Gochujang butter is gochujang paste melted into butter, and the basic recipe mixes 1/4 cup paste, 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup sherry or rice vinegar into 6 tbsp butter for 1 lb of pasta (NYT Cooking).
McDonald’s Korea put the same flavor in a burger on September 17, 2026, so the sauce is showing up in feeds well outside Korea.
This post covers what gochujang butter is, four ways to make it, and which version to pick.
Contents
- What is gochujang butter?
- How to make gochujang butter pasta (the NYT butter version)
- The creamy version: 15 minutes, one pan
- Two other ways to build the sauce
- How to serve it, and what to add
- Common mistakes and easy swaps
What is gochujang butter?
Gochujang butter is gochujang paste melted into butter, so one ingredient carries heat, savory depth and body while the butter gives the sauce its creamy structure.
The McDonald’s Korea trigger is one line: the chain launched McCrispy and McSpicy Gochujang Butter burgers on September 17, 2026, developed in Korea and rolling out to 13 Asian markets as part of a G-Dragon collaboration.
The flavor is not a McDonald’s invention — it went viral as a home recipe (TikTok pasta and toast, plus the NYT Cooking version) before the burger adopted it.
The NYT version rounds gochujang’s heat with equal parts honey and vinegar, so the sauce lands sweet, savory and tangy instead of just spicy.
That balance is why the combination works as a pasta sauce and not only as a spread.
If you have gochujang at home, you are two pantry items away from the trend.
The first thing to check in any gochujang butter recipe is the word paste — the NYT recipe specifies paste, not sauce, and the two are not interchangeable.
Sauce is already sweetened and adjusted, so the ratios below would land differently.
| NYT butter version (no cream) | 1 lb spaghetti: 6 tbsp butter · 12 garlic cloves · 1/4 cup each gochujang paste, honey, sherry or rice vinegar |
|---|---|
| Creamy version (Savoring Moments) | 8 oz pasta: 2 tbsp gochujang · 3 garlic cloves · 4 tbsp salted butter · 1/2 cup cream · 1/2 cup parmesan or cheddar · 15 minutes total, 4 servings |
| Creamy version (Ethan Kitchen) | 1 lb short pasta: 6 tbsp salted butter · 4 garlic cloves · 3–4 tbsp gochujang · 1/2 cup cream · 3/4 cup parmesan · basil finish |
| Onion version (RecipeShare) | Caramelized onion first, then garlic and spices, gochujang, cream, honey, parmesan · about 35 minutes |
How to make gochujang butter pasta (the NYT butter version)
The NYT Cooking ratio for 1 lb of spaghetti is 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 12 finely chopped garlic cloves (about 1/3 cup), and equal 1/4-cup measures of gochujang paste, honey and sherry or rice vinegar.
Melt the butter over medium-low, soften the garlic without browning it, stir in the three equal parts, then blend the sauce with a splash of pasta cooking water until it coats the noodles.
Honey and vinegar do the balancing — 12 cloves is unusually high for 6 tbsp of butter, so expect a strong garlic hit.
- Melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter over medium-low heat.
- Add 12 finely chopped garlic cloves and soften them without browning.
- Stir in 1/4 cup gochujang paste, 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup sherry or rice vinegar.
- Splash in pasta water and toss the drained spaghetti until the sauce is glossy.
Cooking for one?
The NYT notes a packet of fresh or instant ramen works as the noodle, and cilantro or scallions finish it.
This version is the closest to what made the sauce go viral.
The creamy version: 15 minutes, one pan
The creamy version takes 15 minutes total (5 prep + 10 cook) and serves 4, with 2 tbsp gochujang, 4 tbsp salted butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup parmesan or cheddar per 8 oz pasta.
Sizzle the garlic in the butter-oil for about 30 seconds until fragrant, cook the gochujang in it for about a minute, then pour in the cream and cheese and toss the drained pasta with 1–2 tbsp pasta water until glossy.
The cheese is flexible — parmesan or cheddar both work — and the recipe is vegetarian, adaptable to vegan.
- Boil 8 oz pasta; warm 4 tbsp salted butter and 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Sizzle 3 minced garlic cloves about 30 seconds without browning.
- Stir in 2 tbsp gochujang and cook about 1 minute.
- Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup cheese; toss in the pasta with a little pasta water.
Per ounce of pasta this version uses about 33% more butter than the NYT one (4 tbsp per 8 oz = 0.50 tbsp/oz vs 6 tbsp per 16 oz = 0.375 tbsp/oz), which is exactly why it tastes richer and mellower.
If 15 minutes is what you have, this is the version to make first.
Two other ways to build the sauce
The two other versions trade time for depth of flavor.
| Version | Signature | What goes in |
|---|---|---|
| Ethan Kitchen | Dried oregano bloomed in the butter; finished with 1 cup chopped fresh basil plus chili flakes | 1 lb short pasta, 6 tbsp salted butter, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3–4 tbsp gochujang, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup parmesan |
| RecipeShare | Caramelized onion first, so the sauce tastes rounded instead of sharp | Onion, garlic, spices, gochujang, cream, honey, parmesan — about 35 minutes |
That 35 minutes is about 2.3x the 15-minute creamy version, so pick it on a night when the extra time is worth it.
Herb fans should pick the Ethan Kitchen version, since basil and oregano are its signature.
If your gochujang runs mild and you want a rounder sauce, the onion version is the one to follow.
How to serve it, and what to add
A serving is one bowl, about 300 g, ideally with a vegetable side like crisp cucumber salad, steamed greens or roasted broccoli.
For protein, add sliced chicken, sauteed shrimp or pan-crisped tofu at the end; sauteed mushrooms, spinach or zucchini work as vegetable add-ins.
Garnishes used across the recipes: chopped parsley or chives, chili flakes or chili crisp, and cilantro or scallions on the NYT version.
Leftovers keep well — the RecipeShare version reheats for lunch, and the creamy version’s flavor improves overnight.
Spice varies between gochujang brands, so start with less, taste, then add more.
Any pasta shape works too: spaghetti and long pasta, fusilli and bucatini, or short cuts.
Common mistakes and easy swaps
Three mistakes account for most failed gochujang butter sauces, and all three are easy to avoid.
- Don’t brown the garlic — sizzle it only until fragrant, 30 seconds to 2 minutes; browning makes it bitter instead of sweet.
- Bloom the gochujang before the cream — cook it in the butter-oil about 1 minute to mellow the sharpness before adding dairy.
- Reserve pasta water — every one of the three pasta recipes uses it, from a splash up to 3/4 cup, to blend the sauce glossy.
Use gochujang paste, not sauce — the NYT recipe specifies paste, and the two are not interchangeable.
No cream on hand?
A splash of milk or coconut cream works in the creamy version.
I’d start with the 15-minute creamy version the first time, and reserve pasta water no matter which recipe I follow — that starchy splash is what makes the sauce coat the noodles instead of pooling.
Heat differs between gochujang brands, so taste before you commit the whole amount.
👉 gochujang butter pasta (NYT)
👉 creamy gochujang pasta (15 minutes)
👉 spicy creamy gochujang butter pasta
👉 gochujang butter pasta with caramelized onion
👉 McDonald’s Korea Gochujang Butter launch (Aju News, September 17, 2026)
Related posts
Sources
- Sauce profile (burger) (hypebeast.kr)
- NYT tip: fresh or instant ramen works for a one-person pantr (cooking.nytimes.com)
- Creamy version: 8 oz pasta, 2 tbsp gochujang, butter, cream, (savoringmoments.com)
Before you start cooking
- The base ratio is equal parts gochujang paste, honey and vinegar into 6 tbsp butter per 1 lb pasta (NYT).
- Fastest route: the creamy version — 15 minutes total, 4 servings, one pan.
- Deepest flavor: the caramelized-onion version, about 35 minutes.
- Biggest garlic hit: the NYT version — 12 cloves per pound, about 2x the garlic per ounce of the creamy version.
- Buy gochujang paste, not sauce, and never brown the garlic.
FAQ
Q. What is gochujang butter?
Gochujang paste melted into butter. The basic version stirs equal 1/4-cup measures of paste, honey and sherry or rice vinegar into 6 tbsp butter for 1 lb of pasta (NYT Cooking), and McDonald’s Korea launched burgers with the flavor on September 17, 2026.
Q. How do you make gochujang butter pasta in 15 minutes?
Follow the creamy version: 8 oz pasta, 2 tbsp gochujang, 3 garlic cloves, 4 tbsp salted butter, 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup cheese. It takes 5 minutes prep and 10 minutes cook.
Q. Is gochujang butter spicy?
It is mildly spicy and balanced — the NYT version rounds the heat with equal parts honey and vinegar, and heat varies between gochujang brands, so start with less and taste.
Q. Can I make gochujang butter pasta without cream?
Yes. The NYT butter version has no cream at all, and in the creamy version a splash of milk or coconut cream can replace heavy cream.
Q. What was in the McDonald’s Gochujang Butter burger?
McDonald’s Korea launched McCrispy and McSpicy Gochujang Butter burgers on September 17, 2026, developed in Korea and rolling out to 13 Asian markets as part of the G-Dragon collaboration. The burger’s price was not listed in the sources read, and whether its sauce matches the pasta recipes is unknown.
Start with the 15-minute creamy version and keep the pasta water.
Cover photo: Gochujang (chilli paste) 2 by 온맘으로 — CC BY 4.0
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