Bibim Naengmyeon (Spicy Cold Buckwheat Noodles)

Korean naengmyeon cold noodles with spicy bibim sauce, cucumber, and egg

Bibim Naengmyeon (Spicy Cold Buckwheat Noodles)

Bibim naengmyeon is a Korean cold noodle dish tossed in a bold, spicy gochujang sauce with chewy buckwheat noodles, crisp cucumber, and egg. Refreshing, flavorful, and perfect for warm weather.

Course Main Course, Noodles

Cuisine Korean

Diet Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword bibim naengmyeon, bibim naengmyeon recipe, buckwheat noodles, cold spicy noodles, Korean buckwheat noodles, Korean cold noodles, korean spicy noodles, naengmyeon, summer Korean noodles

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Resting time 20

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 479

Author Hyegyoung K. Ford

Ingredients

8 servings Korean naengmyeon noodles
1 Asian cucumber sliced to thin matchsticks
½ (about 150g) Korean pear or Asian pear thinly sliced, optional
4 hard boiled eggs sliced in half

Optional beef broth

4 cup (960 ml) water
1 cup (240 ml) lemon lime flavored carbonated soda
2 tbsp (15 g) Korean beef bouillon powder (sogogi dashida)
4 tsp (20 g) Korean mustard or 2 tbsp dijon mustard (30 g)

Quick radish topping

½ (about 300 g) Korean radish or daikon radish cut into 1/2-inch wide, 2-inch long thin strips
1 tbsp (15 g) salt
2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) vinegar

Bibim naengmyeon sauce

¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
½ cup (120 ml) water
½ (about 100 g) apple peeled and diced
½ medium onion peeled and diced
5 oz (150 g) fresh pineapple or 3 rings of canned pineapple
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp (45 ml) water or pineapple juice
1 cup (80 g) Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegar or more
⅓ cup (70 g) brown sugar
4 tbsp Korean syrup (80 g) or 3 tbsp honey (60 g)
2 tbsp (30 ml) sesame oil
1½ tsp (7 g) ginger puree or ½ tsp ginger powder
1 tsp 95 g) Korean mustard or 2 tsp dijon mustard (10 g)
1 tsp (5 g) salt
1 tbsp (9g) toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

To make optional beef broth

In a zip-top bag, whisk together water, carbonated drink, beef bouillon powder, and mustard. Seal the bag tightly and lay it flat in the freezer for 1-2 hours until it becomes partially frozen.

To make naengmyeon sauce

In a small pot, combine soy sauce and water. Bring it to a full boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and let it cool.
In a blender, combine onion, garlic, apple, pineapple, and 3 tablespoons of water. Puree until smooth.
Transfer the puree into a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce mixture, Korean chili flakes, brown sugar, Korean corn syrup or honey, ginger paste, mustard, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Mix well. Let the sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or overnight.

To make radish topping

Combine thinly sliced radish with salt, sugar, and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse the radish slices once and firmly squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.

To cook noodles

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and stir. When the water returns to a boil, add a shot of cold water. Repeat this process until the noodles are soft and chewy according to the package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them under running cold water. Drain again.

To assemble bibim naengmyeon

If using naengmyeon broth, crush the partially frozen broth with a meat hammer. Add 1/2 cup of the icy broth to the bottom of the serving bowl.
Place the cooked noodles in the bowl and add about 6-8 tablespoons of the bibim naengmyeon sauce on top. Garnish the dish with pickled radish, cucumber, Korean pear (if desired), and a hard or soft-boiled egg. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the dish according to your preference. Enjoy your homemade bibim naengmyeon!

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