Description
A bold and comforting pasta dish featuring a velvety, slightly spicy gochujang cream sauce tossed with tender pasta and savory beef or turkey. Ready in just 20 minutes, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 200 g dry rigatoni (or pasta of choice)
- 50 g beef strips or diced halal turkey slices
- 5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2.5 tablespoons gochujang
- ¾ cup whole milk (180 ml)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60 ml)
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup reserved pasta water (120 ml)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (if needed)
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or green onions (optional)
- Salt, for pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente (about 10–12 minutes). Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook beef or turkey for 3–5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- If needed, add olive oil to the same pan. Add sliced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in gochujang and cook for 1 minute to deepen flavor.
- Add milk, heavy cream, and soy sauce. Simmer 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add drained pasta, cooked meat, and reserved pasta water to the skillet.
- Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce reaches desired consistency. Add more pasta water if needed.
- Remove from heat and garnish with parmesan and chopped chives if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Substitute mushrooms or zucchini for a vegetarian option.
- Add red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Use all milk instead of cream for a lighter sauce.
- Store refrigerated up to 3 days; freezing not recommended.
- Reserve pasta water to help emulsify and adjust sauce consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 72 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
