Jjajangmyeon – Sweet And Savory Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles
Whenever I want something savory but packed with alot of vegetables, I make JJajangmyeon.
Jjajangmyeon – Korean Noodles in Black Bean Sauce is one of my favorite Korean recipes, and it is super easy to make at home. It’s a pretty common and affordable household dish in Korea, 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. You will not believe how easy it is to make Jjajangmyeon at home; get ready to slurp up these savory and delicious noodles for dinner tonight!
This recipe is my easy 20-minute version packed with tons of vegetables and is super delicious.
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!
I like to prepare it in bulk so he can freeze and enjoy it whenever he wants. I freeze them by individual servings, so 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.
I never had Jjajangmyeon 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.
In Taiwan and China, we have our version called Zha Jiang Mian, which is spicier since it uses spicy fermented beans (doubanjiang), and meatier. I love both versions, and I will share my Zha Jiang Mian recipe soon!
One of my favorite things about Jjajangmyeon is that it incorporates so many vegetables.
There are many variations of Jjajangmyeon. For example, for protein, you can use pork belly, beef, or even seafood! 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.
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.
I am using FRESH Jjajangmyeon 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!
Korean Black Bean Paste is salty, savory, and slightly sweet.
This bean sauce, also called “Chunjang” is a crucial ingredient for Jjajangmyeon and cannot be replaced. 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!
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. I make at least Jjajangmyeon once a month, and once you give it a try, you will also fall in love!
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!)
Ingredients
- 4 serving of Noodles
- ½ chopped Onion
- ½ chopped Zucchini
- 1 chopped Potato
- 1 carrot, chopped
- ⅓ chopped Daikon
- 1.5 lb of Pork Belly, sliced
- 3 tbsp of Oil
- ¼ cup of Black Bean Paste
- 1 ½ cup of Chicken Stock or Water
- 1 tbsp of Cornstarch
- Cucumber to garnish
- 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.
Jajangmyeon – Korean Noodles in Black Bean Sauce
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 4 servings Noodles
- 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 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.
