Gochujang Shrimp Cream Pasta
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Gochujang shrimp cream pasta merges fermented Korean chili paste with heavy cream into a single cohesive sauce.
Read more
Shrimp are seared at high heat first to develop a caramelized crust, then folded into the gochujang-cream mixture along with milk and garlic. The fermented depth of gochujang operates differently from straightforward chili heat: it carries malty sweetness and umami that reinforce the dairy richness rather than cutting against it, building a layered flavor the sauce would not achieve with fresh chili alone. Parmesan grated into the pan adds salt and nuttiness that round out the finish, while reserved pasta water lets the cook dial in the consistency. The result coats each strand of pasta in a glossy, spiced cream. The entire dish comes together in around 20 minutes, keeping the shrimp firm and the sauce smooth.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Rinse 220g shrimp in salted water and pat completely dry.
Thinly slice half an onion.
- 2Finish
Cook 180g spaghetti in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package time.
Reserve 3 tablespoons pasta water.
- 3Control
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat.
Saute 1 tablespoon minced garlic and the sliced onion for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- 4Control
Add the shrimp and cook over medium heat for 1 minute per side until pink and just cooked through.
Remove and set aside.
- 5Control
In the same pan add 1.5 tablespoons gochujang, 200ml heavy cream, and 100ml milk.
Whisk over low heat for 3 minutes until smooth and gently simmering.
- 6Season
Add the cooked spaghetti and shrimp to the sauce.
Add 2-3 tablespoons pasta water to adjust consistency, then stir in 25g Parmesan.
- 7Finish
Adjust salt and simmer over low heat for 1 more minute until the sauce clings to every strand.
Plate and serve immediately.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Golden seared shrimp fold into a thick sauce of spicy gochujang and heavy cream.
- Finish cue
- Add the shrimp and cook over medium heat for 1 minute per side until pink and just cooked through.
- Avoid this
- Shrimp turns rubbery if overcooked, so return it near the end.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 9 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
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