Korean Red Bean Noodle Soup
Quick answer
- Total time
- 65 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Pat kalguksu is a traditional Korean noodle dish where hand-cut wheat noodles are served in a thick, velvety broth made from pureed and strained red beans.
Read more
The beans go through two rounds of boiling - the first batch of water is discarded entirely to strip away the astringent compounds that give red beans their initial edge, and the second boil cooks them until completely soft. After blending and straining, the smooth puree is returned to the pot with glutinous rice flour stirred in to thicken the base to the consistency needed to hold the noodles without turning stodgy. Salt and sugar are adjusted until the broth hits a balance of nuttiness and gentle sweetness that neither overwhelms nor disappears. Cooked chestnuts and pine nuts are scattered on top as garnish, contributing a rich, oily nuttiness that deepens and complements the earthy flavor of the red bean broth. This dish is most closely associated with winter eating in Korea, and unlike sweet red bean porridge, the addition of noodles turns it into a properly filling meal.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Rub and rinse 300 g dried red beans until the water runs clearer, then cover with 1 liter water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Boil 10 minutes, discard all the first water, and rinse the beans again.
- 2Control
Add 1.2 liters fresh water to the rinsed beans and simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes.
Keep the boil gentle so the liquid does not splash, and cook until a bean crushes easily between your fingers.
- 3Heat
Blend the cooked beans with their cooking liquid until as smooth as possible.
Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing with a spatula to extract enough red bean liquid while leaving coarse skins behind.
- 4Control
Return the strained red bean liquid to the pot and warm it over medium heat, stirring often.
Dissolve 3 tablespoons glutinous rice flour in a little water first, then add it while stirring so the bottom does not scorch.
- 5Control
When the broth thickens, season with 1.5 teaspoons salt and 2 tablespoons sugar.
Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring steadily, until the nuttiness and gentle sweetness taste balanced and the texture stays pourable.
- 6Heat
Cook 600 g fresh kalguksu noodles in a separate pot for 4-5 minutes, then rinse off excess starch so the broth stays smooth.
Divide into bowls, pour over the hot red bean broth, and top with cooked chestnuts and pine nuts.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Korean hand-cut noodles served in a thick, velvety broth made from pureed and strained red beans.
- Finish cue
- Cook 600 g fresh kalguksu noodles in a separate pot for 4-5 minutes, then rinse off excess starch so the broth stays smooth.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
65min, 8 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 233 recipes
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