Jajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles). Thick wheat noodles with a savory black bean sauce with pork belly, onions, cabbage, zucchini, and cucumbers. Ready in 30 minutes!
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What is Jajangmyeon?
Jajangmyeon (자장면), aka jjajangmyeon is a Korean-Chinese noodle dish made of Korean black bean paste sauce with pork belly, ground pork or ground beef, with zucchini, potatoes, cabbage, and onions. This is often enjoyed with fresh cucumber or daikon radish. The paste is made of soybean paste made of black beans. It was created by early Chinese immigrants in Korea and it is now iconic in Korean cuisine. You'll find this main dish served at many Korean restaurants.
In South Korea, this popular Korean noodle dish is regularly eaten on a special day like on graduation, birthdays or a special occasion to celebrate. In addition, this popular black bean noodle dish is often displayed being slurped down in many Korean dramas or in mukbangs.
Whenever I'm watching a K-drama, I crave these Korean noodles with Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). The taste of those thick chewy noodles in that jajangmyeon sauce with bites of pork and vegetables makes my mouth water. After many years of making Korean black bean noodles repeatedly, I've perfected my recipe and can't wait to share it with you.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to below full recipe card for exact measurements.
- Korean wheat-based noodles: I recommend using fresh noodles or substitute with udon noodles or dry wheat noodles and follow package directions to prepare them.
- Pork belly: or substitute with ground pork or beef
- Korean-style black bean paste, aka Chunjang: If you can't find the Korean version, substitute with Chinese black bean paste.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
- Onion
- Green cabbage
- Zucchini
- Green onion
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce.
- Cucumber: optional garnish
Cornstarch slurry
- Cold water
- Cornstarch (or sub with potato starch)
- Sugar
Note: Your Korean or most Asian grocery stores will carry these ingredients
How to Make Jajangmyeon
Make Cornstarch Mixture
In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and water. Mix well and set aside.
Fry Black Bean Paste
In a large skillet set to medium heat, add avocado oil or any neutral oil and fry black bean paste for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Pour black bean paste and oil into a separate bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
Strain and discard the excess oil and reserve the black bean paste. Frying the black bean paste in oil helps to remove the bitterness. Do not skip this step.
Cook Pork Belly
Fry pork belly in the same oiled pan until cooked and browned on edges. This pork fat will make the sauce extra delicious so don't pour it out.
Cook aromatics & vegetables
Add onions and green onions and fry until softened. Then add in zucchini and cabbage and fry until softened.
Add pork, black bean paste & cornstarch mixture
Add back in cooked pork and black bean paste. Mix well. Give your cornstarch slurry another mix and pour it into pan and mix well. Simmer the black sauce until it’s thickened.
Add Oyster Sauce
Season sauce with oyster sauce.
Boil Noodles
In a large pot of water, boil the noodles on high heat uncovered for 3-4 minutes until al dente.
Strain Noodles
Strain immediately.
Serve Noodles with Sauce
Transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl. Pour the sauce on top of the noodles.
Garnish
Garnish with julienned cucumber and enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
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.
Expert Tips
- Fry the black bean sauce in oil. This makes the sauce taste less bitter and more smooth.
- Boil noodles after sauce is made. We want to boil the noodles after the sauce is complete to prevent the cooked noodles from becoming soggy if you were to cook them before the sauce.
FAQ
Korean wheat noodles are thick, long, white and powdered with starch. They look like the image below.
Other Korean food you may like!
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📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)
Ingredients
- 1.20 lbs thick wheat noodles fresh kind recommended or sub with udon noodles
- 0.66 lbs pork belly chopped into smaller pieces
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 cup green cabbage chopped
- 1 cup zucchini diced
- 2 stalks green onion finely chopped
- ⅓ cup Korean roasted black bean paste aka Chunjang
- 3 tablespoon avocado oil any neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or sub with vegetarian stir fry sauce
Cornstarch slurry:
- 2 cups water cold
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch or sub with potato starch
- 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
Garnish:
- ¾ cups cucumber thinly sliced for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and water. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat, add avocado oil or any neutral oil. Fry black bean paste for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Pour black bean paste and oil into a separate bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Strain and discard the excess oil in the bowl reserving the black bean paste.
- Fry pork belly in the same oiled pan until cooked and browned on edges.
- Add onions and green onions and fry until softened. Then add in zucchini and cabbage and fry until softened.
- Add back in cooked pork and black bean paste. Mix well.
- Mix the cornstarch slurry and pour it into pan. Mix well. Simmer until it’s thickened. Season with oyster sauce.
- In a large pot of water, bring to a boil. Boil noodles for 3-4 minutes until al dente. Strain.
- Transfer noodles to a large serving bowl. Pour sauce over noodles. Optional: garnish with cucumbers.
Molly
These noodles were SOOOO BOMB!!! I tried it and it was so easy to make too.
Josiah - DIY Thrill
These noodles look so delicious!
Vivian Wan
Finally my determination to get all the ingredients did not fail me. Made this and it was a hit! I used pork belly instead of chicken and it was so delicious. Definitely satisfied my jajangmyeon craving
christieathome
Thanks so much for your kind review Vivian! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe and having it with pork belly is such a delicious decision! 🙂 Thanks again!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I really liked your idea to use chicken as the protein. That really allows the yummy flavors of your sauce to come through! 😋
Safia
Loved all the historical facts behind this recipe and your own feelings. The metric measurements helped massively as well as the tips. Thumbs up from me!!!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for your kind words, Safia! So glad I could share the background and my personal experience with this dish 🙂 Also glad the metric conversion tool has been helpful.
Never Ending Journeys
What a delicious noodle dish! I like the idea of putting the black beans on top, too!
Kerrie
Thank you so much! You are a life-saver! Every single recipe for this says boil noodles per instructions on the package. My package doesn't have any english except for an ingredient sticker. Without your recipe I was going to have to check the noodles every minute until they were done. Thanks again!!
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe Kerrie! Glad I could help with these instructions 🙂
Kathryn
Do you need to add cornstarch?
christieathome
Sorry for the delayed reply! Yes, it's needed to help thicken the sauce.
AliceK
This recipe looks wonderful! I do have a question about the pork belly. It isn't easy to find in my area. I know that it is the same cut that is used for making bacon. Could I substitute bacon, or just use a fatty piece of boneless pork?
christieathome
Thanks so much Alice! Yes, feel free to substitute with pork loin, pork shoulder or ground pork/beef.