20-Minute Beef Gochujang Noodles

Gochujang noodles made with ground beef served in a bowl.

20-Minute Beef Gochujang Noodles

Enjoy flavorful Beef Gochujang Noodles in under 20 minutes! This easy Korean-inspired one-bowl meal combines spicy gochujang paste, sweet apple, and pantry staples, with simple customization options.

Course Dinner, Noodles

Cuisine Korean

Diet Low Lactose

Keyword easy, gochujang, gochujang noodles, ground beef, Korean-inspired, nut-free, one dish meal, quick noodles

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Servings people

Calories 462

Author Holly Ford

Ingredients

4 servings fresh udon noodles or egg noodles see note below
1 tbsp oil
3-4 green onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 lb ground beef preferably 90% lean. See note for vegetarian or vegan option
1/2 small sweet apple seeded. See note for substitute
2-3 tbsp gochujang see note below
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice wine or 1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 English cucumber shredded

Instructions

Prepare the Noodles: Cook your choice of noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Note: If using fresh wheat noodles (such as ramen noodles), rinse under water to remove extra starch, and coat with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking.
Prepare the Beef Mixture: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onion and garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink and cooked through.
Add Apple and Seasonings: Turn off the heat. Use a fine grater to grate the apple directly over the beef mixture. Turn the heat back on, add gochujang, honey, and rice wine; stir to combine. Continue to stir-fry the sauce until it thickens, about 3 minutes.
Combine Noodles and Sauce: Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds. Add the noodles to the skillet and give everything a good toss to evenly distribute the flavors.
Serve: Place individual portions of noodles in a bowl, top with shredded cucumber, and serve right away. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

For noodles, fresh options such as udon, egg noodles, or ramen noodles work great. But dried spaghetti will work too. I don't recommend thin wheat noodles (somen) since they can break easily while tossing with the sauce.
If reducing the amount of gochujang, add 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce to compensate for the seasoning.
To substitute for grated apples, use 1/4 cup of apple juice or pineapple juice.
For a vegan or vegetarian option, substitute the ground beef with a plant-based protein or simply omit it from the recipe.

Nutrition