- Dinner
Gochujang Buttered Noodles
These garlicky, buttery noodles are perfect for when you need a stellar pantry meal lickety-split. A packet of fresh or even instant ramen speeds up the meal prep and is ideal when cooking for one (see Tip). Honey and sherry vinegar round out gochujang’s deep heat into a mellowness that’s at once sweet, savory and tangy. The brick-red butter sauce, emulsified with a splash of the pasta cooking water, coats spaghetti here, but you can use whatever noodles you like.
Garlicky, buttery noodles with a sweet, savory, and tangy gochujang sauce.
Time: ~30 min
Ingredients
- Gluten-free Pasta, or other long pasta1 lb
- Unsalted Butter6 tbsp
- Garlic, finely chopped12 cloves
- Saltto taste
- Gochujang Paste, not sauce; see Tip¼ cup
- Honey¼ cup
- Sherry Vinegar, or rice vinegar¼ cup
- Cilantro, finely chopped or thinly sliced scallions optionalto taste
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and return to its pot.
Soften the Garlic
While the pasta cooks, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low. Add the garlic and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to soften but not brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
Simmer the Sauce
Stir in the gochujang, honey and vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reduces significantly, 3 to 4 minutes; when you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan, it should leave behind a trail that stays put for about 3 seconds. Remove from the heat.
Combine and Serve
Transfer the sauce to the pot with the spaghetti and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Vigorously stir until the butter melts. Add splashes of the pasta cooking water, as needed, to thin out the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with the cilantro or scallions (if using) and serve immediately.
Recipe from cooking.nytimes.com