Cheesy Gochujang Baked Ziti

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Cheesy Gochujang Baked Ziti

My Cheesy Gochujang Baked Ziti is my delicious Korean fusion take on the beloved Italian-American dish! I love how the cheese and gochujang work so well together! It's easy to make, come together in under an hour, and can be prepped ahead of time!

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Korean

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

1 tsp kosher salt plus 1 tbsp for pasta water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 lbs mild Italian sausage
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion
2 tbsp gochujang
1/4 tsp gochugaru
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cuo dry white wine
1 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
16 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb ziti pasta can substitute for rigatoni or other tube shaped pasta
Italian parsley optional garnish

Instructions

Heat a large deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat, then add the olive oil followed by the Italian sausage, breaking the sauce into smaller chunks. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes then use a spoon to drain the sausage to a bowl leaving 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan.
Add the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are translucent but not browned.
Add the gochujang, gochugaru, basil and oregano to the vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze the pan or dutch oven with white wine, scraping up any bits from the pan. (This will add lots of delicious flavor to your sauce!)
Add the crushed tomatoes and season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Add the reserved sausage. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes over medium low heat.
Preheat the oven for 400°F.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot filled with 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of kosher salt and cook the ziti noodles 4 minutes shorter than the package directions (for me this was 6 minutes of cooking time). Drain and add the pasta back into the pot.
To the sauce, add the cream and half of the sharp cheddar, mozzarella shreds. Mix until combined. Carefully add the sauce to the pot of pasta and stir to mix.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add half of the pasta mixture followed by half of the remaining cheese (8 ounces). Layer on the remaining pasta mixture, then top with the remaining cheese. Place in the middle oven rack and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!

Notes

My #1 tip when making this dish (but applies to any baked pasta), is to undercook the pasta so it does not become mushy and overcooked when the dish comes out of the oven! You want the pasta to still have some bite and structure to it, so it can hold up against the delicious, cheesy sauce. For me, I find that cooking the pasta 4 minutes less than the package directions works out perfectly. Depending on how al dente you like your pasta, you should adjust accordingly.

Storage, Reheating, Make Ahead:

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I love how this tastes as leftovers - the flavors of the sauce deepens and becomes even more delicious! However, the pasta will soften and eventually turn a little mushy. I don't mind it but it's worth noting.
Reheating is easy - I like to reheat in the microwave until warmed through. You can also bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
You can easily make this dish ahead of time! Follow the instructions to cook and assemble the pasta bake. Once assembled, cover well with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator - you can do this up to 48 hours in advance.
Once ready to bake, pull out of the refrigerator (no need to bring to room temperature) and bake COVERED (keep the aluminum foil on!) at 400°F for 30 minutes. Uncover the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

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