A viral, flavorful noodle dish by Eric Kim for NYT Cooking, combining the rich heat of Korean gochujang with savory butter, tangy rice vinegar, and a touch of honey for a truly satisfying and easy meal.

Gochujang Buttered Noodles
A viral, flavorful noodle dish by Eric Kim for NYT Cooking, combining the rich heat of Korean gochujang with savory butter, tangy rice vinegar, and a touch of honey for a truly satisfying and easy meal.
Ingredients
- 6 oz long pasta of choice
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 scallion whites thinly sliced for sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- salt to season
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, in a large skillet or pot (big enough to hold pasta), melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and scallion whites and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Stir in gochujang, rice vinegar, and honey. Cook for another minute, stirring to combine.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce coats the noodles beautifully and reaches your desired consistency.
- Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with the bias-cut scallion greens.
Notes
Always cook pasta until al dente for the best texture. Reserve a good amount of pasta water to help emulsify the sauce and adjust consistency. Garnish with fresh scallion greens for a pop of color and fresh flavor. For an extra kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
