Tomato Gochujang Pasta (Vegan)

A rich and somewhat creamy 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.

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 lb tomatoes (, I used a mix of grape and regular tomatoes)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepepr to taste
• 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
• 1/2 lb uncooked tortiglioni or rigatoni (- feel free to use other pasta of choice)
• Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (or basil)
• Grated vegan cheese or parmesan (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Tomatoes ---
2. 2Slice the tomatoes in half. Place in an over safe baking dish. Season with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil.
3. 3Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 350F/180C or until the tomatoes are lightly brown and start to burst.
4. 4--- Sauce ---
5. 5In a large pan or skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter.
6. 6Sauté the onion until translucent for minute. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
7. 7Add 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.
8. 8Add in the vegan ground or crumbled sausages (if using). Pour the soy milk or plant based milk.
9. 9Mix everything together. Add the toasted tomatoes. Break apart any large tomato pieces. Add some sugar, to counter the acidity.
10. 10Allow the sauce to simmer. Season the sauce to your taste, if needed.
11. 11--- Cooking the Pasta ---
12. 12Meanwhile, 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.
13. 13Save some of the pasta water.
14. 14--- Finishing the Pasta ---
15. 15Add some pasta water into the tomato gochujang sauce. Turn off the heat.
16. 16Add 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.
17. 17Garnish with fresh parsley or basil. Serve while hot and enjoy!