Chaos Cooking Kimchi Ragu Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Spicy kimchi melds with Italian ragu and creamy pasta for a unique, flavorful dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 10.5 oz ground pork (or beef, or a 50/50 blend)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 7 oz Napa cabbage kimchi, chopped (plus 2 tbsp kimchi juice)
05 - 1 medium carrot, finely diced
06 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced

→ Liquids & Dairy

07 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (or unsweetened plant-based cream alternative)
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp soy sauce

→ Pasta

11 - 12 oz rigatoni or penne

→ Spices & Seasonings

12 - 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), optional
13 - 1 tsp sugar
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnishes

15 - 2 tbsp finely chopped scallions
16 - 0.9 oz grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground pork or beef; break up the meat and cook until browned and fully cooked, about 6 to 7 minutes.
04 - Stir in chopped kimchi and kimchi juice, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until kimchi softens.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens.
06 - Prepare pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of pasta water.
07 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and half of the reserved pasta water, blending until creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Add cooked pasta to sauce. Toss to coat evenly, adding more pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
09 - Plate the pasta and garnish with scallions and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking for hours when it actually takes just over an hour from start to finish.
  • The kimchi adds a fermented depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • It works for weeknight dinners or impressing guests—nobody needs to know how simple it really is.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the meat properly—that's where the deep, complex flavors come from that make this taste like you simmered it for hours.
  • The pasta water is not optional; those starchy, invisible solids are what transform a pool of sauce into something that actually clings to the noodles.
  • Taste constantly as you go, especially once you add the cream—you may need less or more salt and spice than the recipe suggests because kimchi varies in saltiness.
03 -
  • Don't let the cream boil once it's in the pan—just keep it at a gentle heat so it doesn't break or taste greasy.
  • If your sauce breaks (gets too greasy), whisk in a splash of pasta water off heat and it'll usually come back together.
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