Tomato Gochujang Pasta (Vegan)

A rich and somewhat creamy Vegan Tomato Gochujang Pasta made with a mix of tomatoes and gochujang or Korean chili paste. The addition of gochujang to this pasta adds a nice layer of heat and extra umami that creates a rich sauce to coat the pasta. 

GOCHUJANG OR KOREAN CHILI PASTE

Gochujang is one of my favourite condiments and it’s also incredibly versatile. It also acts a great thickeners since it’s a Korean chili paste thickened with glutinous rice. It’s a deep red colour that also gives the sauce that beautiful red hue next to the tomato paste.

Stir-frying the tomato and gochujang mellows down some of the heat from the chili paste. Adding some soy milk or other plant-based milk adds some creaminess to the pasta sauce without making it overly thick and heavy from using cream. This for me is just right, since I wanted a pasta that was somewhat creamy but not overly heavy.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR THIS PASTA

You can find the full recipe for this pasta in the card below.

ROASTED TOMATOES

• 1/2 lb tomatoes , I used a mix of grape and regular tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepepr to taste

TOMATO GOCHUJANG SAUCE

• 2 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
• 1/2 medium white onion diced
• 6 cloves garlic , peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 cup vegan ground or crumbled sausages , 150 g (see notes)
• 1 cup plain unsweetened soy milk or other plant based milk, I recommend oat milk as well
• 1-2 tsp sugar , to taste - to counter acidity from tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pasta water
• Salt and pepper to taste

PASTA

• 1/2 lb uncooked tortiglioni or rigatoni - feel free to use other pasta of choice

TO FINISH

• Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or basil
• Grated vegan cheese or parmesan optional

VEGAN MINCE OR SAUSAGE CRUMBLES

• You can use plant-based ground meat or mince like those from OmniMeat, Beyond Meat, etc. I also love to use sausages from Field Roast and crumbled these to add a meaty texture and extra flavour to the sauce.
• Can I skip the vegan mince or crumble? Yes you can opt to make this with just the roasted tomatoes.

HOW TO COOK THIS TOMATO GOCHUJANG PASTA

ROAST THE TOMATOES

• Slice the tomatoes in half. Place in an over safe baking dish. Season with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 350F/180C or until the tomatoes are lightly brown and start to burst.

SAUCE

• In a large pan or skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter.
• Sauté the onion until translucent for minute. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
• Add in the tomato paste and gochujang. Mix with the onions and garlic. Sauté the tomato and gochujang paste for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
• Add in the vegan ground or crumbled sausages (if using). Pour the soy milk or plant based milk.
• Mix everything together. Add the toasted tomatoes. Break apart any large tomato pieces. Add some sugar, to counter the acidity.
• Allow the sauce to simmer. Season the sauce to your taste, if needed.

COOKING THE PASTA

• Meanwhile, cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less that the package recommendation or until al dente and very chewy. Once al dente, drain the pasta from the water.
• Save some of the pasta water.

FINISHING THE PASTA

• Add some pasta water into the tomato gochujang sauce. Turn off the heat.
• Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce. Mix well to coat in the sauce. Add more pasta water, if desired. Season the pasta with some salt and pepper to taste, if desired. You can also finish this off with some grated vegan cheese.
• Garnish with fresh parsley or basil. Serve while hot and enjoy!

SERVE AND ENJOY!

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LOVE:

• Chinese-Style Bolognese
• Filipino Spaghetti
• Pan-Fried Tofu Cakes
• Tofu 'McNuggets'
• Cilantro Lime Noodles
• Shoyu Udon
• Wonton Noodle Soup
• Scalloped Potatoes in Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce
• Fried 'Chicken' and Gravy

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