Description
Chewy udon noodles tossed in a creamy gochujang carbonara-style sauce with seared shrimp, parmesan, garlic, and scallions. It is rich, spicy, cozy, and perfect for a quick but impressive dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 14 ounces frozen or vacuum-packed udon noodles
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup reserved udon cooking water
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a large skillet over medium heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, gochujang, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and black pepper until smooth. In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with the kosher salt, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of the minced garlic.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. When melted, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly browned and just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
- Cook the udon according to the package directions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Add the rest of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained udon and toss gently to coat.
- Turn the heat to low, or remove the skillet from the heat briefly. Pour in the sauce mixture and the reserved udon cooking water, then toss continuously until the noodles are coated in a silky sauce.
- Return the shrimp to the pan and fold gently to combine.
- Finish with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, scallions, and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Keep the heat low when adding the sauce so the egg yolks stay silky and do not scramble.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Taste before adding extra salt because the cheese and gochujang already add a lot of savory flavor.
- Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 255mg
Keywords: spicy udon, gochujang noodles, shrimp udon, carbonara udon, creamy shrimp noodles, easy weeknight dinner