Easy 10-Minute Kongguksu (Cold Soy Milk Noodle Soup)

posted by Holly Ford on Jul 31, 2023 1 comment »

5 from 3 ratings

Enjoy a refreshing bowl of Kongguksu, a traditional Korean Cold Soy Milk Noodle Soup, without the typical hassle. This 10-minute recipe uses tofu and store-bought soy milk for an instantly ready soup base, delivering authentic flavor. All you need to do is cook the noodles!

A bowl of kongguksu, Korean cold soy milk noodle soup is garnished with cucumber and tomato.

When summer rolls around in Korea, two noodle dishes become favorites in Korean cuisine: Kongguksu, a cold soy milk noodle soup, and Naengmyeon, cold buckwheat noodles.

Kongguksu is a unique dish with a simple yet tasty soy milk base. But it’s not for everyone. Even in Korea, people either love it or don’t. I was one of those who didn’t really care for it at first.

Then, I discovered an amazing bowl of Kongguksu, which changed everything for me. Now, I can’t wait for summer to savor this healthy and refreshing cold noodle soup.

If you enjoy this refreshing noodle soup, you might find yourself looking forward to summer to have it again. This 10-minute recipe makes it easy to prepare the plant-based dish, perfect for vegan or vegetarian diets.

Kongguksu in cold soy milk soup base served cold with summertime Korean kimchi.

What is kongguksu?

Kongguksu is a traditional Korean summer noodles that stands out as a protein-rich meal suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. This unique plant-based dish combines noodles with a chilled soy milk broth. In English, the name “kongguksu” translates to “bean noodle soup.”

The creamy soy milk broth is typically seasoned with a touch of salt and then served over wheat or somyeon noodles (somen), giving the dish its signature appearance of white bean noodle soup.

Try my Sesame Soba Noodles for another quick and easy summer noodle idea!

Traditional Preparation: A Time-Consuming Process

Creating kongguksu from scratch can indeed be a lengthy process, given that its primary ingredient, soybeans, requires careful preparation to transform into soy milk.

This process involves soaking the beans for several hours, rubbing them together to remove the skins, and then boiling them until they soften. Afterward, it’s important to let the boiled beans cool down completely.

Due to this time-consuming and meticulous process, many people opt not to make it at home. Besides, you can easily find kongguksu on the menu of almost any noodle restaurant at a reasonable price, making it a popular and accessible choice when the weather heats up.

Korean cold soy milk soup noodles called kongguksu served in a bow with garnishes.

Benefits of Using Tofu and Store-Bought Soy Milk

Recreating the traditional taste of kongguksu at home doesn’t always have to involve a time-consuming process.

A brilliant alternative that not only saves time but also preserves the authentic flavor of the dish involves using a blend of tofu and store-bought soy milk (unsweetened). This time-saving method of preparing the soy milk broth drastically simplifies the process.

Tofu, essentially a condensed form of soy milk, is made from soybeans. By using tofu, you’re incorporating the same base ingredient but in a form that’s much easier to handle and integrate. Moreover, tofu is packed with protein and other nutrients, enhancing the nutritional profile of your dish.

Additionally, commercial soy milk is readily available in grocery stores and it saves you the hassle of soaking, grinding, and straining soybeans. This approach not only cuts down on prep time, but it also guarantees a consistent, creamy base for your soup.

Enhancing Kongguksu: Addition of peanuts and sesame seeds

The natural flavor of soy milk can sometimes be a bit mild and bland for some palates. To enhance and add complexity to the dish, incorporating roasted peanuts and sesame seeds into the mix can work wonders.

When blended with tofu and soy milk, these additions contribute a distinct nuttiness to the broth, transforming it into an even more flavorful noodle dish.

To enhance your cold noodle soup further, consider adding ice cubes, cucumber slices, diced tomatoes, or hard-boiled eggs as a garnish. Feel free to add anything else you desire.

Chopsticks holding Korean summer noodles, kongguksu, from the cold soy milk soup base in a bowl

Why you should try this recipe?

Effortless Preparation, Authentic Flavor:

This recipe allows you to enjoy a delectable bowl of Korean cold soy milk noodle soup without the traditional hassle. Using a blend of tofu, commercial soy milk, peanuts, and sesame seeds delivers an authentic flavor that you’re seeking, without the need to soak, skin, or cook soybeans. All you have to do is cook the wheat noodles. It doesn’t get much easier than this!

Ready in No Time:

Armed with a good blender, you’re just seconds away from your meal. Simply add your ingredients into the blender, process until smooth, then pour the resulting mixture over your cooked noodles. It’s as straightforward and efficient as it gets.

Ingredients for making Korean soy milk noodle soup, kongguksu recipe.

List of Ingredients

Here’s a list of simple ingredients you’ll need to prepare this quick and easy Kongguksu recipe:

Wheat noodles: Opt for thin somyeon (also known as somen) for the best result.
- Check out bibim guksu recipe for another cold noodles idea.
Tofu: A key ingredient for the broth.
Soy milk: Ensure it’s unsweetened without any added flavor to maintain the authentic taste.
Dry roasted peanut: I prefer unsalted peanut but lightly salted is also usable based on your preference.
Toasted sesame seeds: These are used for seasoning. Sugar is optional, so use it according to your preference if you want a hint of sweetness.
Garnishes: To enhance your dish, consider adding ice cubes, cucumber slices, diced tomatoes, or hard-boiled eggs as a garnish. Feel free to add anything else you desire.

How to make Kongguksu: Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s a quick guide on how to make this refreshing Korean Cold Soy Milk Noodle Soup – Kongguksu:

Kongguksu ingredients such as tofu and soy milk in a blender.

Soy milk noodle soup base is made in a blender .

Step 1. Create the Broth:

In a blender, combine the tofu, soy milk, peanuts, sesame seeds, and water. Blend these ingredients until they form a smooth mixture. Add more water if you prefer a thinner consistency.
For seasoning, add salt and, if you’d like, some sugar.

Cooked whet noodles (somyeon) are being rinsed under the cold water.

Somen noodles are added to a bowl of soy milk soup base.

Step 2. Prepare the Noodles:

Cook the wheat noodles as per the package instructions.
- A tip for chewier noodles: Pour cold water into the pot when it begins to boil. After cooking, drain the noodles and rinse them under cold running water.
In individual serving bowls, add the noodles and then pour the tofu soy milk broth over them.

Cucumber, tomato, and ice are added to garnish kongguksu, soy milk noodle soup.

Step 3. Assemble the Dish:

To make it extra refreshing, add some ice cubes. Garnish with cucumber slices and tomatoes.
- Hard-boiled eggs also make a great addition.

Perfect Pairings for Kongguksu

Korean soy milk noodle soup is typically enjoyed during the summer, so it pairs well with light and crisp summer-style kimchi such as summer radish green kimchi (yeolmu kimchi). Or serve with any of your favorite kimchi.

More Noodle Recipes to Try

If you are fan of Asian noodles, here I suggest some of my favoirtes;

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