Chef notes
The latest pasta recipe to hit huge virality on TikTok is Korean brie pasta. As the name suggests, the pasta was first introduced by South Korean singer and entertainer Sung Si Kyung. Initially he took to his Youtube channel to share his go-to easy pasta dish that comes together in 10 minutes, and viewers raced to try it only to unanimously come to an agreement: this pasta is a huge hit. Like the baked feta pasta, Gigi Hadid’s vodka pasta or any viral noodle dish to come before it, this Korean brie pasta could not be easier to cook at home.
These days, you can find different interpretations of Sung Si Kyung’s original viral pasta recipe, but the key ingredients are always the same: brie cheese, pasta, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. A type of leafy green is also typically involved — I opted to throw in a big handful of baby spinach, which cooks down instantly and rounds this dish out as a complete weeknight dinner. A dash of crushed red pepper flakes helps to add a subtle heat that perfectly complements the buttery, nutty creaminess of the brie cheese. While the original recipe calls for simply tossing the cooked pasta in a bowl with the brie, olive oil and vegetables, I found melting the cheese down in a skillet helps to create a much silkier sauce that really clings onto each noodle.
To make this dish, cook the cherry tomatoes with garlic until blistered. Then add in chunks of brie cheese plus crushed red pepper flakes and let melt, stirring to form a silky, rose-colored sauce. Finally, toss in cooked pasta — I like to use a long noodle, such as linguine or spaghetti. This dish comes together in under 30 minutes and it’s creamy, cheesy and the perfect lazy pasta meal.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Swap Option: Baby arugula can be used in place of the baby spinach. Penne pasta or your choice of short pasta can be used in place of the long pasta.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces brie cheese, cut into small chunks
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces baby spinach
- 1 pound long pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine
Preparation
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2.In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and cherry tomatoes. Let tomatoes sit undisturbed for 2 minutes. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper and cook until blistered, 2 to 3 minutes.
3.In the same skillet, add brie and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine to form a creamy rose-colored sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted, 2 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
4.Add 1/4 cup salt to the boiling water. Add pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
5.Once pasta is cooked, place the skillet back on medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the tomato and brie mixture. Transfer the pasta into the sauce. Stir vigorously to combine, adding 1 tablespoon of pasta water at a time to form a creamy sauce. Serve immediately.
