Kimchi Cream Pasta. Springy pasta noodles coated in the most insanely delicious kimchi cream sauce with cheese and pork belly.
Soooo Good & Ready in 15 minutes!
A rich delicious Asian-Italian fusion dish that will satiate your taste buds like no other! I couldn't stop at seconds and had to have thirds it was so good! It's great for dinner or lunch and ready in just 15 minutes.
Easy to make!
This easy pasta dish is incredibly tasty and hits the spot every time! It’s one of my all-time favourite ways to make pasta because it’s so simple and made with minimal ingredients. You can even make it in one pot!
I will show you step by step with visuals and a short video on how to make kimchi cream pasta.
What you’ll need
For this kimchi alfredo pasta, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- spaghetti
- pork belly
- table cream
- kimchi, well fermented
- onion
- parmigiano reggiano
- black pepper
- salt
- hot pasta water
How to make Creamy Kimchi Pasta
Below are brief steps with visuals to show you how to make kimchi cream pasta. Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full instructions and details.
Bring a pot of water to boil and season with salt. Add spaghetti pasta and boil until al dente, about 5-6 minutes.
Reserve 3 tbsp of hot pasta water.
Strain pasta immediately.
In a separate pan set over medium heat, fry pork belly until cooked for about 1 minute.
Add onions and sauté until translucent.
Add kimchi and sauté for 1 minute or until juices release.
Lower heat to medium-low, pour in cream and simmer until pink and slightly thickened.
Once thickened, mix in hot pasta water followed by pasta and mix.
Season with black pepper. Mix in parmigiano reggiano.
Serve with more parmigiano reggiano as desired. Enjoy!
Similar to Carbonara but not really
These creamy kimchi noodles are somewhat like kimchi carbonara pasta but not really! They’re made without the egg, pecorino and guanciale. They’re also made with heavy cream and pork belly. Of course, you may use guanciale or uncured bacon in replacement of pork belly if that’s easier.
Cooking Tips
Below are tips on making kimchi cream pasta recipe:
Use well fermented kimchi!
This is important to make this pasta flavourful. You can tell if the kimchi is well fermented when the juices are red and the cabbage looks incredibly softened and looks more red than white.
Use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for best taste
Using freshly grated parmigiano reggiano takes this pasta dish to the next level, unlike store bought grated parmesan cheese. Trust me on this!
Cut kimchi with scissors in a bowl for ease
This is a popular way to cut kimchi in Korean cooking. It cuts down the usage of kitchen tools like a cutting board or a knife. It also prevents your cutting board from getting stained from the kimchi.
Use cream not milk
The cream adds a wonderful taste to this pasta that unfortunately can’t be achieved to the same level with milk. It almost adds a slight tang and makes the sauce thicker.
Reserve hot pasta water to help thicken the sauce
The starch in the hot pasta water thickens your sauce. This is a tip I learned from watching countless Italian chefs make pasta.
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about this creamy kimchi pasta recipe:
What is kimchi made out of?
It’s usually made of napa cabbage, gochugaru, garlic, salt, sweet rice flour, sugar, water, ginger, onion, fish sauce, leek, green onions, carrot and Korean radish.
Where can I buy kimchi?
Any Korean or Asian grocer will carry this item. I like the brand Jongga.
How can I tell if my kimchi is well fermented?
You can tell if it’s well fermented by looking at the colour of the juices. If the juices are red and most of the cabbage looks very softened, more reddish and less white then it’s well fermented.
Can I use bacon instead?
Yes, but please use uncured bacon that doesn’t contain sodium nitrates as it’ll be too salty.
Can I use any kind of pasta?
Sure! I recommend long noodles for best texture.
Other recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this creamy pasta dish, you may like these other recipes:
Garlic Butter Shrimp Udon
HK Style Fish Fillet in Cream Sauce Pasta
Tomato Garlic Pasta
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Tomato Basil Spaghettini
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Try it!
Well, I hope you give my Kimchi Cream Pasta a try! It always excites me when you make my recipes and I hope this is one you try and most importantly, enjoy.
Sharing is caring
If you enjoyed my kimchi creamy pasta, please share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture of your re-creation and make sure to tag me @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories as I would love to see it!
Did you enjoy it?
If you genuinely enjoyed my kimchi cream spaghetti, please leave a 5-star review. I would greatly appreciate it 🙂
Take care,
Christie
*This post for my kimchi cream pasta contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying purchases through additional affiliate programs
15-min. Kimchi Cream Pasta
Ingredients
- 115 grams spaghetti
- ½ cup pork belly chopped
- ¾ cup 18% table cream
- ⅓ cup kimchi well fermented kind!
- ¼ onion sliced
- ⅓ cup parmigiano reggiano
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt to season pasta water only
- 3 tbsp reserved hot pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil and season with salt. Add spaghetti pasta and boil until al dente, about 5-6 minutes.
- Reserve 3 tbsp of hot pasta water. Strain pasta immediately.
- In a separate pan set over medium heat, fry pork belly until cooked for about 1 minute.
- Add onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add kimchi and sauté for 1 minute or until juices release.
- Lower heat to medium-low, pour in cream. Simmer until pink and slightly thickened.
- Once thickened, mix in hot pasta water followed by pasta.
- Season with black pepper. Mix in parmigiano reggiano.
- Serve with more parmigiano reggiano as desired. Enjoy!
NOTES
I made this a few nights ago and it is now on repeat! So good!!!
Thanks for making my recipe! Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️