Creamy.
Flavorful.
Easy.
I came up with the idea of using gochujang for a vodka pasta recipe simply because tomato paste and gochujang look so similar. This vegan gochujang vodka pasta recipe is kind of like a cross between pasta marinara and tteokbokki. I mean, who doesn’t want that?
And, when I say this recipe is easy, I mean EASY. Like, even my husband could figure out how to make this on the regular easy. This gochujang vodka pasta requires only a handful of ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make, but is full of flavor and creaminess. It is absolutely delicious, a total crowd pleaser, and, of course, completely dairy-free. This gochujang vodka pasta recipe is definitely going to be a repeat recipe, one you’ll come back to over and over again, for special occasions (like Valentine’s Day!) or a random workday.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links for products I use and love. If you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I may earn a small affiliate commission, perhaps enough to buy some extra gochujang or gochugaru 🙂
What is the viral Vodka pasta?
Vodka pasta is essentially pasta made with a red vodka sauce. The vodka sauce is primarily composed of tomatoes, vodka, heavy cream, onions, garlic, and herbs. Why vodka? Like wine, the spirit, when burned off through the cooking process, helps to enhance the natural sweetness and umami of the tomatoes.
Vodka pasta hasn’t been around too long–this is not one of those dishes that ancient Romans were picking apart in their togas. Rather, vodka pasta grew popular in the 1980s, though no one can agree on who invented the dish. Chefs in Italy claim to have served the “first” penne alla vodka, while an Italian chef in NYC claims the same.
In 2021, vodka pasta went viral with Gigi Hadid’s recipe making its rounds on the internet, and the world quickly grew enthralled with its rich, velvety flavor and texture, as well as the ease with which it could be prepared. As I mentioned above, one of the main ingredients for vodka pasta is heavy cream, which, as you know, isn’t easy to replace in vegan cooking.
Why You’ll Love this Gochujang Vodka Pasta Recipe.
You’re going to FALL IN LOVE with this gochujang vodka pasta recipe because it’s:
- Easy
- Flavorful
- Creamy
- Full of Gochujang
- Got No CASHEWS!!
Honestly, I’m so sick of cashews. Cashews have quickly eclipsed granola as the emblem of veganism. Look, I get it. Before we had things like good vegan cheese and even vegan heavy cream, cashews were extremely helpful. But now, I’m ready to retire cashews, send them back to their rightful place as one of the many nuts in snack packs and trail mixes.
I do not want to soak another cashew for as long as I live.
Now that my tirade on cashews has concluded, let’s get to talking about the specific ingredients.
Key Ingredients and Notes on Substitutions for gochujang Vodka Pasta.
Pasta.
The most popular recipes for vodka pasta usually include penne. But this vegan gochujang vodka pasta is versatile–use whatever pasta you like best. I enjoy spaghetti the most, so I went with that. You can also make this with rigatoni, fusilli, linguine, etc. And, of course, if you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta! If you want to make this vegan gochujang vodka pasta high protein, use a chickpea pasta!
Vodka.
As the name suggests, this vegan gochujang vodka pasta recipe has vodka in it. As I mentioned above, the vodka, when cooked down, helps to concentrate the sweet, intense flavor of tomato. You will not taste vodka in this recipe, as it will be cooked for too long to retain any of the spirit’s flavor.
That said, not all the alcohol content will be cooked off. Will there be enough to make you drunk? No. First of all, this recipe calls for only 4 tablespoons of vodka. Second of all, the vodka is cooked for several minutes. Thus, even your 5-year old kids can eat this vegan gochujang vodka pasta (if they can take the heat!) without fear they will get tipsy.
That said, you can always replace your vodka with a zero-proof vodka to keep this vegan gochujang vodka recipe alcohol-free. Also, in case you were wondering, pure distilled vodka is naturally gluten-free, even if it is made from wheat or barley. The distilling process eliminates any gluten.
Tomato Paste.
Some folks use tomato sauce and others use tomato paste for their vodka pasta recipes. For this vegan gochujang vodka pasta recipe, I use tomato paste. I find that tomato paste is, well, easier and ensures the sauce isn’t too wet (always a concern when using vegan “creams”). In addition, a tomato paste will give you the smoothest, velvetiest texture, while sauce will inevitably give you a chunkier texture (unless you blend it, but who wants to do that???).
However, if you can’t find tomato paste, feel free to substitute with 1/3 cup of your favorite store-bought tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
Gochujang.
This gochujang vodka pasta would not live up to its name, literally, without gochujang. I know, I know. You’ve had that tub of gochujang sitting in your fridge for ages and you have no idea what to make with it, since you’ve already made tteokbokki 17 times. Well, that’s what I’m here for–to figure out ways for you to use up that gochujang!
Of course, if the heat in gochujang isn’t your thing, you can always skip it (or replace it with more tomato paste) or use less than what’s called for in the recipe. Remember, if you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, make sure to pick out a gluten-free gochujang.
Dairy-Free Yogurt.
Yup. That’s the secret to avoiding four hours of soaking and blending cashews for this vegan gochujang vodka pasta recipe: vegan yogurt! Not only does vegan yogurt provide intense creaminess for this recipe, it also provides stability (so that it doesn’t just dissolve as soon as it hits the heat) AND intense flavor. I absolutely LOVE the tang from the vegan yogurt in this recipe.
As you might have guessed from some of my other recipes, I prefer Icelandic Provisions Oatmilk Skyr for this recipe, but you can use whichever dairy-free yogurt you like. Just make sure it isn’t flavored!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
This vegan gochujang vodka pasta recipe includes a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to get the shallots and garlic going, before adding the remainder of the sauce ingredients. However, if you want to keep this vegan vodka pasta recipe oil-free, you can replace the olive oil with vegetable broth or water.
Garlic & Shallots.
The sauce for this vegan gochujang vodka pasta recipe begins with some garlic and shallots. I find that this base is easy but also helps to amp up the flavor of our sauce. If you don’t have shallots, feel free to substitute with onions.
Crushed Red Pepper.
In addition to gochujang, this gochujang vodka pasta recipe also includes crushed red pepper for a little extra heat. Again, if your stomach’s like mine and gets queasy at the prospect of so many fiery ingredients, you can always use less or skip it altogether!
Vegan Butter.
I like to add a couple pads of butter right at the end to give this pasta extra unctuousness. The fat from the butter will also help to bring all the ingredients of this gochujang vodka pasta together. However, if you don’t have vegan butter, you can always replace with extra virgin oil or skip it.
Garnish.
I like to garnish my gochujang vodka pasta with some scallion greens, but you can use whatever fresh green herb you have on hand (basil, parsley, chives, etc.). You can also garnish with some fresh grated vegan parmesan to give it an extra cheesy kick.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making This Gochujang Vodka Pasta Recipe.
Step 1.
To a medium pot, add your water and salt and bring it to a gentle boil. Then, add pasta and cook according to package instructions.
Step 2.
While the pasta is cooking, to a large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil (or vegetable broth if cooking oil-free) and crushed red pepper. Allow the oil to infuse with the peppers until it starts to shimmer (about 1 minute). Add shallots and garlic, together with a little sea salt. Let it cook until the shallots and the garlic start to brown around the edges, about 3 minutes.
Step 3.
Add tomato paste and gochujang. Stir until all the vegetables are evenly coated with the sauces.
Then, deglaze the pan with vodka and stir until you get a thick glaze (about 1 minute).
Add the vegan yogurt and continue stirring until you achieve a pink, creamy sauce. Add your cooked pasta, together with 1/4 cup of the pasta water and stir vigorously until all your pasta is coated with the gochujang vodka sauce. If your sauce is too thick, simply add 1 tablespoon of pasta water at a time until you achieve the right consistency.
Step 4.
Garnish with scallion greens (or any other green herb you have on hand), vegan parmesan (optional), cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What is pasta alla vodka?
“Pasta alla vodka” refers to pasta made with a red vodka sauce. The red vodka sauce is traditionally made of tomato (sauce or paste), heavy cream, onions, garlic, and herbs. The most popular pasta with this vodka sauce is penne, but many versions use different pastas, like spaghetti, rigatoni, or linguine.
Can you make vodka pasta vegan?
Yes. Simply replace the heavy cream with vegan heavy cream or vegan yogurt, as well as any other dairy ingredients (e.g., vegan butter for traditional butter, vegan cheese for dairy cheese), and your vodka pasta will be vegan.
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Recipe Card.
Vegan Gochujang Vodka Pasta
A spicy and delicious vegan vodka pasta recipe that’s too easy to make!
- 2 tsp course sea salt
- 1 lb spaghetti (pasta water reserved)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (substitute with vegetable broth to make this oil-free)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 medium shallot, julienned
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 1 cup vegan yogurt
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped scallion greens
- grated vegan parmesan (optional)
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To a medium pot, add your water and salt and bring it to a gentle boil. Then, add pasta and cook according to package instructions.1 lb spaghetti
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While the pasta is cooking, to a large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil (or vegetable broth if cooking oil-free) and crushed red pepper. Allow the oil to infuse with the peppers until it starts to shimmer (about 1 minute). Add shallots and garlic, together with a little sea salt. Let it cook until the shallots and the garlic start to brown around the edges, about 3 minutes.1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1/2 tsp crushed red pepper1 medium shallot, julienned2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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Add tomato paste and gochujang. Stir until all the vegetables are evenly coated with the sauces. Then, deglaze the pan with vodka and stir until you get a thick glaze (about 1 minute). Add the vegan yogurt and continue stirring until you achieve a pink, creamy sauce. Add your cooked pasta, together with 1/4 cup of the pasta water, and vegan butter, and stir vigorously until all your pasta is coated with the gochujang vodka sauce. If your sauce is too thick, simply add 1 tablespoon of pasta water at a time until you achieve the right consistency.3 tbsp tomato paste2 tbsp gochujang1/3 cup vodka1 cup vegan yogurt2 tbsp vegan butter
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Garnish with scallion greens (or any other green herb you have on hand), vegan parmesan (optional), cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.1 tsp cracked black pepper1/4 cup chopped scallion greensgrated vegan parmesan
Calories: 617kcalCarbohydrates: 96gProtein: 22gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 1339mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 545IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
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