Gochujang Carbonara Udon

Gochujang is a popular ingredient that pairs well with almost any type of noodles, from pasta to instant ramen. Today, I’m mixing it with udon—Japanese wheat noodles—but not just with gochujang alone. This time, it’s carbonara style. The flavors bring together Korean spice, Italian richness, and Japanese noodles.

It’s my first time making this, and I’d say it’s worth a try. The spice from gochujang, the creaminess from egg yolk, cheese, and pancetta all balance well together. The key is to taste as you go and not add too much sauce. Seeing the creamy sauce (without heavy cream) emulsify and coat the chewy udon so smoothly is so satisfying. Luckily, I marinated a ramen egg last night (originally for my ramen), and it turned out to be the perfect finishing touch, adding more color and depth to the dish.

Ingredients (for 1 serving):

• 1 pack of udon noodles

• 3 egg yolks

• 50g pancetta (cut into small cubes)

• 70-80g grated Parmesan cheese

• Black pepper

• 20g gochujang

• 1 tsp honey

• Green onion (keep the white part for cooking)

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Instructions:

1. Heat a pan, add a little olive oil, and cook the pancetta until it releases its fat. Then, sauté it with minced garlic and the white part of the green onion until fragrant. Turn off the heat.

2. In a bowl, mix egg yolks, grated Parmesan, gochujang, honey, black pepper, and the sautéed pancetta mixture.

3. Boil the udon noodles for about 2 minutes, then drain and immediately toss them with the sauce mixture. The residual heat and a bit of starchy noodle water will create a silky, creamy sauce.

Toppings:

• Marinated ramen egg (soaked in soy sauce overnight)

• Chopped green onions

• Sesame seeds

• Extra grated Parmesan cheese

A fusion twist that’s rich, creamy, and just the right amount of spicy—definitely worth a try!