Korean Pasta Salad

Put a bold twist on traditional pasta salad with this vibrant and flavorful Korean Pasta Salad! Perfectly cooked fusilli or farfalle is tossed with crisp, colorful vegetables like julienned carrots, crunchy cucumbers, and diced red bell peppers, then coated in a spicy-sweet gochujang dressing. This irresistible combination of Korean-inspired flavors—featuring soy sauce, sesame oil, and a hint of honey—brings an umami-rich depth to every bite. Garnished with toasted sesame seeds for added nuttiness and texture, this quick and easy recipe is ready in just 25 minutes (plus chilling time) and ideal as a chilled side dish or a light, refreshing main course. Packed with bold flavors and fresh ingredients, this Korean Pasta Salad is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for your next picnic, potluck, or weeknight dinner.

Nutriscore Rating: 66/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 300 grams pasta (fusilli or farfalle)
• 1 medium-sized carrot
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper
• 2 stalks green onion
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooling, prepare the vegetables. Peel and julienne the carrot. Thinly slice the cucumber into half-moons. Dice the red bell pepper into small pieces. Chop the green onions finely.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, carrot, cucumber, red bell pepper, and green onions.

Step 4

To make the dressing, mince the garlic finely and place it in a small bowl. Add gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated in the dressing.

Step 6

Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top for garnish.

Step 7

Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 8

Serve chilled as a side dish or a light main course. Enjoy your Korean Pasta Salad!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(745.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	913.2

Total Fat 25.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 3.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.9g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 4314.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 149.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 14.8g	0%
Total Sugars 35.4g
Protein 27.5g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 252.9mg	0%
Iron 6.0mg	0%
Potassium 1044.8mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 24.2%

Protein: 11.8%

Carbs: 64.0%