Kimchi Ragu Pasta Fusion (Print Version)

A bold fusion of spicy kimchi and Italian ragu with creamy pasta creating rich umami flavors.

# 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 stalk celery, finely diced

→ Liquids & Dairy

07 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
08 - ½ 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)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground pork or beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.
04 - Stir in chopped kimchi and kimchi juice; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until kimchi is softened.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
06 - Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 3.5 fl oz of pasta water.
07 - Reduce ragu heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and half of the reserved pasta water until sauce is creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding more pasta water if necessary to achieve a silky consistency.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with finely chopped scallions and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it, but comes together in about an hour with mostly hands-off simmering time.
  • The umami from the kimchi juice and soy sauce makes every bite feel deeply satisfying and surprisingly sophisticated.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people ask for the recipe because they've never tasted anything quite like it.
02 -
  • Drain your pasta about 2 minutes before it feels fully done—it will continue cooking slightly when you toss it into the hot sauce, and al dente is non-negotiable here.
  • The reserved pasta water isn't decoration; it's how you get a sauce that coats instead of clumps, so don't skip saving it.
  • Taste the sauce before you add cream—if it needs more salt or spice, this is your last chance to adjust without diluting it.
03 -
  • Don't let the kimchi sit in cold pasta water before you add it to the pan; prepare everything else first, then add the kimchi just before you need it so it stays bright and potent.
  • The moment the sauce tastes like nothing special is usually when it needs one more pinch of salt—trust your seasoning instinct and taste constantly at the end.
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