredibly healthy due to the high concentration of proteins and vitamins, probiotics from fermentation, and capsaicin from red chili peppers in the gochujang.
  • Unique: Gochujang Pasta seamlessly blends traditional Italian pasta with the bold flavors of Korean red chili paste. Like my Gochujang Salmon, this is Asian fusion food at its finest!

🧂 Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Gochujang Pasta.
  • Pasta: My favorite type of pasta for this Gochujang Pasta recipe is rigatoni, but feel free to use any type of your choice. I recommend using conventional (white flour), whole wheat, or rice pasta since we need starch in the pasta water to help thicken the sauce.
  • Gochujang: Adds spicy, smoky, sweet, and savory notes. If you're new to using gochujang, start with ½ tablespoon of the mild version and adjust according to your liking. You can find gochujang in most large grocery stores in the international aisle, but check Asian food markets for more varieties.
  • Butter: Provides richness and a velvety texture to the sauce. I prefer to use unsalted butter to have better control over the overall saltiness of the dish.
  • Cooking oil: Used in combination with butter to sauté the vegetables. Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor. But any type of oil would work.
  • Onion and garlic: Imparts a robust and aromatic flavor to the dish.
  • White sugar: To balance the heat and savoriness of the gochujang.
  • Oyster sauce: This sauce is packed with umami and adds another dimension to the pasta. It adds great flavor to dishes like Vietnamese Stir Fried Macaroni with Beef (Nui Xao Bo), Spam Musubi with Egg, and Crispy Almond Chicken Breast. Find it in the international aisle of your grocery store or at an Asian supermarket. My favorite brand is Lee Kum Kee with the fishing boat.
  • Half and half: This creates an ultra-rich and creamy base for the gochujang rose pasta sauce. It also helps tame the heat.
  • Optional garnishes: Use toppings like Parmesan cheese and green onion to take your Korean chili pasta to the next level.

Substitutions & Variations

  • Any variety of pasta can be used in this creamy Gochujang Pasta recipe. Swap out the rigatoni with spaghetti, penne, fusilli, or any pasta shape you love.
  • If you can't find oyster sauce, you can substitute it with soy sauce or hoisin sauce. Note that these will slightly alter the flavor profile of the dish.
  • You can replace the half-and-half with regular milk or heavy cream. For a dairy-free variation, substitute it with coconut milk and skip the butter or use a vegan alternative.
  • Feel free to add proteins like shrimp, sausage, or even tofu for a vegetarian version.
  • Mushrooms or diced tomatoes can be added for an extra boost of flavor and nutrients.
  • To make this gluten free, use a gluten free pasta that still has moderate starch in it like rice, quinoa, or legume-based pastas. Also make sure to use gluten free gochujang and oyster sauce.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Gochujang Pasta

⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.

Cooking rigatoni pasta in a pot and draining, plus reserving some pasta water.

STEP ONE: First, cook your pasta according to package instructions. Reduce the time by 1-2 minutes to keep the pasta very al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain and set aside.

Sauteing onion, garlic, and gochujang paste in a pan.

STEP TWO: In a large pan, heat some butter and oil. Add diced onion and season lightly with salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is lightly translucent, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.

STEP THREE: Add gochujang and continuously stir for 1-2 minutes to "toast" and amplify the flavors.

Adding half and half before adding pasta to the pan.

STEP FOUR: Next, add sugar, oyster sauce, half and half, pasta water, salt, and pepper. Bring to simmer and let reduce for 5-6 minutes until lightly thickened. The sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon.

STEP FIVE: Turn the heat down to medium low and add your par-cooked pasta. Gently stir and let it finish cooking in the gochujang sauce, adding more pasta water if it looks too thick.

Gochujang Pasta topped with green onion and gochugaru in a black skillet with a wooden spoon in it.

💭 Top Tips

  • Don’t overcook the pasta: Boil the pasta until it is just al dente (a little firm in the center). It will continue to cook once it’s mixed with the sauce. Start testing it a few minutes before the listed time on the package.
  • Save the water: Don't forget to save some of the pasta cooking water! The starchy content helps to emulsify and thicken the sauce, giving it a creamy texture without the need for more cream.
  • Go slow with the spice: Be mindful when adding gochujang. If you're new to Korean red chili paste, start with a smaller quantity and taste your sauce before adding more. Its rich and spicy flavor can be quite potent.
  • Prevent sticking: Stir your pasta regularly once you've added the sauce. This not only prevents it from sticking together or to the bottom of the pan but also ensures an even coating of the Gochujang Pasta sauce.

🥡 Storing & Freezing

Storing: If you end up with leftover Gochujang Pasta, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure it’s completely cooled before storing it!

Freezing: Both the Gochujang Pasta and sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months. Like the refrigerator, make sure you cool it before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Reheating: When you're ready to enjoy your leftovers, defrost a portion in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan over medium. Feel free to add some water if necessary to loosen the sauce a bit. 

Make ahead: The Gochujang Pasta sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve your creamy Gochujang Pasta, cook the pasta and combine it with the reheated sauce.

Overhead view of two bowls of Gochujang Pasta with a red linen, gochugaru, and bottles to the side.

📖 Recipe FAQs

What is gochujang paste made of? 

Gochujang is a type of Korean chili paste made from gochugaru (dried chili flakes), glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It has a spicy, sweet, savory flavor with a bold red hue.

How spicy is gochujang? 

Gochujang has a medium level of heat, but it's also balanced with a sweet and savory flavor profile. If you're new to gochujang, start with less and adjust to your taste.

What does gochujang go with? 

Gochujang is a unique, but versatile ingredient that adds bold flavor to any dish. Because of its versatility, it pairs particularly well with soups, stir-fries, marinades, and dips. 

🍽️ Looking for Korean Recipes?

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment. It's always greatly appreciated!

📋 Recipe

Gochujang Pasta

Author: Jessica Kwon
Bring the heat to your pasta game with this creamy Gochujang Pasta recipe! This fusion dish marries classic Italian comfort food with the fiery, umami-rich flavors of Korean red chili paste. Plus, it's quick and easy to prepare, making it the perfect option for busy weeknights.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian, Italian, Korean
Servings 2 servings
Calories 674 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than package instructions until very al dente and reserve ½ cup pasta water. Then drain and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter with a splash of cooking oil in a large skillet. Add onion along with a pinch of salt, cooking for 2-3 minutes until lightly translucent.
  • Then stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add gochujang and constantly stir to toast for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add sugar, oyster sauce, half and half, ¼ cup pasta water, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer over medium to medium-high for 5-6 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about the consistency of loose gravy).
  • Turn heat down to medium-low and add al dente pasta. Stir into sauce until cooked through, adding more pasta water as needed for a creamy sauce. Season to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 636IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 2mg
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