Quick & Easy Homemade Jjapaguri (Ram Don)

Name: Quick & Easy Homemade Jjapaguri (Ram Don)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh wheat noodles (thick Korean kind); 1/2 lb rib eye steak (diced); 1 1/2 cups cabbage (finely chopped); 1 cup onion (finely diced); 1/3 cup green onion (sliced into 1 inch pieces); 1/3 cup Korean roasted black bean paste (aka chunjang); 1 tbsp gochujang; 1 tsp gochugaru (add another 1/2 tsp if you prefer spicier); 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or sub with vegetarian stir fry sauce); 3 tbsp white granulated sugar (*add more sugar if you like it sweeter); 3 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 1 green onion (finely diced for optional garnish); 2 tbsp cornstarch; 2 cups water (cold)

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Thick chewy noodles in a spicy savory black bean sauce with cabbage, onion, and steak with umami flavors! This quick and easy homemade jjapaguri (aka Ram Don) is inspired from the Korean movie "Parasite". A great dinner idea made from scratch!

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What are Jjapaguri noodles?
Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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What are Jjapaguri noodles?

Jjapaguri features thick wheat noodles and tender beef tossed in a savory, spicy black bean sauce with a hint of seafood flavor!

This famous dish was inspired by the Korean film, Parasite, which won multiple Oscars in 2020 - one of them was Best Picture!

The movie featured these noodles, which are made by combining two Korean instant ramen brands: "Chapagetti" and "Neoguri" with tender steak.

After seeing this become such a big trend on social media, I decided to create my homemade version of jjapaguri from scratch.

The roasted black bean sauce and gochujang give the noodle dish that savory spicy flavor. The seafood taste comes from the oyster sauce!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Rib eye steak: or substitute with flat iron steak, strip steak, sirloin steak or flank steak. Not a red meat eater? Substitute with chicken or tofu.
Thick Korean wheat noodle: or sub with udon noodles
Korean roasted black bean sauce: aka chunjang that you can find at most Korean markets. Or substitute with Chinese roasted black bean sauce.
Gochujang paste: a Korean red chili paste that is a red thick spicy paste that comes in a red tub sold at many Korean grocery stores in the sauce aisle.
Gochugaru: these are Korean red chili flakes that offer spice.
Onion
Green onion: for the sauce and as a garnish
Regular green cabbage: avoid using napa cabbage as it's too watery
Cold water
Cornstarch: or potato starch to help thicken the sauce
White Granulated Sugar
Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.

Note: most Korean grocery stores will carry Asian specific ingredients.

Expert Tips

Don't overcook the steak and cook until medium rare because we are later stir frying the beef in sauce.
Use a non-stick pan or wok for easy cooking and cleanup.
Fry the black bean paste in oil for at least 2 minutes, this removes the bitterness and makes the paste smooth.
Allow the sauce to thicken. This may take some time but the sauce needs to be thickened.
Do not overcook the noodles and taste them as you boil them until they're al dente.

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together your cornstarch and water. Set aside.
In a large non-stick pan set over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and add cubed steak. Fry until medium rare (about 2-4 minutes total). Remove the steak and set aside.
Reduce to low heat and add 2 tablespoon of oil followed by roasted black bean paste, gochugaru and gochujang paste. Mix and swirl it around in the oil to make it glossy, about 2 minutes. Push the paste to the side.
Raise heat to medium. Add onion, green onions and cabbage. Stir fry until soft. Then mix in with the black bean sauce.
Add cornstarch water mixture, oyster sauce and sugar. Mix until well combined with veggies and sauce. Allow this to simmer and thicken.
Once sauce has thickened, add in steak and cook for 1 minute. Remove sauce off heat.
Boil Korean wheat noodles for 3-4 minutes total or until al dente. Strain noodles and add noodles into the sauce.
Garnish with more green onions!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing jjapaguri as the noodles will go soggy.

Pairing Suggestions

Jjapaguri serves well with Korean side dishes like:

kimchi, Korean cucumber salad, beansprout salad, zucchini fritters, or Korean spinach

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

The sauce in jjapaguri can be made in advance as well as the steak but I recommend boiling the noodles closer to serving as they will go soggy over time.

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