An easy meal that’s tasty and nourishing – this protein vegan gochujang spaghetti dish is perfect for quick mid-week meals or Sunday meal preps.

I’ve been using Gochujang paste for years, way before it ever became viral online. It’s such a handy ingredient to have in the fridge and an easy way to add lots of flavour to so many dishes. Just 1 tbsp can elevate a dish from bland to bursting with flavour!

Gochujang is a Korean hot red pepper paste. A thick, concentrated sticky paste. The texture kind of reminds me of tomato puree. I’ve always used it in noodle dishes, but I saw someone use it with spaghetti online and I had to try it! I took it a step further and created a higher protein, high fibre and vegetable packed version. So you get everything you need in a meal plus it tastes amazing.

It’s actually really easy to find in the UK. I’ve seen Gochujang tubs in almost all the major supermarkets. You’ll find it in a red tub or a jar in the world food isle. The tub that I get is big and hard to miss! It will last in the fridge for at least 4 weeks after opening, so it’s handy to have when you want to make speedy pasta, meat or soup dishes. I also love using it to flavour my roasted vegetables. It is quite spicy, so a little goes a long way.

I like using yellow split pea or red lentil pasta/spaghetti instead of the regular kind. They are more expensive, but since they’re made of beans/pulses, they’re so much higher in protein and fibre. A great way to bump up the nutritional value of a meal + they taste just like regular pasta. So why not?

I added chickpeas, red pepper and carrot to this dish, but really you can add any vegetables you like. I aim to include at least 3 different vegetables in my lunches and dinners to try and get as many vegetable varieties in since each veg has different benefits and antioxidants.

What you need to make this protein vegan gochujang spaghetti:

Gochojang – a Korean chilli paste thats spicy with a hint of sweetness. It’s become very popular on social media being used in many viral food videos. You can find it in the world food isle of most major supermarkets.

Spaghetti – I like to use yellow split pea or red lentil spaghetti. You can find both online, but if you can’t, most supermarkets now stock red lentil pasta. Regular or wholemeal spaghetti will also work, but the dish will have less protein and fibre.

Vegetable stock – I used a stock pot, but a stock cube dissolved in a little bit of water will work.

Beans/Vegetables – I used chickpeas, carrots and red pepper, but you can change it around according to preference/what you have available.

Single cream – this will mellow out the spiciness of the gochujang paste and add a lovely creaminess to the dish. I used oat cream, but things like dairy cream or soy cream will also work.

Reasons why you need to try this protein vegan gochujang spaghetti:

It’s vegan
High in fibre
Packed with veggies
Offers 20g protein per serving
Super creamy with a heat kick.
Easy to make
And tastes delicious!