Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles

Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles (Jajangmyeon) is a beloved comfort food in Korean cuisine, featuring chewy noodles smothered in a rich, savory black bean sauce. It’s hearty, satisfying, and surprisingly easy to make at home in just 30 minutes. Let’s cook it together!

Recipe

Serves: 2 people
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces pork butt, cubed
1 stalk scallions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, cubed
1 onion, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1/4 cabbage, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water
Dash of sesame oil
8 ounces fresh Chinese-style noodles
Cucumber
Pickled radish

For the black bean sauce:
1 tablespoon oil
1/3 cup black bean paste (Chunjang)
1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

1. Prepare the black bean sauce

• In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.
• Add the black bean paste and stir-fry until fragrant.
• Mix in the sugar and combine well. Set aside.

2. Cook the pork and vegetables

• In another pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the pork butt and stir-fry until almost crispy.
• Add the scallions and garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic.
• Add the potato and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Add the onion, zucchini, and cabbage. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds until softened.

3. Simmer the sauce

• Add the prepared black bean sauce and stir to combine.
• Pour in the rice wine and mix well.
• Add the chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
• Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
• Finish with a dash of sesame oil.

4. Cook the noodles

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until al dente.
• Rinse under running water to remove excess starch.

5. Assemble and serve

• Place the cooked noodles in a bowl. Ladle the sauce on top.
• Garnish with cucumber strips. Serve with pickled radish on the side.

Tips & notes

• Toasting the Chunjang paste helps mellow its bitterness and enhances the flavor—don’t skip this step.
• Use high heat for stir-frying the pork to build depth of flavor and texture.
• Cut vegetables evenly so they cook at the same rate and absorb the sauce better.
• Simmer the sauce long enough for the flavors to blend and the vegetables to fully soften.
• Rinsing the noodles after cooking improves texture and prevents clumping.