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Prep 5 minutesmins
Cook 5 minutesmins
Total 10 minutesmins
Easy 10-minute bibim guksu featuring cold noodles covered in a sweet, spicy, gochujang sauce topped with fresh cucumber and a soft-boiled egg. Every bite of these Korean spicy cold noodles is incredibly refreshing and packed with so much flavor!
Bibim guksu, also known as Korean spicy cold noodles, is one of my favorite easy noodle dishes to eat to beat the heat. The thin, cold noodles are tossed in a sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory gochujang sauce and topped with fresh cucumbers, making it the perfect summer dish.
The best part about these spicy cold noodles is that they only need a handful of ingredients that takes less than 10 minutes to throw together! It’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner when you are short on time but unwilling to sacrifice flavor.
Bibim guksu (비빔국수) is a popular Korean spicy cold noodle dish made with thin wheat flour noodles called somyeon. The noodles are tossed in a spicy sauce made with gochujang, gochugaru, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Korean cold noodles can be topped with a variety of garnishes, such as soft-boiled eggs, sliced cucumbers, kimchi, and sesame seeds.
You can find all the ingredients for this bibim guksu recipe at your local Korean grocery store. Full measurements and links to everything I used are listed in the recipe card below.
Somyeon Noodles: aka somen, are really thin wheat noodles that can be found in the dried noodle section.
Gochugaru: or Korean red pepper flakes add extra spiciness to the cold noodles.
Soy Sauce: adds a salty, savory, umami layer. I use a Korean soy sauce brand which is lighter in color, and slightly saltier than Japanese or Chinese soy sauces.
Rice Vinegar: adds a sweet and tangy element that cuts through the deep gochujang flavors.
Garlic: is the main aromatic that adds a punchy garlicky flavor.
Honey: sweetens the sauce to balance out the savory and spicy ingredients.
Sesame Oil: adds a finishing nutty, finish to the bibim guksu.
Toasted Sesame Seeds: adds another savory, nutty layer of flavor.
Garnishes: cucumber, kimchi, soft boiled egg, sesame seeds to top the Korean spicy noodles.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Noodles: buckwheat noodles, soba noodles, rice noodles, or any thin noodles of your choice.
Vinegar: white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Sweetener: sugar, or brown sugar.
Soy sauce alternatives: tamari or coconut aminos are good alternatives to regular soy sauce.
Additions
Vegetables: thinly sliced carrots, zuchini, bell peppers, bean sprouts.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this bibim guksu recipe.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, sugar, and sesame seeds.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse the noodles in ice cold water until cold.
Add the sauce over the noodles and mix until evenly coated.
Garnish with a soft-boiled egg, kimchi, thinly sliced cucumber, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Mix the sauce first. Have the sauce ready before boiling the noodles, so you can coat them immediately with the sauce once cooked and chilled.
Have an ice bath ready. While the noodles are cooking, prepare an ice bath to quickly chill the noodles after blanching.
Adjust the spice level to your preference. You can add more or less gochugaru to adjust the level of heat in the bibim guksu.
Garnish with whichever toppings you like! Some examples include a soft-boiled egg, cucumbers, sesame seeds, kimchi, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, Asian pear, apple, and pork belly.
Storage Instructions
You can store these Korean spicy cold noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. No need to reheat the bibim guksu, as it’s best served cold.
Pairing Suggestions
You can serve this bibim guksu for lunch or dinner as a quick meal on its own or with the following pairing suggestions.
Typically these Korean spicy noodles are served cold, but they can be served warm as well.
Is bibim guksu vegetarian or vegan friendly?
Yes! All you need to do is remove the boiled egg, and this Korean dish is vegan and vegetarian-friendly.
What other garnishes can I add?
You can add julienned carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, bean sprouts, lettuce, shredded cabbage, and any protein of your choice to make these cold spicy noodles a well-balanced meal.
Easy 10-minute bibim guksu featuring cold noodles covered in a sweet, spicy, gochujang sauce topped with fresh cucumber and a soft-boiled egg. Every bite of these Korean spicy cold noodles is incredibly refreshing and packed with so much flavor.
Make the sauce. In a mixing bowl, mix the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, sugar, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
Cook the noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Blanch the noodles in ice-cold water until cold. Then drain.
Combine. Add the sauce over the noodles and mix until evenly coated.
Serve. Garnish with a soft-boiled egg, kimchi, thinly sliced cucumber, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
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