Doenjang Pasta (Korean Soybean Paste Spaghetti) is a savory Korean fusion dish the place noodles are tossed in a buttery doenjang sauce with mushrooms, white wine, and Parmesan. It’s umami-packed, fast to make, and the right weeknight pasta recipe.
I used to be lately watching the hit Okay-drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, the place the palace chef ready a Western-style pasta with doenjang, Korea’s beloved conventional paste, for the king of the 1500s Joseon dynasty. That scene jogged my memory how naturally this deeply savory paste can cross cultural borders and encourage fusion cooking.
While doenjang pasta has turn out to be a well-known fusion dish amongst Korean house cooks, I wished to discover my very own tackle it. The end result was easy to place collectively, but surprisingly stuffed with taste—precisely the form of dish that feels each comforting and new.
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Why Try Doenjang Pasta?
Doenjang pasta is proof that fusion doesn’t must be difficult. The soybean paste delivers a deep, nutty savoriness that adheres naturally to noodles.
Unlike cream-based Korean pastas, this model stays gentle, balanced, and deeply savory with out including any cream. It’s fast sufficient for a weeknight meal, but flavorful sufficient to really feel particular.
If you’re involved in extra Korean fusion pasta recipes, strive my kimchi olive pastaa Korean–Greek twist with briny, tangy flavors, or my kimchi tomato spaghettia easy however daring tackle East-meets-West consolation meals.
Ingredient Notes & Tips
Doenjang (miso): Doenjang (된장): Similar to miso however often bolder, saltier, and extra rustic. Its nutty depth is the spine of this pasta. Choose a good-quality Korean model for genuine taste. If you’re new to it, begin small and regulate—it may be intense, however that’s what makes the dish.
Pasta: Long noodles like spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini maintain the sauce greatest. I’ve examined this recipe with each dried and recent pasta; dried pasta offers the proper chew to steadiness doenjang’s richness.
Butter + Garlic: A contact of butter rounds out the boldness of doenjang. I want gently infusing sliced garlic (not minced) in butter. It offers the sauce a mellow aroma with out burning or turning bitter.
Mushrooms: My favourite combine is shiitake, oyster, and enoki for layered taste and texture, however any mushroom works. Mushrooms naturally echo doenjang’s umami, which is why they pair so properly right here.
White Wine: A splash helps deglaze the pan after sautéing mushrooms and provides delicate brightness to the sauce. If you don’t cook dinner with alcohol, substitute with vegetable broth or perhaps a little pasta water.
Parmesan Cheese (non-compulsory): Not conventional in Korean cooking, however a lightweight sprinkle ties the Italian and Korean components collectively. Its nutty, salty notes improve doenjang’s depth with out overpowering it.
How to make doenjang pasta with mushroom
This pasta comes collectively rapidly, however a number of small steps make all of the distinction in taste and texture:
Doenjang Base with Butter and Garlic: Loosen the doenjang with slightly water so it blends easily, then construct the bottom by gently infusing butter with garlic (and a pinch of chili flakes for those who like warmth).
Mushrooms + Wine: Sauté mushrooms simply till softened so that they maintain some chew. A splash of white wine at this stage deglazes the pan earlier than the doenjang goes in.
Doenjang Sauce + Finish: Stir within the loosened doenjang combination and let it scale back barely, then toss within the pasta. A splash of pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan to tie the Korean and Italian flavors collectively.
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Doenjang Pasta (Korean Soybean Paste Spaghetti)
Savory Korean fusion pasta made with doenjang, butter, and mushrooms. Umami-rich, easy, and prepared in quarter-hour.
- 2 servings (6 oz / 180 g) spaghetti
- 1-1/2 tbsp Korean soybena paste (doenjang)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
- 3 tbsp (42 g) butter
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 9 oz (250 g) assorted mushroom, shiitake, oyster, enoki, and so forth
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) white wine
- salt and pepper to style, if wanted
- parmesan cheese (non-compulsory), freshly grated
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Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook dinner the spaghetti (or your alternative of lengthy pasta) till al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
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Meanwhile, whisk collectively the doenjang with 2–3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water (or plain water) in a small bowl till easy.
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In a big skillet, soften the butter over medium warmth. Add the garlic slices, chili flakes, and cook dinner gently till aromatic, about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn. Stir within the mushrooms and sauté for two–3 minutes till simply softened however nonetheless meaty in texture. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine (or broth), letting it bubble for 30 seconds to evaporate the alcohol.
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Pour within the loosened doenjang combination and stir till it reduces barely and coats the mushrooms. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to mix. Use a splash of reserved pasta water as wanted to assist the sauce cling to the noodles.
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Taste and regulate seasoning if wanted (doenjang is salty, so chances are you’ll not want further salt). Transfer to plates and end with a lightweight grating of Parmesan cheese, scallions, or chili flakes. Serve instantly.
Calories: 90kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 207mg, Potassium: 487mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 190IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg
