10 Minute Korean Soy Noodles (Ganjang Bibim Guksu)

These are the easiest Korean soy noodles you’ll ever make. It takes 10 minutes from start to finish, there’s very little clean up, and they’re full of flavor. Think lots of savory, a touch of sweet, and a tiny kick of garlic.

So what are they?

Well, they’re basically bibim guksu without kimch. Or any spiciness. In fact, this is my veggie-laden version of ganjang bibim gukgu. That literally translates to:

• soy (ganjang)
• mixed (bibim)
• noodles (guksu)

They’re quick to make and served cold, making it perfect for the hot summer months. Although I love them in the winter as well.

It’s the quintessential mom-can’t-be-arsed-to-cook Korean home food for kids. So needless to say, I make it for my child pretty often. It also makes a quick yet satisfying meal for myself whenever I’m short on time and need something fast and filling.

What I love about this recipe is that I can get away with adding loads of veggies to it. And the kid slurps them all down with the noodles.

Here’s how to make these effortlessly delicious noodles…

Korean Soy Noodles Ingredients

This is a super simply Korean soy noodles recipe. You need only 4 ingredients for the recipe itself and it serves 2 (or just a very hungry 1).

• Thin, dry noodles
• 1 carrot
• 1 zucchini
• 1 scallion
• Optional: 2 eggs

And a couple pantry staples for the sauce:

• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Honey
• Garlic
• Rice vinegar

Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients…

Thin noodles

They’re called somyun in Korean (so means ‘small’ and myun means ‘noodles). They are the Korean equivalent of angel hair pasta. The ones that are typically used are made of wheat flour. But if you want a gluten-free option, they also have ‘rice somyun’ which is made from rice flour and potato starch.

It tastes just as good, if not better, as their texture is a little firmer so they cook up to a great al dente chewiness that I personally love.

Carrots

Carrots are optional but they definitely make these Korean soy noodles yummier and healthier. It’s best to julienne them as that makes them effortlessly blend in with the noodles.

If you don’t already have a mandoline slicer, I really recommend getting one of these multifunctional food choppers.

You’ll be producing perfectly julienned veggies in minutes. Seriously, they make life so much easier.

Zucchini

Ditto for zucchini. It’s an easy way to add veggies to this simple noodle recipe and julienned, they blend right in.

Green Onion

Essential for crunch and a little bit of onion-y kick. The perfect garnish for this dish

Eggs

If you want to make this dish vegan, you can totally skip the eggs. If not, soft-boil or steamed is the way to go.

The Sauce

This is a pretty classic sauce for Korean soy noodles, called ganjang bibim gooksu in Korean. I like to make larger batches in a jar and store them in the fridge. It keeps well and it’s makes for a delicious marinade for other very simple Korean dishes.

For example, you can use it as a dipping sauce for grilled mackerel. You can even just pour some into a bowl of warm rice, mix it up, and top it off with scallions and an egg. Boom. Now you have ganjang bibim bap (soy mixed rice).

How to Make Korean Soy Noodles

Bring water to boil in a small pot, add two eggs and cook for 6 minutes and 30 seconds.

Bring water to boil in a larger pot, add noodles, carrots, and zucchini. Cook for 3 minutes and 30 seconds if using somyun or 4 minutes and 30 seconds if using rice noodles (rice somyun). Immediately pour into a colander and rinse in cold water. Let it drain.

Make the sauce by mixing soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl or jar.

Portion the noodles and veggies into bowls. Top with the sauce, sesame seeds, scallions, and eggs, if using.

Mix it up. Enjoy immediately.

How to Make This Into Korean Spicy Noodles?

Want spice? This recipe is great for kids and adults alike. But if you need more spicy kick to your sauce, the easiest way to instantly transform this into spicy noodles, bibim gukgu, is to add a tablespoon or two of gochujang. It’ll be hard trying to blend that in later so add it to your sauce mixture from the get go, before mixing it into the noodles.

If you really want to sup it up, go a step further and add another half tablespoon of minced garlic, kimchi, and kimchi juice. Put in a little extra sesame oil to make mixing easier and enjoy.

What to Do with Leftovers?

Made too many noodles? No worries, you can save them for later. BUT keep in mind that they won’t have the same springy, chewy texture to them once reheated.

But if you can live with that, here’s the best way to store leftover noodles.

Coat the noodles in a bit of sesame oil and mix well. Stick them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When you’re ready to eat them, they’ll all be stuck together, holding onto each other for dear life. Pop them into boiling water for a quick 30 seconds to loosen them up. Then immediately rinse in cold water to breathe new life into the leftover noodles. You’ll need to re-add the sauce again after reviving the leftover noodles in hot and then cold water.

It’s easy enough. But I really recommend making these soy noodles fresh each time. After all, it only takes a couple minutes more.

As for the leftover noodles – the best thing to do with them is to add them to a soup. There’s no prep involved, you just add the cold, refrigerated clump of noodles into the hot soup and they’ll separate.

How Much Do They Cost to Make?

Korean soy noodles aren’t just fast and easy to make – they’re really affordable, too. Here’s how much it cost me:

• £2.60 200g of rice somyun
• £0.46 zucchini
• £0.10 carrot

For around £3 ($3.77) for 2 servings, this is a highly budget friendly meal.