This Easy 8-min Gochujang Noodles is a terific Korean One Pan Recipe. Slightly spicy, savory, sweet and tangy, it's a flavorful dinner meal ready in under 10 minutes! (The recipe is for one person, but can be easily sized up. Just double or triple the quantities as needed.)
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⭐ Why This Recipe is a Star
- Quick: This easy Korean Gochujang Noodles is made in only 8 minutes. (In fact, I do it in 5 minutes, but I said 8 to be conservative, in case your noodles take a bit more cooking than mine.)
- Easy: Moreover they're made in one-pot so less cleaning involved. No cutting required too- we will just smash up the garlic with the back of our knives.
- Full of flavor: Even though it's a food hack recipe, these Korean Noodles are so tasty, thanks to the deep umami flavor of Gochujang.
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a Korean condiment that is fermented. You can find this fermented Korean chili paste in SO many Korean dishes, from banchan and Cheese Kimchi Fried Rice to Korean Chicken.
Note: not to be confused with Gochujang Sauce, which is made of Gochujang (Paste) mixed with other ingredients. The sauce usually comes in a tall squeezy bottle, and the paste in a tub. Gochujang sauce is more liquid in texture while the paste is a, well, thick paste! (You can use the sauce for the noodles, but you will need to adjust the seasoning since Gochujang sauce is pre-seasoned!)
🥘 Ingredients
You will only need a few simple ingredients for this saucy gochujang noodles:
- 1 packet ramen noodles: We want quick-cook noodles so ramen noodles are a great choice. (Keep the seasoning for anothe dish.) Alternatively, you can also use quick-cook noodles. Choose ones that will cook up in 1-2 minutes. (They may require a different amount of water, so add more water as needed.) You can even use some fresh pastas!
- gochujang paste: This is the key ingredient. I have made these easy ramen noodles with shopbought and homemade gochujang. Both tasted great! However, note that a different brand of gochujang will have a different heat level. The spicier it is, the more sugar the recipe will need to balance the flavor.(If yours has a mild spice level, feel free to add some gochugaru or red pepper flakes to the sauce.) You can get Gochujang at regular supermarkets now (or online) so no need to head to the Korean or Asian market.
- sesame oil: You can also garnish with lightly toasted sesame seeds (either white or black) to accentuate the flavor.
- fish sauce: If you don't have this, use light soy sauce instead. If using Korean soy sauce, remember not to get guk-ganjang (which is soy sauce for soups only!)
- white rice vinegar: You can use lime juice or white wine vinegar as a substitute. Either way, don't omit this as acidity helps lift flavors and make dishes taste better.
- white sugar: Feel free to substitute with light brown sugar, maple syrup or honey but note that sweet and spicy is a fine balance, so a sweeter dish will need more spice to balance it out, and vice versa.
- garlic: Peel and smash the garlic cloves- it's much quicker than mincing or slicing.
- unsalted butter: a finishing sauce to give the dish some richness. Butter and Gochujang go SO well, I don't recommend omitting it! Do not use salted butter or the noodles will be too salty.
- spring onions: optional, sliced as garnish. The green onions do help to add some freshness to the deep sauce so I do recommend them!
Note: I have tested this spicy gochujang noodles with ginger but find it doesn't add much to the flavor.
How to Serve: Top the spicy Korean gochujang noodles with a fried egg, ground black pepper, or some quick pickled cucumbers on the side. The cucumbers are so quick, you can make the cucumbers, leave them in the brine, cook the noodles, and then both will be ready for lunch or dinner!
Other Ingredients
To make this a healthier dish, you may want to add more ingredients. If so, choose veggies that cook up quickly or can even be eaten raw, to keep the cooking time short.
You can use:
- bell peppers
- carrots
- canned corn
You can also bulk it up by adding ground pork, but this will add to the cooking time.
📖 Variations & Substitutes
Honestly, this sauce is so versatile, you can even add hoisin sauce, peanut butter, sesame paste or tomato sauce to it! (If you want the quantities, let me know and I'll update the post with them.)
- Gochujang Pasta: Or make this creamy spaghetti instead?
- Gochujang Fried Rice: Substitute the noodles with leftover rice! You won't need the water then as we don't want the rice to be soggy! (Also be careful if you choose to add veggies as some release a lot of water, like mushoorms.)
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
1a. In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients (gochujang, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil.)
1b. Smash the peeled garlic with the back of your cleaver or knife.
2a. Cover and bring 1.5 Cups of water to a boil in a large skillet over high heat. (You can also use chicken broth if you want, but I made mine with water.)
2b. Once boiling, uncover and add the ramen noodles. It will start softening in seconds, use your chopsticks to loosen the noodles so that they all cook evenly.
Note: If you find the water is evaporating too quickly, lower to medium heat. You may need to add a tablespoon or 2 of water, depending on how absorbent your noodles are.
3. 1 minute before your noodles finish cooking (check the back of the packet for cooking time, as different types require different amounts of time), add the garlic and sauce mixture to the pan.
4a. Use your sptaula to mix the noodles and sauce, then add the butter.
4b. Mix as it melts, garnish the cooked noodles with the green onions and sesame seeds (if using), then you're ready to eat!
🥡 How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge, after the noodles have cooled completely. (However, for best texture, I recommend finishing all the noodles immediately after cooking. Asian Noodles become a little starchy and sticky when kept.)
To reheat, you will need to add some water to the noodles, to prevent them from drying out.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, use rice noodles and make sure your gochujang is GF. For quick cooking, use thin rice noodles not fat ones. (I think the thicker ones would work better for texture, although both are not really used in Korean cooking.)
There are so many brands out there which would work! The ones I've personally tested that you can find on Amazon are Bibigo and Chung Jung.
🥗 Suggested Accompanying Recipes
Enjoyed this easy Korean Spicy Noodles Recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below! If you REALLY liked this Korean Noodle Dish, please consider supporting it by buying me a bottle of soy sauce! 🙂 (No obligation though!) Thank you and have a great day!
8-min Gochujang Noodles (One Pan)
Ingredients
- 1 packet instant ramen noodles Keep the seasoning for another dish. If you need to substitute, use a quick cook noodle that cookes in 1-3 minutes.
- 2 Tablespoons gochujang paste Works with shopbought and homemade gochujang. Different brands of gochujang have different spice levels. If yours is mild, feel free to add some gochugaru to the sauce.
- 1½ Tablespoons white sugar
- 1½ Tablespoons white rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ Tablespoon sesame oil Or to taste. To complement the flavor, garnish with lightly toasted sesmae seeds at the end.
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter Do not use salted!
- 3 cloves garlic peel and smash with back of knife or cleaver.
- 1 sprig spring onion: 1 sprig sliced as garnish optional sliced as garnish (recommended though.)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce (gochujang, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil.)
- Smash the peeled garlic with the back of your cleaver or knife.
- Cover and bring 1.5 Cups of water to a boil in a large skillet over high heat. (You can also use chicken broth if you want, but I made mine with water.)
- Once boiling, uncover and add the ramen noodles. It will start softening in seconds, use your chopsticks to loosen the noodles so that they all cook evenly. If you find the water is evaporating too quickly, lower to medium heat. Note: The water will not fully cover the noodles, as we want them to be al dente, so you will need to keep stirring the noodles as they cook to make sure they're all submerged.
- 1 minute before your noodles finish cooking (check the back of the packet for cooking time, as different types require different amounts of time), add the garlic sauce mixture to the pan. (You may need to add a tablespoon or 2 of water, depending on how absorbent your noodles are.)
- Use your sptaula to mix the noodles and sauce, then add the butter. Mix as it melts, then you're ready to eat!
Notes
Nutrition
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