Spicy Gochujang Sausage Pasta (Rigatoni)
Spicy Korean gochujang combined with British sausage and pasta may sound like an odd "blend", but they make a delicious, quick and easy dinner.
This recipe will take you a little under 30 minutes to make, and that includes preparation, making it a perfect midweek dinner.
Korean(ish) Sausage Pasta
I have a deep love for pasta dishes that combine ingredients that wouldn't ordinarily feature in a "traditional Italian" pasta dish.
I think that pasta is a beautiful canvas to "paint" other flavours upon.
I've got some stunners that range from a curry chicken pasta and the glorious Japanese spaghetti napolitan (naporitan) to the superb Filipino Jollibee Spaghetti and my made-up hotdog pasta, which combines mustard, crispy breadcrumbs and tomato ketchup as well as hotdog sausages.
This time out I have been plundering my cupboards. And I have come up with a recipe that spans ingredients from the UK, Korea, Japan and Thailand as well as Italy!
This spicy gochujang sausage pasta is superb. It's also really very easy, and it comes together in just under 30 minutes (including prep).
It has the earthy spicy thing going on from the gochujang paste. We get a salty umami flavour from the fish sauce and some wonderful pork sausages.
Mirin and honey add a gentle sweet and sour vibe to give the sauce a well-rounded balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sausages are best to use?
You can use any sausages that you like with this recipe.
I usually opt for some caramelised onion pork sausages as the sweet onions complement the sweet and spicy sauce very well. I have also tried this with beef sausages, and it works exceptionally well.
Can I use soy sauce instead of fish sauce?
Yes, if you wish, it will change the flavour. But it will add a similar amount of salty seasoning, and the dish will still taste awesome.
Can I use anything other than mirin?
Mirin is an almost sweet rice wine, but you could use any rice wine with the addition of a pinch of sugar or a little extra (2-5g) honey.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this dish is remarkably good when reheated or even eaten cold. If you are going to reheat it, add a splash of water to the pot to loosen up the mix a little.
Serving Suggestions
Pasta recipes are so often one-bowl TV dinners for me, and as a result, I like to keep my sides super simple.
And this eclectic gochujang pasta recipe is no different.
I usually opt for some plain toasted baguette with loads of butter or some slices of garlic baguette.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan.
- 20cm or 10" saucepan.
- Sieve/colander.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Spicy Gochujang Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 Pork Sausages 400g or 14oz(I use pork and caramelised onion sausages)
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Granules
- ¼ teaspoon Powdered Ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- 50 g Gochujang Paste 3 Tbsp
- 10 g Honey ½ Tbsp
- 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Mirin
- 75 ml Water ⅓ Cup
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 200 g Dried Pasta 7oz (I use Rigatoni)
- Salt (for boiling pasta)
- 2-3 Spring Onions (for garnish)
Instructions
- Remove the sausage meat from the skins (discard the skins) and break up the meat into fairly small pieces.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the oil and sausage meat and fry for 5 minutes.
- Finely slice the spring onions for the garnish.
- When the sausages have had 5 minutes of cooking time, cook the pasta in the salted boiling water until al dente.
- As soon as the pasta goes in the pan, sprinkle the sausages with the garlic granules, powdered ginger and white pepper and toss to coat for 15-30 seconds.
- Add the gochujang paste, honey, fish sauce, mirin and water, stir to combine, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pasta is cooked.
- Drain the pasta reserving around 75ml (⅓ cup) of the cooking water.
- Stir the pasta through the sauce, adding as much of the pasta cooking liquid as you need to make a nice silky sauce.
- Serve with lots of sliced spring onions.
