Mezzi Rigatoni with Spicy Gochujang Tomato Sauce
By Nik SharmaPublished on June 6, 2025
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We like mezzi rigatoni here, but you can use whichever pasta shape you prefer. Passata is an uncooked tomato puree; we used the Pomì brand. If you cannot find it, tomato puree can be used. This recipe uses the paste form of gochujang. Don’t substitute gochujang sauce, which contains additional ingredients.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.
- Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced shallots and cook until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in half of garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 3 tablespoons gochujang and 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup passata, ½ cup heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ⅓ cup panko and cook, stirring frequently, until evenly browned and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer panko to small bowl, stir in remaining garlic, and set aside until ready to serve
- Add sauce and ½ cup reserved cooking water to pasta in pot and toss to combine. Before serving, adjust consistency with additional reserved cooking water as needed. Sprinkle with panko, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, and Parmesan. Serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
In this quick weeknight meal, Italian passata and Korean gochujang combine to create a smooth, bold sauce reminiscent of silky Italian vodka sauce, but with a deeper layer of umami and a pleasant hint of heat. Passata, an uncooked, strained puree of ripe tomatoes with the skins and seeds removed, is smooth and bright. Gochujang, a deeply savory, fermented chili paste made from glutinous rice, soybeans, and gochugaru (Korean chili powder), brings gentle heat and a touch of sweetness. Together, they formed a rich, harmonious sauce that clung beautifully to pasta and delivered depth well beyond the effort it took to make. A sprinkle of garlicky bread crumbs over the pasta before serving added a pleasant crunch and another layer of flavor.
Before You Begin
We like mezzi rigatoni here, but you can use whichever pasta shape you prefer. Passata is an uncooked tomato puree; we used the Pomì brand. If you cannot find it, tomato puree can be used. This recipe uses the paste form of gochujang. Don’t substitute gochujang sauce, which contains additional ingredients.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.
- Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced shallots and cook until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in half of garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 3 tablespoons gochujang and 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup passata, ½ cup heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ⅓ cup panko and cook, stirring frequently, until evenly browned and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer panko to small bowl, stir in remaining garlic, and set aside until ready to serve
- Add sauce and ½ cup reserved cooking water to pasta in pot and toss to combine. Before serving, adjust consistency with additional reserved cooking water as needed. Sprinkle with panko, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, and Parmesan. Serve.
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