Vodka gochujang pasta
Serves 4·Added 5 May 2026 by Tom Melhuish
MainVegetarian
Ingredients
| 2 | tbsp | rapeseed oil |
| 1 | red onion(halved and thinly sliced) | |
| 1 | tsp | salt |
| 2 | cloves of garlic(crushed) | |
| 400 | g | passata or finely chopped tinned tomatoes |
| 1 | tbsp | gochujang paste |
| 1 | tbsp | tomato puree |
| 100 | ml | vodka |
| 175 | ml | single cream or oat-based single cream |
| 400 | g | rigatoni |
| black pepper(to serve) |
Method
1.Put the oil into a large frying pan on a medium to high heat, add the onion and salt, and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, until the onion is soft enough to cut easily with a wooden spoon.
2.Add the garlic, fry for 2 minutes, then add the passata, gochujang, tomato puree and half the vodka, and leave it all to bubble away for 10 minutes, until the mix is quite paste-like. Stir in the cream and the rest of the vodka, simmer for a couple of minutes, then take off the heat.
3.Cook the rigatoni for a minute less than the packet instructions. Carefully scoop a mug (around 250ml) of the cooking water out of the pasta pan, put this to one side, then drain the pasta.
4.Pop the sauce back on the heat, stir in the pasta and all the reserved pasta cooking water, then let it bubble away for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is nice and thick and clinging to the pasta. Spoon into bowls and add a little salt and pepper if you wish.
Recipe Notes
AI · may be inaccurate
Substitutions
- single cream → oat-based single cream (dairy-free/vegan option)
Tips
Gochujang is a sweet, hot, Korean red pepper paste that is sold in most major supermarkets. It's not blow-your-socks-off hot, especially when tempered with cream.
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