A refreshing Korean dish that takes 15 minutes from start to finish: Bibim Guksu or Korean Spicy Cold Noodles! Quick cooking Somyeon noodles and a simple pantry sauce make it especially easy and fast. Top with kimchi and a soft-boiled egg for the perfect hot-weather meal!
Korean Spicy Cold Noodles (Bibim Guksu)
Korean Spicy Cold Noodles, also known as Bibim Guksu, is a popular Korean dish often enjoyed in hot weather. Translated as “mixed noodles,” it features thin wheat noodles that are served cold with a bright and tangy spicy-sweet sauce. The noodles and sauce are “mixed together” with plenty of vegetables. To make it complete, the addictively acidic bite of kimchi is added.
The beauty of Korean Cold Noodles is the variety of customizable toppings you can add. It’s a refreshing mix of noodles and veggies — part noodle dish and part salad, you could add Popular additions include julienned cucumber or Korean pear. Shredded cabbage or carrot are also a popular favorite. Or even tender salad greens such as bibb or butter lettuce. They add so much freshness and crunch!
Amazingly, Korean Spicy Cold Noodles require minimal cooking — only 5 minutes to cook the noodles. With a quick pantry sauce that’s mixed in one bowl. The dish comes together so quickly!
Make this healthy Korean noodle dish a pantry staple in your home! Thin, chewy noodles twisted into long strands! All that crunchy, fresh veg! And an easy spicy-sweet sauce that’s tangy and bright. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- Somyeon/Somen. Korean thin wheat noodles that cook very quickly (3-4 minutes). The thin, long strands twist together in a satisfying, delicious heap. Makguksu or Soba buckwheat noodles are also good substitutes if you can’t find it. Even Angel hair pasta works if you don’t have access to any Asian noodles.
- Sauce: Gochujang, Rice Vinegar, Sugar, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Garlic. All these pantry ingredients last a long time and make a perfectly balanced sauce that’s spicy, sweet, tangy, and fragrant.
- Kimchi + Kimchi Juice. Adds a tangy spice. Not the same without it!
- Veggies. To add freshness, crunch, and color. Julienned cucumber, carrot, or Korean pear all make nice additions. As does finely shredded cabbage or chopped lettuce leaves such as Bibb or Butter Lettuce.
- Hard Boiled or Soft Boiled Egg. A classic addition to any Korean cold noodle dish! Adds protein and richness. I recommend soft boiled egg, as the yolk will mix into the sauce for extra richness. But a hard boiled egg, if that’s what you prefer, is also very good.
Instructions:
- Cook noodles. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook until al dente, about 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
- Make sauce. In a medium or large bowl, add the sauce ingredients. Use a whisk or spoon to mix until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
- Combine noodles and sauce. Add chilled noodles to the sauce. Using tongs, mix until the noodles are evenly coated in sauce.
- Add kimchi and kimchi juice. Add kimchi and a little kimchi juice to the noodles. Using tongs, mix well.
- Serve. Divide Bibim Guksu evenly between two bowls. Top with cucumber, red cabbage, and hard or soft-boiled egg. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with additional sesame oil on the side. Enjoy!
Watch How to Make it:
PRO Tips:
- Do not overcook the noodles. The texture of the Somyeon noodles is everything! They cook fast, in about 3-5 minutes, so don’t walk away. Instead, set a timer and set up the colander in advance.
- Rinse noodles with cold water. Stops the cooking process and ensures the noodles are perfectly chilled.
- Add more sesame oil. If the noodles are dry while mixing, add a drizzle or more of sesame oil. It will help the noodles to unstick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Since kimchi is a fermented food item and changes flavor as it ages, the final taste of the dish may need adjustment before serving. Before plating, I taste and adjust seasonings accordingly: if it’s too salty, add a pinch of sugar. If it’s bland, add a splash more kimchi juice.
How to serve:
Korean Bibim Guksu can be enjoyed as an main meal or a side to be shared.
- Main meal. Enjoy Bibim Guksu as a main meal. Lots of finely shredded veggies (in this case, cabbage and cucumber), alongside a soft-boiled egg make it complete.
- Side dish. Serve alongside your favorite KBBQ grilled meats. Some favorites include LA Galbi or BBQ Beef Short Ribs, Spicy Pork Belly Bulgogi, Osam Bulgogi (Squid and Pork Belly Bulgogi), or Beef Bulgogi. Cold Noodles and BBQ Meat is a classic Korean pairing.
FAQ:
Can I substitute with another kind of noodle?
The best kind of noodles for easy Bibim Guksu is Somyeon/Somen noodles. Other thin noodle substitutes: Makguksu, another Korean thin wheat noodles. And Japanese Soba buckwheat noodles. In a pinch, angel hair pasta can also be used.
What’s the difference between Bibim Guksu vs Bibim Naengmyeon?
The main difference between Bibim Guksu and Bibim Naengmyeon is the type of noodle that’s used.
Bibim Guksu refers to thin, wheat noodles like Somyeon/Somen.
Bibim Naengmyeon refers to noodles made from buckwheat, arrowroot, and/or sweet potato starch. Long and darker in color, Naengmyeon noodles have more stretch and chew. The texture is not as soft but pleasantly chewy and slightly tough.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
For maximum textural enjoyment, eat Korean Spicy Cold Noodles immediately after plating. That way, the noodles keep their twisty, soft texture.
Making this dish ahead of time will result in bloated noodles that are too soft and not as texturally satisfying.
However, the sauce and toppings can be prepped ahead of time. They can keep 3-5 days in the fridge, tightly covered. Cook the noodles, right before serving. When it’s time to eat, mix everything together and serve.
More noodle recipes:
- Buckwheat Soba Noodles with Perilla Oil
- Spicy Soba Noodle Salad
- Ramdon (Chapaguri) with Steak
- Dak Gomtang (Korean Chicken Noodle Soup)
Korean Spicy Cold Noodles (Bibim Guksu)
Equipment
- Colander
- Medium or Large cooking pot
- tongs
Ingredients
- 10 oz/ 285g Somyeon/Somen (Korean thin wheat noodles)
Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (white vinegar or apple vinegar also works)
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup kimchi + kimchi juice (ripe kimchi that's good for table eating – do not use old kimchi!)
Additional Toppings: (optional)
- 1/2 cup julienned cucumber, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage, divided
- 2 soft or hard-boiled egg, halved (1 for each serving)
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook noodles. Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water comes to a boil, add Somyeon noodles. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions. (The noodles should be soft but not overcooked, about 3-4 minutes.) Drain and rinse with cold water until noodles are cold to the touch.
- Make sauce. While the cooled noodles continue to drain, make the sauce. In a large bowl, add sauce ingredients. Mix with a spoon until well combined and no clumps remain. Set aside. (The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 3-5 days beforehand.)
- Mix noodles and sauce. Add drained noodles to the sauce and mix well.
- Season with kimchi and kimchi juice. Add kimchi and juice and mix well. Drizzle with additional sesame oil if the noodles look dry.
- Serve and enjoy! Evenly divide between two bowls. Scrape all the remaining sauce + kimchi onto the noodles. Top with cucumber, red cabbage, egg, and sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately, with more sesame oil for drizzling if needed.
Video
Notes
- Be careful not to overcook. The texture of the Somyeon noodles is everything!
- Rinse noodles with cold water. Stops the cooking process and ensures the noodles are perfectly chilled. This is a cold noodle dish, after all!
- Add more sesame oil. If the noodles are dry while mixing, add a drizzle or more of sesame oil. It will help the noodles to unstick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Since kimchi is a fermented food item and changes flavor as it ages, the final taste of the dish may need adjustment before serving. Before plating, I taste and adjust seasonings accordingly: if it’s too salty, add a pinch of sugar. If it’s bland, add a splash more kimchi juice.
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What brand of soy sauce did you use?
I use Yamasa. It’s a Japanese brand. Don’t use the low sodium kind!