Noodles Recipes
237 recipes. Page 5 of 10
Korean noodle dishes range from chilled naengmyeon in summer to steaming bowls of kalguksu in winter. Thin somyeon, chewy jjolmyeon, and glass noodles (dangmyeon) each bring a different texture to the table. A simple bibim sauce transforms plain noodles into a flavor-packed meal in minutes.
Platter Jjajang Noodles
Jaengban jjajang stir-fries pork, squid, shrimp, and vegetables with chunjang, then tosses the cooked Chinese noodles directly in the same pan before serving them on a shared platter. Cut 100 g pork and 100 g squid into bite-size pieces. Cut 100 g onion and 100 g cabbage into similarly sized squares, and pat 80 g shrimp dry. Boil 300 g Chinese-style noodles, rinse them briefly in cold water to remove surface starch, and drain them thoroughly in a sieve. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wide pan and stir-fry the pork with 3 tablespoons chunjang. When no raw pink remains on the pork surface, add the squid and shrimp. Cook only until the squid turns opaque and the shrimp become pink and curved so the seafood does not toughen before the noodles are added. Add the onion and cabbage and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Broad, quick movements keep the vegetables exposed to the hot pan and limit the amount of water they release. Add the drained noodles and 1.5 tablespoons sugar. Toss continuously for 1 minute, lifting noodles from the bottom so the black-bean sauce reaches every strand and the solid ingredients remain evenly distributed. A pan that is too cool, or cooking that continues too long, allows vegetable liquid to thin the sauce and causes the noodles to swell. Once the sauce clings and no pale bundle of noodles remains, turn off the heat immediately. Spread the finished noodles across a wide platter rather than leaving them in the hot pan, and serve at once for sharing.
Korean Banquet Noodles (Thin Noodles in Anchovy Kelp Broth)
Janchi-guksu is a classic Korean celebration noodle soup with thin wheat noodles served in a clear broth drawn from dried anchovies and kelp. The broth balances the anchovies' deep umami against the kelp's restrained sweetness, with soup soy sauce used for seasoning so the liquid stays transparent and clean rather than cloudy or heavily salted. Julienned zucchini and carrot are stir-fried separately and arranged as garnishes on top, joined by strips of pan-fried egg crepe and crumbled roasted seaweed, giving the bowl its characteristic layered appearance of white, green, yellow, and black. The dish traces back to the custom of serving noodles to guests at weddings, birthdays, and first-birthday celebrations, with the long shape of the noodle carrying a folk belief about longevity that made it a natural fixture at auspicious events. The ingredients are few, but the care taken with the broth determines the character of the bowl - it is a dish that appears simple but rewards proper attention.
Korean Spicy Gangwon Knife-Cut Noodles
Jang kalguksu is a Gangwon Province style of knife-cut noodle soup defined by dissolving both gochujang and doenjang directly into an anchovy-kelp stock, a combination that sets it apart from standard kalguksu at a fundamental level. The fermented chili paste brings a spicy, rounded sweetness while the soybean paste contributes a dense, earthy richness, and together they build a broth with a complexity that neither ingredient could produce alone. An additional measure of gochugaru piles on a sharper chili heat, giving the soup its signature fiery edge. Potato breaks down as it simmers, naturally thickening the broth without any added starch, while zucchini releases sweetness, and onion and green onion round out the aromatics. Fresh-cut noodles have a smooth exterior and a springy, slightly resistant bite that clings well to the thick, rust-red broth. The dish originates from the mountainous interior of Gangwon Province, where it warmed workers through cold seasons, and the combination of deep umami and lingering heat still makes it one of the most satisfying one-bowl meals in Korean regional cooking.
Japaguri (Two-Pack Instant Noodle Mashup)
Japaguri - also known internationally as ram-don - is a Korean instant noodle mashup that cooks two different packets together in one pot: a black bean sauce variety and a spicy variety. The roasted-bean sweetness of the jjajang seasoning collides directly with the sharp chili heat of the spicy packet, producing a layered flavor that neither product can achieve on its own. Onion and green onion are sauteed in oil first so their natural sugars caramelize slightly and establish a savory-sweet base before the water and noodles go in. Using noticeably less water than either packet recommends is important because both seasoning powders need to be fully absorbed and the finished sauce should cling thickly to every strand. After a film introduced it to international audiences, the dish became shorthand for Korean instant noodle culture and has remained a genuinely popular preparation. Adding premium thinly sliced beef, such as Korean hanwoo, elevates it from a pantry meal to a full dinner.
Korean Glass Noodle Stir-fry
Japchae is a signature Korean dish of glass noodles stir-fried with beef, spinach, carrots, onions, and shiitake mushrooms in soy sauce and sesame oil. The noodles are made from sweet potato starch and turn translucent as they cook, absorbing the seasoning to become glossy and springy rather than starchy or heavy. The defining technique is cooking each component separately before combining them at the end. Spinach softens quickly and needs only a brief wilt; carrots are stir-fried to keep a slight bite; shiitake mushrooms are cooked until pleasantly chewy; and beef is marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and pepper before being stir-fried so it stays tender without any gamey edge. Tossing the noodles in soy sauce and sesame oil right after boiling prevents them from clumping together. When everything is brought together at the end, each ingredient keeps its individual texture while the seasoning unifies the dish. Japchae appears at virtually every Korean celebration including Chuseok, Lunar New Year, birthdays, and wedding feasts, and a large batch keeps its quality well into the following day.
Korean Pine Nut Cold Noodles
Jat naengmyeon serves cold noodles in a milky-white broth made by blending pine nuts finely with cold water. The fat naturally present in the pine nuts emulsifies with the water to create a creamy, dairy-free liquid that carries a rich, deep nuttiness and a gentle, clean sweetness. Shredded cucumber adds a crisp, refreshing bite that lightens the dense broth, and a slice of Korean pear introduces a fruity sweetness that broadens the flavor without competing with the pine nut base. The seasoning is nothing more than salt, which preserves the delicate character of the pine nuts without masking them. Soaking the pine nuts in cold water for thirty minutes before blending produces a smoother consistency and a brighter, more opaque white color in the finished broth.
Korean Spicy Pork Mixed Noodles
Jeyuk bibim-guksu tops cold mixed noodles with stir-fried spicy pork, combining two popular Korean preparations into one bowl. Pork shoulder is marinated in gochujang and gochugaru, then seared quickly so the edges caramelize while the inside stays moist and tender. Shredded cabbage and onion provide a crisp contrast to the sauced pork, and soy sauce with sugar balances the heat with savory sweetness. The temperature contrast between chilled somyeon noodles and hot, sizzling pork creates a distinctive eating experience that is one of the dish's defining pleasures. Keeping the noodles and the pork separate until the moment of serving prevents the somyeon from absorbing moisture and going soft. A final drizzle of sesame oil adds a nutty send-off.
Jinju-style Cold Noodles
Jinju-style cold noodles place 300 g buckwheat noodles in a chilled two-to-one blend of anchovy-kelp stock and beef brisket broth, then top each of two bowls with beef jeon, cucumber, and pear. Combine 800 ml anchovy-kelp stock with 400 ml beef broth, season it with 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce and salt, and refrigerate it until thoroughly cold. Thinly slice 150 g beef round, season it with salt and pepper, coat it first in flour and then in beaten egg, and pan-fry both sides in cooking oil until golden. Let the beef pancakes cool before cutting them into long strips about 0.5 cm thick. Cut 50 g pear and 50 g cucumber to a similar shape. Boil the buckwheat noodles, then rub and rinse them several times in cold water to remove surface starch. Give them a final rinse in ice water and drain them completely before forming a portion in each bowl. Arrange cucumber and pear over the noodles, pile the cooled beef jeon strips on top, and pour the cold mixed broth around the edge so the garnish stays in place. Chilling both stocks and cooling the cooked beef before assembly prevents the finished broth from warming as soon as the toppings enter.
Korean Black Bean Noodles
Jjajangmyeon is Korea's most iconic Chinese-Korean noodle dish, featuring thick, chewy wheat noodles buried under a glossy black sauce built from chunjang, a fermented black bean paste. Frying the paste in a generous amount of oil is the foundational step: the raw, slightly bitter edge of the chunjang burns off and transforms into a mellow, toasty sweetness that forms the soul of the dish. Diced pork belly, onion, potato, and zucchini are stirred into the oil-fried paste and cooked until soft, contributing natural sweetness and body to the sauce. A starch slurry thickens the sauce to a dense, velvety consistency that clings to every strand of noodle without pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Shredded raw cucumber piled on top offers a cool, crisp contrast to the warm, sticky sauce. In Korean daily life, jjajangmyeon carries cultural weight well beyond its ingredients: it is the instinctive order on moving day, graduation day, and military send-off gatherings.
Korean Black Bean Noodles
Bunsik-style jjajangmyeon starts with frying chunjang in oil long enough to mellow its raw bitterness and remove any off notes before adding any other ingredients. Ground pork, onion, zucchini, and potato go in together and are stir-fried until fragrant, then water is added and the mixture simmers until the potato softens. A starch slurry is stirred in gradually to bring the sauce to the right consistency. The chunjang's deep salinity and the slowly cooked onion's natural sweetness form the backbone of the sauce, while the potato partially breaks down during simmering and lends body without any additional thickeners. The starch-finished sauce clings heavily to the chewy wheat noodles so every strand carries a dense, rounded hit of flavor. Rinsing the noodles briefly in cold water right after boiling tightens their texture and keeps them from going soft when mixed.
Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup
Jjamppong is a Korean-Chinese noodle soup where seafood and vegetables are stir-fried in chili oil at very high heat before broth is added, a sequence that fundamentally shapes the soup. Blooming gochugaru in hot oil instead of adding it directly to liquid extracts fat-soluble compounds that carry a smoky, toasted depth the raw powder cannot contribute. Squid, mussels, and shrimp release their own juices during the fry stage, and those juices dissolve into the chicken stock when the liquid hits the pan. Cabbage and onion caramelize in the residual oil and give off natural sugars that temper the chili heat. Soy sauce binds the seasoning and gives the broth its reddish-brown depth. Springy fresh wheat noodles absorb the concentrated broth, and by the time they reach the table the noodles are already carrying the full flavor of the soup in every strand.
Korean Spicy Chewy Noodles
Jjolmyeon is a Korean cold noodle dish built around unusually thick, springy wheat noodles that were accidentally invented at an Incheon noodle factory in the 1970s. The noodles are boiled, rinsed in ice water to firm up their chewy texture, then dressed in a sweet-sour-spicy sauce made from gochujang, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Shredded cabbage and julienned cucumber are chilled separately and piled on top, giving each bite a crisp contrast to the bold sauce. A halved boiled egg adds a creamy counterpoint to the heat. The dish is served cold and eaten after thorough mixing, making it a go-to summer meal and late-night snack across Korea.
Kake Udon (Plain Udon in Clear Dashi Broth)
Kake udon is the most elemental form of Japanese udon: thick, springy wheat noodles served in a clear dashi broth seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, and a small amount of salt. With so few components, the quality of the dashi determines everything about the dish. The broth is built on katsuobushi and dried kelp, producing a flavor that is restrained but unmistakably savory. The noodles must be thick enough to hold their chew and smooth enough to carry broth with each lift of the chopsticks. Toppings are deliberately kept to a minimum, typically sliced kamaboko fish cake and chopped green onion, so the stock and noodle texture remain the focus rather than any single garnish. The noodles should go directly from the pot into hot broth, as they soften quickly and lose their characteristic bounce if left to sit. In the Kansai region, pale usukuchi soy sauce is used to keep the broth nearly transparent, making the visual clarity of the soup another deliberate element of the dish.
Kakke Buckwheat Triangles
Kakke is a home dish from southern Aomori made by kneading buckwheat flour with salt and water, rolling it thin, and cutting it into triangles. The pieces cook in dashi with daikon and tofu, then are lifted from the pot and dipped in miso mixed with grated garlic. The local word kakke can mean a piece or edge, and one origin story connects the dish to scraps left from soba making. The tender buckwheat edges, hot vegetables and tofu, and pungent garlic miso are prepared around one simmering pot and eaten as an everyday meal in the Nanbu region.
Korean Knife-cut Noodle Soup
Kalguksu is a Korean noodle soup made with hand-cut wheat noodles simmered in anchovy-kelp broth. The noodles are rolled flat and sliced with a knife, giving them a rough surface that absorbs broth and a satisfying chew distinct from machine-made pasta. Sliced potato, half-moon zucchini, and onion go into the pot, with the potato releasing starch that naturally thickens the broth as it cooks. Seasoning stays minimal - soup soy sauce, salt, minced garlic, and green onion added at the end - so the clean, savory depth of the stock comes through clearly. The dish is traditionally associated with rainy days in Korea, and adding clams turns it into a popular seafood variation.
Korean Knife-Cut Noodles and Dough Flake Soup
Kaljebi is a Korean home-style soup that cooks knife-cut noodles and hand-torn dough flakes together in a single pot of anchovy-kelp broth. Sliced potato goes in first, releasing starch that thickens the broth to a gentle, savory body without any additive. The dough flakes are pinched thin and dropped in well ahead of the knife-cut noodles - because they need more time to cook through - so both elements finish together. Every spoonful holds two distinct textures: the broad, pillowy sheets of sujebi alongside the chewy strands of kalguksu. Zucchini and green onion round out the flavor, and a light hand with soup soy sauce keeps the bowl clear and clean-tasting rather than heavy. This is weekday cooking at its most practical, requiring only a handful of pantry staples.
Curry Udon
Kare udon is a Japanese curry noodle dish built on dashi stock, which separates it from curry rice despite sharing the same roux. Thinly sliced pork and onion are stir-fried in oil first, then dashi made from katsuobushi and kombu is added and brought to a boil. Curry roux blocks are stirred in next, transforming the stock into a thick, clinging sauce that coats the pot and every strand of noodle. The heat must drop to low the moment the roux goes in, with constant stirring to prevent the starchy sauce from scorching. Katsuobushi and kombu contribute an umami depth that the curry spices intensify rather than mask, producing a broth more layered than either element alone. The fat, chewy udon strands absorb the sauce and carry it from pot to mouth with each lift of the chopsticks. Finishing with sliced scallions or shichimi adds fragrance and a mild bite. Though the same roux block appears in kare raisu, the presence of dashi and noodles makes this a distinctly different dish in taste, texture, and character.
Khanom Jeen Nam Ya (Thai Fermented Rice Noodles in Fish Curry)
Khanom jeen nam ya is a traditional Thai dish of fermented rice noodles bathed in a thick, fragrant curry sauce built from fish and coconut milk. White fish fillets are poached with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, then flaked and folded into a simmering pot of red curry paste and coconut milk. The fish dissolves into the sauce, lending body and a subtle marine sweetness that balances the heat of the curry. Fish sauce sharpens the salt, and palm sugar rounds off the edges. The finished sauce is ladled generously over coiled bundles of the thin, slightly sour fermented noodles. A spread of raw garnishes - bean sprouts, morning glory, green beans, shredded cabbage, and fresh chili - accompanies each serving, letting diners customize texture and freshness with every bite. The dish traces its origins to royal Thai cuisine but is now a common sight at market stalls across the country.
Northern Thai Coconut Curry Noodles
Khao soi is a coconut curry noodle soup from northern Thailand's Chiang Mai region. Red curry paste is fried in coconut cream until fragrant, then combined with more coconut milk and chicken stock to form a thick, spiced broth. Bone-in chicken thighs simmer in this liquid for about 20 minutes until the meat turns fork-tender. Egg noodles are boiled separately and placed in the bowl, but what sets the dish apart is a handful of the same noodles deep-fried until crisp and scattered on top - the crunch against the soft, soupy noodles below creates a sharp textural contrast. Shallots, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime cut through the richness, while fish sauce and a touch of sugar fine-tune the balance between salty, sweet, and sour.
Korean Kimchi Bulgogi Udon
Kimchi bulgogi udon is a Korean stir-fried noodle dish that brings together the sharp acidity of well-fermented kimchi and the sweet, savory depth of thinly sliced bulgogi beef, all coating thick, round udon strands. The beef is seared quickly over high heat to develop browning on the surface before onion and kimchi join the pan and cook until nearly all their moisture evaporates, concentrating both flavor and color. A sauce of soy sauce, gochujang, and sugar goes in next, followed by briefly blanched udon noodles that get tossed on maximum heat for about one minute so every strand absorbs the sauce while retaining a firm bite. The thick cross-section of udon holds bold, clingy sauces better than thinner noodles and creates a satisfying, filling meal without any broth. When kimchi is especially sour, a small addition of sugar or a quick rinse of the kimchi before cooking brings the acidity back into proportion. Finishing with sliced scallion and toasted sesame seeds adds color and a nutty lift that completes the dish.
Kimchi Butter Udon (Tangy Kimchi Stir-Fried in Butter)
Kimchi butter udon is a fusion stir-fried noodle that pairs the tangy, spicy acidity of well-fermented kimchi with the deep richness of butter. The first half of the butter goes into the pan to saute onion and garlic until they release their sweetness, then chopped kimchi is added and stir-fried for two minutes to cook off the moisture, which concentrates the flavor and mellows the sharp sourness. Blanched udon noodles and soy sauce are tossed in over high heat so the seasoning coats every strand evenly, and the remaining butter is added off-heat immediately after, keeping its aroma intact while lending a glossy sheen and fuller depth to the noodles. A soft-cooked egg placed on top breaks into a creamy sauce when stirred in, while seaweed flakes and sliced scallion contribute crunch and a fresh herbal lift. If the kimchi leans salty, reducing the soy sauce to one tablespoon keeps the balance in check. The whole dish, including prep, comes together in about twelve minutes.
Korean Kimchi Soy Milk Tantan Noodles
Kimchi duyu tantan myeon takes the structural logic of Chinese dandan noodles and rebuilds it around Korean pantry ingredients. Garlic and green onion are stir-fried in chili oil first to infuse the fat with fragrance, then ground pork goes in along with doenjang and soy sauce and stays on the heat until it browns and the fermented paste base deepens. Finely chopped kimchi is added and cooked for two more minutes, which softens the raw acidity of the kimchi and melds it into the meat mixture. Unsweetened soy milk is poured in at that point and heated gently, just below a boil, so it blends into a smooth, lightly creamy broth without breaking. The noodles are boiled separately and placed in the bowl before the broth is ladled over. Ground peanuts sprinkled on top at the end contribute a nutty finish, and the amount can be adjusted to thicken the broth to a preferred consistency.
Korean Kimchi Glass Noodle Stir-Fry
Kimchi japchae is a variation on classic Korean glass noodle stir-fry that replaces the usual assortment of vegetables with well-fermented aged kimchi, giving the dish a bold tangy heat that the original does not have. Glass noodles are boiled, rinsed in cold water to stop the cooking, and pre-seasoned with soy sauce so they absorb flavor before hitting the pan. Pork shoulder goes in first to render its fat and build a savory base in the wok, then the kimchi -- thoroughly squeezed dry -- is added and stir-fried until the sourness concentrates and caramelizes slightly. Removing the kimchi's moisture is a non-negotiable step: excess liquid steams the noodles rather than frying them, causing the noodles to swell and the overall seasoning to turn watery and flat. Sliced onion goes in with the kimchi to contribute a natural sweetness that softens the acidity. Once the aromatics are cooked down, the noodles are tossed in with additional soy sauce and a small amount of sugar if the kimchi is especially sour. The pan comes off the heat before sesame oil is added to preserve its fragrance, and whole sesame seeds finish the dish. The combination of the noodles' chewy elasticity and the kimchi's pungent, fermented character produces a version of japchae that tastes fundamentally different from the traditional preparation.
Kimchi Bean Sprout Miso Ramen
Kimchi kongnamul miso ramen layers three distinct flavors in one bowl: the deep tang of sauteed aged kimchi, the earthy umami of miso paste, and the clean crunch of bean sprouts. Garlic and kimchi are first stir-fried in sesame oil to mellow the kimchi's raw sourness, then chicken stock is added and brought to a boil. Bean sprouts go in and cook for just three minutes to keep their snap. Miso is dissolved separately and stirred in on low heat - boiling it aggressively would strip away its complex fermented aroma. Fresh ramen noodles are cooked in a separate pot, drained, and placed in the bowl before the broth is poured over. A halved soft-boiled egg on top rounds out the bowl with its creamy yolk.
About Noodles
This collection features traditional Korean noodle recipes alongside Asian-fusion takes, covering both broth-based and tossed preparations.