Jjajangmyeon – Sweet And Savory Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles
Whenever I want something savory but packed with a lot of vegetables, I make Jjajangmyeon or Korean Noodles in Black Bean Sauce. This savory sauce of vegetables and pork belly is seasoned with Korean black bean paste. Mixed with noodles, it is a satisfying sweet-savory bowl. This is a favorite Korean recipes for both me and my dad that’s super easy to make at home. This is my easy 20-minute version packed with tons of vegetables and is super delicious. Once you give it a try, you’ll fall in love and make it once a month just like me!
My Dad’s Comfort Food Craving: Jjajangmyeon
As he’s going through his chemo process, my dad’s been really craving Jjajangmyeon. This noodle recipe satisfies his cravings and gives him the energy and nutrients he needs to heal. Going through treatment isn’t easy, and I’m glad this bowl of black bean paste noodles is something he can look forward to in his week!
In Korea, It’s a pretty common and affordable household dish. But, there are a few special occasions that calls for this deliciously saucy bowl of noodles. Koreans often enjoy Jjajangmyeon on move-in days, but also on the unofficial holiday “Black Day”, a day celebrating those who didn’t receive any gifts from Valentine’s day.
In Taiwan and China, we have our version called Zha Jiang Mian, which is spicier since it uses spicy fermented beans (doubanjiang), and meatier. So, I never had the Korean version until moving to Canada. The first time I saw Jjajangmyeon was in a Korean drama, and my mouth watered INSTANTLY as I saw the main characters slurp up the noodles. I had to try making it myself! Now, it’s a true family favorite.
Ingredients For Jjajangmyeon
- 4 servings Noodles prepared according to package
- ½ Onion chopped
- ½ Zucchini chopped
- 1 Potato chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- ⅓ Daikon chopped
- 1.5 lb Pork Belly sliced, you can skip this for a Vegetarian or Vegan version
- 3 tbsp Oil
- ¼ cup Korean Black Bean Paste
- 1 ½ cup Chicken Stock or Water
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
- Cucumber garnish
Adding Protein To Your Noodles
There are many variations of Jjajangmyeon because every Korean family has their own recipe. For protein, you can use everything from pork belly or beef to even seafood. Today, we’re using sliced pork belly. It gives you a meaty, rich bite and amazing rendered fat to sauteed the veggies with.
If you are VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN, you can skip the pork belly, and your Jjajangmyeon will taste just as good! If you need a little extra protein, tofu or mushrooms are always good additions.
Vegetables To Add
One of my favorite things about Jjajangmyeon is that it incorporates so many vegetables, both as toppings and in the sauce. For vegetables, you can use cabbage, carrots, daikon, potatoes, onion, or zucchini. I always incorporate whatever I have left in the fridge, and it tastes amazing every single time! I do think that the sliced cucumbers are a MUST, because it adds a freshness to the saucy, flavorful black noodles.
Noodles For Jjajangmyeon
I am using FRESH noodles today. They are chewy and thick perfect for soaking up all the sauce. If you can’t find fresh Jjajangmyeon noodles, you can use dried Jjajangmyeon or Udon noodles instead!
Follow the instruction based on the brand you choose; often, they are covered in starch, so make sure to rinse them with cold water after cooking. This cold rinse also makes the noodles a little bouncier!
Savory Black Bean Sauce
The key to that iconicly dark bean sauce color is that dark Fermented Black Bean Sauce. This bean sauce, also called “Chunjang” is a crucial ingredient for Jjajangmyeon and cannot be replaced. It has a salty, savory, and slightly sweet flavor. Make sure to pan-fry with a little bit of oil, as it can have a slightly sour taste if you don’t pan-fry it first.
Here are some brands that I recommend: Assi Black Bean Sauce, Chong Jung Won, and Obok Chungjan. Once opened, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months!
How To Make Jjajangmyeong
- Turn the heat up to medium-high, and once the pan is hot, add pork belly to a large pan. Saute the pork belly for 3-4 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Next, add onion and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add potato, zucchini, carrot, and daikon and saute together for another 2-3 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to the side and form a circle in the middle. Add in oil and black bean paste and saute for black bean for 1 minute, then saute everything together.
- Pour in water or chicken stock and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix 1/4 cup of cold water and 1 tbsp cornstarch together, slowly pour it into the pan, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite noodle with freshly sliced cucumbers.
Freezing and Reheating For Meal Planning
I like to prepare it in bulk so my dad can keep it frozen and enjoy it whenever he wants. I freeze the sauce in air-tight containers or zip-lock bags by individual servings. This way, it’s easy to prepare a bowl at a time. To reheat, prepare your noodles first. Heat up the frozen sauce by putting it in a pan and adding a little water to help it melt. Once it’s hot, it’s ready to serve on top of your noodles.
Do you want more EASY noodle recipes? Here are some of my go-t0 noodle recipes that you will LOVE!
- Easy Noodle Soup (10 Minutes)
- Soy Sauce Pan-fried Noodles (15 Minutes!)
- Tomato and Egg Noodle Soup (10 minutes!)
- Chinese Hand-pulled Noodles (4 INGREDIENTS ONLY!)
Jajangmyeon – Korean Noodles in Black Bean Sauce
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 4 servings Noodles prepared according to package
- ½ Onion chopped
- ½ Zucchini chopped
- 1 Potato chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- ⅓ Daikon chopped
- 1.5 lb Pork Belly sliced, you can skip this for a Vegetarian or Vegan version
- 3 tbsp Oil
- ¼ cup Korean Black Bean Paste
- 1 ½ cup Chicken Stock or Water
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
- Cucumber garnish
Instructions
- Turn the heat up to medium-high, and once the pan is hot, add pork belly to a large pan. Saute the pork belly for 3-4 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Next, add onion and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add potato, zucchini, carrot, and daikon and saute together for another 2-3 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to the side and form a circle in the middle. Add in oil and black bean paste and saute for black bean for 1 minute, then saute everything together.
- Pour in water or chicken stock and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix 1/4 cup of cold water and 1 tbsp cornstarch together, slowly pour it into the pan, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite noodle with freshly sliced cucumbers.
This is so easy to follow because it’s simple and with precision measurements. Thank you! Amazing!
Tried this recipe the first day o got it and honestly it was amazing, the flavour was exactly what I was looking for and filled a craving I had at the time and will definitely be adding this to my list of staple dishes that I make on a regular basis,it was quick and simple to make.
Looks so yummy. One of this day I will try to make one.
I tried this recipe tonight and it was amazing, exactly the taste I was looking for.
I couldn’t find any daikon so I swapped it out for another potato.
The only thing I’d try different is I’d put less water or chicken stock as it came out a little watery but I still found what I came for so it’s not that necessary.
Looks so yummy. I’ll make this one for dinner ❤️!