Gochujang Beef Pasta

25 min · Easy · Serves 1

680 kcal per serving · 36g protein

Shell pasta in a fast, punchy sauce of seared beef mince, gochujang, tomato and honey, loosened with pasta water until it clings.

Ingredients

• 100 g Shell pasta (conchiglioni)
• 125 g Beef mince
• Shallots × 1
• 2.5 g Fresh ginger
• 1 clove Garlic
• Fresh red chilli × 1
• Spring onion × 1
• 1 tsp Tomato purée
• 0.5 tbsp Gochujang
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 0.5 tsp Honey
• Lime × 1
• 0.8 tsp Sesame oil
• 0.3 tsp Sesame seeds

Method

1. Boil the Shells

   

   Boil the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until just tender; keep two mugfuls of the water when you drain it — the starchy water will loosen the sauce later.

2. Sear the Beef

   

   Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, sear the mince in the sesame oil in one flat layer, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, then break it up and set it aside, leaving the juices in the pan.

3. Soften the Aromatics

   

   Turn the heat down to medium and soften the sliced shallots, garlic and ginger in the same pan until soft, translucent and sweet, about 5 minutes.

4. Build the Sauce

   

   Return the beef with the tomato paste, gochujang (the Korean chili paste), soy, honey, lime juice and a ladle of pasta water, and simmer — keep it at a gentle bubble — into a loose brick-red sauce.

5. Toss & Top

   

   Tip the drained shells into the sauce, tossing and loosening with more pasta water until every shell is coated. Serve topped with spring onion, red chili and sesame seeds.