Korean udon's chewy wheat texture holds carbonara sauce 3x better than spaghetti—discovered by accident in Seoul's Little Italy.
Gochujang Carbonara
Dive into a delicious blend of cultures with our Gochujang Carbonara! This mouthwatering dish combines creamy pasta with the spicy kick of gochujang, all brought together with crispy pancetta and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with this irresistible fusion of Italian and Asian flavors!
The Story
This Italian-Korean bastard child was born in Seoul's Itaewon district during the 1990s when homesick Italian soldiers stationed there taught Korean chefs proper carbonara technique, only to watch in horror as locals swapped guanciale for bacon and tossed in gochujang—creating what purists call heresy but everyone else calls brilliant.
Regional Twist
In Busan's Seomyeon district, they replace the cream with Korean rice wine and double the sesame oil, creating a lighter sauce that lets the gochujang's funk shine through.
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
1
people
Level
intermediate
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 strips bacon
- ½ cup (118 ml) cream
- 2 pieces egg yolks
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang
- 1 bundle korean udon
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) parmesan
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sesame oil (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Boil the Korean udon for one minute before al dente and save some of the water.
- 2
Combine gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg yolks, cream, and Parmesan and mix thoroughly.
- 3
Thinly slice the bacon and cook in a pan until crispy.
- 4
Add the noodles and sauce to the pan, mix slightly, then add some reserved noodle water and cook until thickened.
- 5
Place the noodles in a bowl and optionally garnish with more bacon, egg yolk, Parmesan, and black pepper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Temper your gochujang-egg mixture by slowly adding 2-3 tablespoons of hot noodle water while whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling when added to the hot pan.technique2-3 tablespoons
- ✓Keep your pan temperature below 160°F when combining the sauce with noodles because egg proteins coagulate at 160-180°F, turning your silky carbonara into scrambled eggs.technique160°F
- ✓Use udon cooking water at exactly 1 minute before al dente timing because Korean udon continues cooking from residual heat and starch concentration is optimal for sauce emulsification.timing1 minute before al dente
- ✓Add reserved noodle water gradually in 1-tablespoon increments until sauce coats noodles without pooling, as udon releases more starch than Italian pasta and requires less liquid for proper consistency.technique1-tablespoon increments
- ✓Mix gochujang with soy sauce first before adding other ingredients because the fermented soybean paste needs mechanical action to break down its thick consistency and distribute evenly.technique
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