Kimchi Pasta with Bacon and Sesame Seeds Recipe

By
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a food critic at the Chicago Tribune.  His food writing appears in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Epicurious, Baltimore Sun, Serious Eats, Grub Street, New York Magazine, and Tasting Table, among others.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated May. 06, 2019
Nick Kindelsperger

Marc Matsumoto—the writer behind the beautiful food blog, No Recipes—admits from the start that this recipe was created because he was "feeling lazy" and didn't want to leave his house. Last night I found myself in exactly the same situation—hungry but too lazy to trek out to the store to buy all new ingredients. If you happen to be stocked with Korean and Italian staples (like I am) then this is the perfect solution.

In keeping with the spirit of only using what I had on hand, I subbed out the pork belly for thick-cut bacon. Also, I added a bit of butter for creaminess and some sesame seeds for show.

The result is a dish with a rich cured pork flavor and some intense spice. I kind of wished there was something to temper some of the spice, but for a meal thrown together so quickly, it's pretty remarkable.

Recipe Details

Kimchi Pasta with Bacon and Sesame Seeds Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces dry pasta (linguini or spaghetti work)

  • 6 ounces bacon, chopped

  • 1 cup kimchi, chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 2 scallions, green parts only, chopped

  • Sesame seeds, for garnish

  • Salt

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, which is usually a minute or so less than the directions on the packaging. Save a few tablespoons of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta in a colander.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet set over medium heat, add the chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the fat behind as possible.

  3. With the heat still on medium, add the kimchi and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the red pepper paste, and stir until it is combined.

  4. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with the butter and the reserved pasta water. Stir continuously until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Season to taste with salt.

  5. Serve the pasta garnished with scallions, sesame seeds, and the cooked bacon. Add more salt if needed.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
482 Calories
20g Fat
52g Carbs
23g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 482
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 50mg 17%
Sodium 1523mg 66%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 438mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)